Transcripts For CSPAN2 Review Of British Parliament 20180104

Summer. Coming up on this program to is a male hills for success in securing a brexit deal. This is good news for those who voted for me and good news for those who voted for may were worried we would clash out of here. Eighteen months on from the referendum results of Prime Minister scraped through phase one of the negotiations. Basing claim to their pushing people into poverty and destitution minister make changes to the welfare benefit universal credit. No government is perfect, brexit is not perfect but by god we Work Together and will make it [inaudible]. In his budget the chancellor announces of firsttime buyer but Opposition Mps reckon its cold comfort to the sluggish Economic Times ahead. Before the winds of brexit hit us the position for millions of people that those been struggling with nine years. But first with every passing day the uk inches closer to brexit we are scheduled to leave the European Union at the end of march 2019. With that deadline approaching mps spent the autumn trying to pin down the Big Questions such as what role will parliament have in the Brexit Process and what will the final bill look like and what will the uks relationship be with europe after we have left . Meanwhile, the Prime Minister resume is looks at the complex path of pushing the brexit to the commons and keeping Northern Island democratic unisys mps she planned to get books through. We survey traveled to [inaudible] to make a big speech offering assurances on eu Citizens Rights and urging economic and security relationship in the future. While that may have been seen as a step forward there were assisting to wobble when the trouble hit conference for the Prime Minister struck down with a persistent cough. There was plenty to talk about when parliament returned in the autumn and mrs. Mae came to the autumn to update the mps. Mr. Baker, between a sovereign United Kingdom and a strong and successful European Union it is our ambition and our offer to our european friends, achieving that partnership will depart leadership and flexibility, not just from us but from our friend the 27 nations of the eu. The speech that mistreated the scale of the mass the government is making of these negotiations. Fifteen months on in the referendum and were still no clearer what the future of this country will look like. Just at the moment when britain needs a strong negotiating team we have cabinet at each others throats. Half of the conservative party once the foreign secretary back in the other half once the counselor. Teresa may ridicules what she reckons was shifting approach to brexit. They said they wanted to leave the stable market and now they say they want to stay in the Single Market. He said that staying would defeat the [inaudible] the used to be against the second referendum but now they refuse to [inaudible]. No wonder they say we [inaudible] and when teresa may returns to the commons a few days later the conflicting demands on the Prime Minister were clearly on the show. A leading remain are urged to keep up the conversation with the European Union to stop the uk dropping out of the eu with no deal, a socalled hard brex brexit, and relying on wto rules. Can they assure us that these talks will continue and that she will not listen to those who want talks to stop but after going to wto rules . I have confidence that the only people undermining her from the side are people who are planning to go into the lobbyist the labour party. When is the Prime Minister going to face down the idea in her party and indeed in her cabinet who commit [inaudible] [inaudible conversations] we need to know the details of the future innovation ship in any transition deal for the end of the year. It is absolutely critical that we stay in the Single Market and the customs. Did you hear the foreign secretaries attempt to follow quoting shakespeare in saying that theres a tide in the affairs of men which lead onto fortune from Julius Caesar which was by brutus went on to step his leader. [inaudible conversations] that is a perfect metaphor for her predicament. I always welcome the literary references of my right honorable friend and he and i are both working to ensure we get the right deals when we leave. Teresa may and she wasnt the only member of the government facing conflicting pressure with the brexit secretary was consistently pushed to release more information to parliament. The mps impact the Labor Movement fax shows the Commons Brexit committee a series of impact studies on the effects of leading the eu. The reports related to 58 different sectors in the uk including prism and the innate [inaudible]. They resisted publishing the study saying that could damage the uk negotiating position but labor use and scare parliament a procedure to make government release papers. Looking at the list which i have year two things are obvious. The first is that in many ways it is unremarkable and could and should have been published once ago. The second is that the wide range of analyzed demonstrate why it is so important for members of this house. After a great deal of debate the information was released but incomplete form. The Impact Assessment werent assessments at all. The answer to your question is the government hasnt undertaken any Impact Assessments on the occasions of leaving the eu for different sections of the economy. There isnt one, for example, on the automotive is the one on aerospace . What about Financial Services . No to all of them. Right. Doesnt it strike you that rather strange given that experience from the committee to have government takes Impact Assessments and also some things all the time in a fundamental change that we are facing with country you just told us that the government hasnt undertaken any Impact Assessment at all looking at the impact on id like to say mr. Chairman when the sector analyses were initiated they were done to understand the effect of various options, what the outcome will be. We dont need to Impact Assessments to understand that its a regulatory hurdle between how the producer and market and affect and i think i said before that not as straightforward and im not a fan of economic models because they will run. David davis, away from westminster it continued and they said not enough progress has been made to move on to the second phase of the brexit talk. Among other things it would look at our future trading relationship. Progress has been made on the rights of the eu nationals in the socalled brexit divorce bill the amount of money the eu will pay on exiting the eu. [inaudible] it was thought a deal had been done at the start of december but democratic unisys party led by [inaudible] made it clear that teresa may at the last minute that she would not accept a deal which appears to align Northern Island training with the Irish Republic instead of the uk. So after some frantic telephone calls a compromise was reached early in the hours and resume appeared announced that a deal had been struck aligning progressions to phase two. Returning home teresa may made a longawaited statement to the mps telling them britains negotiation had argued mostly for the outcomes achieved which were a fair and reciprocal deal that will guarantee the rights for more than 3 million eu citizens living in the uk and a million uk national sitting in the eu. They can carry on living their lives as a fair settlement of the account. We meet our obligations and in the spirit of our future partnership and a commitment to maintain the common [inaudible] with ireland and to uphold the belfast agreement and fall and to avoid a hard border between ireland while upholding the constitutional and economic integrity will United Kingdom. Sheet warned that nothing would be agreed till everything was agreed that this bill was good news all around. It is good news for those who voted. [inaudible conversations] it is good news for people who voted for make for buried were going to flush out without a deal. We are going to leave going to do so in a smooth and orderly way for a special partnership with her friends while taking back control of our borders, money and law again. On friday we took a big step toward achieving it and i commend the statement of the house. Eighteen months on from the referendum result the Prime Ministers grace through phase one of the negotiation. Scraped through after 18 months, two months later the plan with many of the key aspects of phase i still not clear. This weekend cabinet members have managed to contradict each other and indeed some have managed to go even further and convict themselves. Last week we had the humiliating speech of the Prime Minister being forced out of the original deal by the [inaudible], rushing back to london the government had to rewrite the agreement so as to reach the [inaudible]. We have to wonder who is running the uk . [inaudible conversations] they confirmed that the text of this agreement now makes clear that in the event of the deal Northern Island will not be separated politically, economically or for any regulatory the uk along with the island of ireland. I suggest to the Prime Minister that in order to strengthen her leverage in the next stage of negotiations she might want to suspend tribal politics and invite the leader of the opposition and invite the leader of the opposition and its perspective colleagues to join her negotiating team since whatever their tactical difference they agree with her on the fundamentals of brexit and withdraw from this Single Market. [inaudible] the chancellor said the bill would be paid and the brexit secretary [inaudible] her deal with the tshirt promising realignment has been dismissed as [inaudible]. She cant even get her brexit secretary to agree with her how she get a good deal that will get in deal that will promote jobs. Is one of the talks concluded but better to ask the bbc Political Correspondent will be joining me throughout the program. Chris, how pleased teresa may be with what she got out of this . If you tilted your ear in the direction to downing street from wherever you are watching or listening around the uk you can hear the sigh of relief. Theres a huge sense in downing street that are getting to the point where they can move on to phase two was the key thing that they wanted to do by christmas so they managed to do it. Yes, there were huge amounts of noise about the aborted trip to brussels and mrs. May have been to trudge back to the ua without getting a deal and finally getting the deal and then theres the embarrassment a week later in the house of commons vote but the Prime Minister said in a newspaper she wrote her christmas she got to where she set out to get to and she will be relieved and itll be a success. But that is a big butt and that took ages to get there and what does that tell us . It took ages and it took longer than it was originally thought because it was the first deadline that was and usually remember that not everything in those discussions is resolved. The barrier was sufficient progress is the phrase of the European Union and it doesnt mean that its all done and theres an agreement that a border should be soft but there isnt exactly how you go about achieving that. What does this tell you . It tells you its a mighty completed business. That is before we get on to what many people think will be an even more complicated discussion which is what the future relationship looks like. Not the least because the British Government has to agree first or ones that relationship to look like and is poor starting negotiations to see if they can achieve. Are we any closer to knowing what teresa may really wants out of all of this in the end . No, im not sure we are. You speak to those in government and some do not even know what the Prime Minister necessarily wants. The argument you here is that shes been the ultimate pragmatist and that shes listening and absorbing the views expressed within our government, party, parliament and the country to try to come up with a pragmatic solution of the country can accept. The tricky thing and this is the essence of the whole challenge politically around brexit is that referendum divide and binary forces, black and white moment in the politics after a referendum is the return of [inaudible] and the task is to find some source of solution around brexit that is acceptable to boaters and isnt seen as a watering down but acceptable to the 40 of the losing side of the referendum and that is mighty hard because compromise is guaranteed that some will be disappointed. Chris, will come back to you later in the program but for now, thank you very much indeed. Now, lets take a look at some other stories from around westminster. Its been described as a tragedy unprecedented in modern times, the fire that swept through the tower in west london in june left 71 people dead. It thought the blaze began accidentally in the kitchen of a flat on the fourth floor. 250 firefighters in london were at the scene. In the aftermath the Community Rallied around those affected and Relief Centers were set up. Six months on a Memorial Service was held in pauls cathedral in london attended by the Prime Minister and members of the royal family. Just before christmas the Community Secretary came to update the mps. The council has been tasked with 207 households [inaudible] to date 144 households, over 70 have accepted an offer of temporary or permanent accommodations. Weve been clear that we should move at pace of the families involved and that no one should be crushed into making a decision about where to live but to have a so many families including some children still living in hotels and other emergency accommodations six months after the tragedy is simply not good enough. The ease of exotic tax havens hit the headlines the government accused of failing to crack down on the biggest tax scandal of the generation. It followed revelations by the bbcs program of millions of leaked financial documents known as the paragraph of ice. Does the government not recognize that the ordinary taxpayer hearing again it is utterly outraged but if you were rich or a business that you can avoid tax seen on an industrial scale and they are protected by a lack of transparency. A government review concluded it was inconceivable that the bombing of a Manchester Arena in may could have been avoided. The man responsible for the attack had been a former subject of interest, nine other attacks had been aversive son march. The government has rejected calls to ban mesh implants that offered to men and women to treat a number of conditions such as internal organ prolapse and incontinence. High numbers of women have begun to come forward claiming procedures have twisted or degraded and left them in debilitating pain. Recently she stated that one stopped the mesh is never fully removed failure of implanting means the mesh erode, stick and adhere to organs, nerves and blood vessels treating lifelong injuries. Mesh is still the best product for treating consonants but the evidence regarding prolapse is mixed but im obliged to [inaudible] and the minister was back in the comments to tell mps a cap on social care cost in england seems to come in affected four years time is to be scrapped. The cap of 72 and a half thousand pounds on an individual care cost was brought in the following recommendations of the and had already been put into an act of parliament but they will now be a fresh consultation on the future system of social care. We will not be taking the previous government plan [inaudible] its no good for the minister to say the government of consulting on the scalp they consulted on this during the general election and their proposals im 53 and will my suffering attract children be still suffering about my care cost in the next 30 years. In the absence of provision i might make in indeed encouraged to make is it reasonable for me to expect from my social care cost to be paid for by the state and get my heirs to inherit my substantial housing [inaudible] . I think my friend in a nutshell to summarize as this as neatly and one of the debates have to have which is how about we ensure that people can achieve care when they needed and that it will be paid for and at the same time achieving intergenerational fairness. Jackie, now issue that rambled on demanded the government make universal credit change. The aim is to simplify the system and make it easier to get into work. While many mps supported the idea there was a growing cause for concern about the six week wait for they were receive their first payment. This pushed people into debt and arrears. The rollout of universal credit is already causing debt, poverty and homelessness. Does the Prime Minister accept it would be responsible to press on regardless . Teresa may explain why the change had been introduced. What we want is where phil system that provides a safety net for those who need it, that helps people get into the workplace, helps people to earn more and to provide for themselves and their families. With this intent growing labor called a debate demanding a cause in the rollout. The conservatives project the [inaudible] we absolutely do understand the importance of providing opportunities and thats what is politics and thats why i support universal credit and i dont want to see it [inaudible] i want to generally see for the officers [inaudible] they were worried about the change. One man came to the church with her disabled son was moved to the universal credit and waited seven weeks for her money. She told one of my clergy that she took paper napkins from mcdonalds because she was unable to afford toilet paper. Present condition means that he wears diapers which she was also unable to afford. Can any of us here imagine the stress in indignity of such a situation . At the end of the debate the mps decided to cut the waiting time in payments although mps from the government i didnt take part in that vote. A few weeks later the work and pensions secretary announced that in the future money could be paid direct to landlords and large advances could be claimed and repaid more slowly. We are now offering a balanced package of impairments puts more money into hands earlier insuring extra support to those who need it most. While those changes were welcome mps went on to demand that the benefit be released to the committee for scrutinizing the work of the department. A leading campaign remind mps what he fought for the policy to be changed. On friday, the most brilliant that ought to be Necessary Organization reported a family coming in of husband, wife and young child and the young child is crying with hunger and the family was fed. The father said it had been a lucky week for him because neighbors had taken to the and invited him to a funeral so that they could finish off the food after the other funeral guests had been fed. I dont know what to say but im humbled by the honorable good friend. No government is perfect, no benefit system is perfect, no debate or motion is perfect but by god we will Work Together to men this matter. With brexit dominating the agenda in westminster our issues might universal credit sleeping under the radar . Chris mason is back with me. Chris, is there a long list of policies that arent getting as good as youd expect . Yes, i would say there are. Its a frustrating parlor game that what would we be talking about if brexit wasnt happening in the results of the referendum had been the equal and opposite. There would still be [inaudible] around the referendum. Is taking up by brexit. Date and time of day out. That means all sorts of other issues. The political discussion the way used to outside of times where one topic is dominating everything. And the coverage, it is huge and radical and controversial reform of the welfare system. It is exactly 1 of those issues. We started briefly at the tail end of the year. Making some headlines. But nowhere near i would have thought the amount of headlines that it would have made simply because brexit is the default topic at the moment. And the big challenge i think actually journalistically on the one hand, in a macro sentence it is undeniably vastly important defining moment. But almost daytoday, it can also be a little bit you know it can be a bit dull. Its a really big challenge and some, there are plenty of other topics that matter to people every day. Whether it is schools or hospitals or whatever it might be that not getting the amount of attention. Neither journalistically or in terms of legislation. Thank you again. We will return to you a little bit later in the program. Youre watching westminster in review. Do not forget that you can find us for all of the goings on every weeknight at 11 oclock. We can catch up live with bbc now to one of parliaments set events could the budget. There is a little Financial Statement that came against the backdrop of brexit and murmurs about positions in the cabinet. With suggestions that the chancellors own position is under threat. But budget did began with the traditional he was flanked by junior ministers. And with the allimportant speech. After smiles, it was into the official short journey. The chancellor spoke for nearly one hour with announcements on health spending, universal credit and he began with preparations for brexit. We have already invested almost 700 Million Pounds in brexit preparations. Today, i am setting aside over the next two years, and other 3 billion pounds and i stand ready to allocate more if and when needed. A chance look on time for drinking a glass of water and made reference to theresa may and her speech when he handed her help. I did ask to bring suites just in case. Conservatives board but the next section of the speech was less lighthearted. As the chancellor revealed predictions of Slower Growth in the coming years. Regretfully our productivity performance continues to go down. At each of the last 16 fiscal events the productivity growth would return to its precrisis trend of about two percent per year. But it remained stubbornly flat. Today, they revised down the outlook for productivity growth. Business and investments and gdp growth. One announcement came when Philip Hammond said they need a target building 300,000 new homes per year by the middle of the next decade. From today, for all firsttime buyers up to 300,000 pounds, i am abolishing and when the dent had died down he said it would be a cut for 95 percent of all firsttime buyers to pay some duty. He says the measure does not apply in scotland. It is dented leader of the opposition, to reply to the budget. What will time for the announcements it is seen as a parliamentary occasion. Jeremy corbyn says that test of any budget is how it affected peoples lives. Mr. Speaker is now lower than 2010 wages are now falling again. Economic growth in the first three quarters this year is the lowest since 2009. And the slowest of the Major Economies in the g7. He said over a million old people were not getting the care they needed and he reacted angrily with heckles from the conservative mps. Over 6 billion would have been cut from social care budgets by next march. I hope the honorable member begins to understand what its like to wait for special care stuck in a hospital bed with other people to care for them. And he reckoned he had heard it all before. 200,000 homes, three years ago. Not a single one has yet been built. In those three years. We need a largescale publicly funded housebuilding program. Not this trick and empty promises. The westminster leader would be worse off. Before the windsor breaks at heather, the starting position for millions of people is already been struggling with 90 years. The cuts being imposed on some conservatives meaning that the Public Service in this particular are feeling the squeeze. This is a budget. It shows a chance of what is going on. While he is behaving like while many recent budget unraveled in the days after the chancellor speech, and some dramatic headlines, they have the release of theresa may and her party. Where does that leave Philip Hammond . Many reckoned in danger being shuffled. We have chris with us. Just how safe is the chancellor . Is probably one of the few conservatives that have a general election with good news for him because the widespread expectations prior to the general election and during the campaign when plenty of people thought theresa may would come back with a thumping majority. Philip hammond would be quietly shuffled out. And would disappear and be fired basically. He barely featured at all on the campaign trail. Messages public frustration he said he thought he pushed what was a strong hand in the economy. He survived as chancellor but what was really striking no in the buildup to the budget is, was pretty easy to find jennifer not just those that disagree with him on brexit where he it was quite a few that felt he was, to borrow a phrase used by others years ago they said along team the budget and unlike the other previous budget from earlier this year, while he ended up inadvertently preaching the manifesto commitment which then had to roll back on. This one seemed to hold politically. Even though the oral message which were not even his numbers but the overall message around the numbers as far as the economy is concerned, were pretty grim. I was going to come to that. It is one of the great but in the current climate who would want the job . Exactly. He is having a political discussion on the economy and he still is shaped by something that happened in political terms, eons ago. In the financial crisis. And the sense that that is still a huge drive in how people see politics and peoples standard of living and you know it is still living behind its means, spending more every year than bringing in in taxes. So the issue around the deficit is still there. And all of the targets, first the coalition and then the conservatives, keep getting pushed further and further and further back. And yet, therefore, the chancellor still has an issue. Where there isnt that much cash. And it is somewhat grudgingly, having put aside money for brexit. And the budget, millions of pounds would be set aside for brexit. It will be potentially expensive business. The argument from government, it will not necessarily have to be spent but it has to be parceled up for brexit expenditure. Of course in the long run there should be economic benefits and brexit. Something that is highly controversial and but brexit yet again, even now we are in a conversation about the budget or a few minutes ago in conversations about universal credit. Brexit is the topic that creeps into every single discussion about politics. We will be back with you one last time in the program. Now, thank you. Philip hammond was not the only one making a budget trend for the Scottish Parliament had increasing power over how money is spent. And for the last year has had the ability to varying levels of income tax for setting up his budget, the finest secretary outlined his own plan to help firsttime buyers. For the most eyecatching announcement that proposes to increase taxes for higher earners. In the 160 Million Pounds to help fund publicsector pay raises and health spending. These decisions have therefore enabled me to reverse the real terms that westminster has imposed on the resource budget next year while sharing a scotland is not just a state of tax part of the uk but for the majority of taxpayers, the lowest tax the message of the budget is simple. Dont be ambitious. Dont be hardworking. Dont be successful. Because we will penalize you for our failure to grow the scottish economy. The truth is, scotlands needs real and radical change. Not tinkering around the edges. And it should be based on the principle and it should be based on the principle of from each according to their means. To each according to their needs a penny on the top wages does not do it. By adding new rates and bands we showed that we can raise additional revenue for the Public Services while reducing tax at the bottom end of the income scale. Not at the top and of the conservatives of the uk government seeming to continue. This budget does not do have to meet the longterm needs of the economy. It does not help education that we argued for. Ousted in a beloved at the news in greece. Patel resigned over unauthorized meetings with israeli officials. He was ordered back from an unofficial trip to africa and driven straight from the airport to explain herself. She had already apologized for holding unauthorized meetings in august with israeli politicians. Including the Prime Minister benjamin netanyahu. But later emerged she had to further meetings without government officials present. Ms. Patel resigned saying it had been a privilege to work as International Development secretary. Needed a good job. And part of the special relationship with united states. But the election of President Club has caused a few bumps along the road. President s decision to recognize jerusalem as the capital of israel reversing decades of us policy outraged many who warned it could set the piece back by decades. And his retreating of antiislamic video by a uk led many to demand a future visit to the uk by the president be called off. President donald trump was wrong to retreat what was posted by far right groups. When you look at the wider picture, the relationship between the uk and america, then i know how valuable the friendship is between our two nations. One of the key dangers of the state visit we have absolutely no idea what the president will save or tweet next and before he visits. What does he need to say by tweet before the idea of a state visit is ditched once and for all . Mr. Speaker, an invitation for the visit has been extended and accepted. The dates and precise arrangements have yet to be agreed. President trump came up again when north korea announced it had fired a missile over japan and had successfully tested a nuclear weapon. That can be loaded on a longrange missile. I disagree with the government. There appears to be, any value in those actions surely the hidden actor the president using his phone for talking instead of sending tweets into a fragile precarious situation. I am, i really must disagree powerfully. With the honorable lady. That somehow this crisis has been by the americans or by the president or by the white house. When you look at the history, not just in the last year but in the last 10 years and 30 years, this has been a Movement Towards the acquisition of thermonuclear weapons by a rogue state. Still no Northern Ireland assembly after the executive collapse in january. Talks to end the deadlock failed again in november forcing the Northern Ireland secretary to intervene a second budget. And those that stopped short of reimposing direct rule. Scottish labor leader announced she was stepping down after two years. She later got into hot water with her party. For straight to take part in a reality t. V. Show, i am a celebrity, get me out of here. Labor is now the thirdlargest party behind the conservatives. Westminster once again found itself at the center of scandal as allegations of Sexual Harassment and inappropriate behavior emerged. Several found themselves under investigation by their parties or in some cases the police. An early casualty was the defense secretary michael fallon. He quit in november saying that his behavior may have fallen short of the standards expected by the uk military. He called the bbc and said what was acceptable 10 years ago was clearly not acceptable now. The Prime Minister later announced parliament is to have an independent grievance procedure to deal with complaints about harassment and abuse. The leader explained the next step. The new system should provide support advice and action on a wide spectrum of complaints around bullying and harassment. We will do everything in our power to ensure the solution is transparent, fair and effective. Just before christmas, theresa may suffered another blow when she lost her third cabinet minister within two months. She sucked her closest political ally and the man who was effectively her after government inquiry found that he twice made inaccurate and misleading statements about the discovery of pornography on his Parliamentary Office computer. He denied downloading pornography but admitted he should have been clear that they had spoken to him and his lawyers about the material. Lets go back to brexit. We saw earlier in the program the delicate balancing act the Prime Minister was trying to strike to keep her parties together and make talks with the rest of the eu. But there is an equally tricky high wire act to navigate in westminster itself. As the ministers tried to push through it had originally been called the great repeal bill. And now more modest title of the eu withdrawal bill. It repels the act of 1972 which took offense the european community. And sets up the process to transcend current eu laws into uk laws so that the legal system does not collapse after brexit. When the bill had its first in the cummins image explains why it was needed. This bill is an essential step. While it has not taken out the European Union with the article 50 process it does ensure on the day we leave, businesses know where they stand. Workers rights are upheld. Consumers remain protected. This bill is ensuring that as we leave, we do so in an orderly manner. And portraying this as a technical exercise conversing eu laws into our law without issues about the role of parliament. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is incompatible with the idea of parliamentary sovereignty. The truth is this bill was always going to be because the government started the negotiations without clear objectives or outcomes. Therefore the bill had any scenario and deal or no deal. Cutting and pasting laws on the statute book is not simply enough. The laws are only as effective as the mechanisms that enforce them and practice. And deftly mechanisms to replace enforcement roles and they it is not enforceable. They say that this is quite clear from what ministers have said, from the legislative has said, the restrictions, it is not [multiple speakers] it enables the law to be brought into the sphere of this parliament. Eventually it can be as the bill moves into line by line scrutiny, there were two or three issues that bubbled to the surface. Earlier in the program, one of the key sticking points in the talks was how to deal with the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. As they got down to the detail of the eu withdrawal bill, one Northern Ireland mp made a plea for the principles of the good friday agreement to be preserved in the bill. In a speech she recalls how the troubles have affected her family and community. And put forward an amendment which she said was designed to help the sensible of Mutual Respect for all. I grew up not a grip on a 50 acre farm. West of the river abound. Very close to what unfortunately became known as the triangle for a number of people. Who were murdered with catholic and protestant and by [inaudible] many of our neighbors were attacked. Or opened a shed door and there was a we certainly face a hard border and this will regard officers and uk border officials. I do not want that on my conscience. I do not believe one moment that the minister does either. While the ministers were able to offer assurances on that point, they were not able to persuade them including some of others. And the parliamentary vote from the deal might not come until after march 2019. The uk intended exit gate. In the ensuing outrage had a compromised to say he would bring forward a separate bill implementing that exit deal and giving them a chance to go through it in detail. During detailed scrutiny of the withdrawal bill, a conservative foreign minister put down an amendment demanding that a meaningful vote. Parliament he argued should have a safe on how we leave the eu. The aspect of the debate as far as i can see is as it progressed is how we so fixated that we failed completely to look at me in spirit we look at the top and we do not look at where we will put our foot next. The vote has got to take place before the British Government has committed itself to the terms of the treaty light agreement that is the reality of the bill is that it would allow ministers to start implementing it Withdrawal Agreement entirely through legislation and would not allow ministers to do so even before parliament has endorsed Withdrawal Agreement. Recovered from a situation where as members we had handed over these decisions lock stock and barrel to the European Union. So that improvement and to adjust the attempt to reverse brexit [multiple speakers] what scandal is him is this any attempt to disagree with the way in which this bill is brought up is somehow a betrayal of brexit what rubbish and other conservative said this would just drag the process out. If the treaty is not right in the eyes of the province that complements concern into a couple of years and indeed some people would like it to be a couple of decades. When she talks therefore, about a meaningful vote, what about the meaningful vote of the people of the country that last june voted to leave the European Union . Surely we need to get that done as quickly as possible to deliver what the british people voted for. The government did offer a lastminute concession. Come back to the issue of the next stages of those considerations. But it was a little too late for the rebels. And so the government suffered its first defeat on the bill by just four votes. To the right 309, to the left 305. [applause] and so the government headed into the christmas recess with a legislative hangover. Which i will try to cure in the new year. What does all of this tell us about westminster biggest parties . Much of the focus has been on the division of the conservative Party Meeting policies have not come into any detailed scrutiny. Chris mason is here will not time. Labor has struggled to come to a position on that hasnt it . We said earlier whenever referendum, will divide political parties. Missing this within labor as well spending much of the year, senior figures contradicting one another and sometimes contradicting themselves about their outlook on brexit. What was quite striking is that during the election campaign, broadly speaking, they seem to be able to profit from sounding a little warmer towards the European Union and the conservatives were. Even though their internal contradictions you can point to and policies as you can within the conservatives. It was possibly a fact i think in helping them along certainly in some states in the general election but after that and indeed before it, he managed to benefit from i guess the opposition which is that you dont transport specifically if they government is trying to do something if the government is in his own division. Was going to ask it is actually matter if labor positions constantly shifting given that they are not in power in the government is struggling to come to a point that it it is about as much. As with the governments position is varied but the labor spokesman, men and women will constantly point out and even some conservatives privately will acknowledge given the state of the government in terms of numbers, given that theresa may is relying them to get image occasionally you lose that in the house of commons. It is not impossible is it to imagine a scenario where in 2018 there is a general election. And its also not possible when you look at the opinion polls that it is pretty close or a couple of points ahead. It is entirely possible that Jeremy Corbyn could be Prime Minister. Internet is since it would matter. For moment about Jeremy Corbyn position. Amazing transformation over the last 12 months. You say this possibly could be Prime Minister. Is it just not taking his position as labor leader absently on the table for the foreseeable future . Yes. And i have been able to answer definitively with one word. It is extraordinary. If it was really striking this year im telling the conservative party of 2017. Then the one of 2016. In 2016 Jeremy Corbyn Service Features of the butt of the joke. Four he was in there as a genuine threat and a fear that he was going to be at the next Prime Minister. Which is the ultimate compliment for him from them. He has been politically transformed. You can see it. I think he appears more confidence. Yes, he and his team thought that they would do better than many people thought they would. But they still have not formed what they were going to achieve at the election. He is going nowhere and he decides he does not want to do the job. Whereas theresa may at the end of the year, doesnt look anything apart from strong and stable. Has been a horrible year for her. The biggest single political gamble she has ever taken backfired with the Election Results and going backwards. Instead of a big leap forward. Was it useful for her is that she has gotten to the point that she promised she would at this stage and crucially there is no obvious successor. So that conservatives and leadership coupled with if they do this at the moment they would be doing so during the middle of the pressing negotiations and it will be requested that there were rather than being concerned about the future of the country. Those factors can be remarkably important in keeping theresa may as Prime Minister for quite a while yet. Chris, thank you very much. Finally, there was one piece of news in which politicians on all sides were able to unite and offer the very best wishes. Prince harry had become engaged to american actress meghan markle. The couple made their announcement at the end of november. Congratulations poured in from around the globe. A couple on may 19 will marry in the castle. And happiness brings us to the end of this edition of the program. Join us on 8 january when parliament returns. We will be back with our daily roundup here at westminster. For now best wishes from all of us for the new year and for me, goodbye [music] tonight on cspan2, especially edition of booktv with books about science and technology. Next, biologist, richard dawkins, has a new book titled chances. Then the history of women pioneers of astronomy. The glass universe. And t