Transcripts For BBCNEWS Monday In Parliament 20200915

Now on bbc news, monday in parliament. Hello, and welcome to monday in parliament, where borisjohnson insists his bill allowing ministers to break International Law on brexit is only a safety net. I have absolutely no desire to use these measures. They are an insurance policy. But labour reckons the Prime Minister has no one else to blame if he doesnt like the details of the brexit divorce agreement. This is his deal its his mess, its his failure for the first time in his life, its time to take responsibility. Also on this programme a cabinet minister hails a post brexit trade deal with japan. And in the lords a Health Minister sets out the Covid Communications challenge. If people do think that theyre confused and think they have a way out because it is in some way complicated, then we will fail, and the disease will come back, and we will have tens of thousands of deaths. But first Boris Johnson has told mps his new brexit legislation would preserve the economic and political integrity of the uk. The Prime Minister was opening the first debate on the internal market bill. It gives ministers powers to change the details of the withdrawal treaty agreed with the eu last year allowing them to undo elements whereby Northern Ireland abides by some eu rules and regulations after brexit to prevent border checks between the north and the republic. But opponents say the bill breaks International Law with labour accusing the Prime Minister of legislative hooliganism. Over the weekend, former Prime Ministers sirjohn major and tony blair, urged mps to reject what they called the shameful attempt to override parts of the brexit Withdrawal Agreement. And on monday morning, David Cameron became the fifth former Prime Minister to criticise the bill, saying he had misgivings and that breaking an International Treaty should be the final resort. Borisjohnson explained why he wanted the bill. I regret to have to tell the house that in recent months, the eu has suggested that it is willing to go to extreme and unreasonable lengths using the Northern Ireland protocol in a way that goes well beyond common sense simply to exert leverage against the uk in our negotiations for a free trade agreement. To take the most glaring example, the eu has said that if we fail to reach an agreement to their satisfaction, they might very well refuse to list the uks food and Agricultural Products for sale anywhere in the eu. And it gets even worse, mr speaker because under this protocol, that decision would create an instant and automatic prohibition on the transfer of our animal products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Mr speaker, our interlocutors on the other side are holding out the possibility of blockading food and agricultural transports within own country. And he said some in the eu were interpreting the rules so thered be hefty taxes on goods moving between parts of the uk. And that would mean, mr speaker, tariffs that could get as high as 90 by value on scottish beef going to Northern Ireland, not from stranraer to dublin, but from stranraer to belfast within our United Kingdom tariffs potentially over 61 on welsh lamb heading from anglesey and potentially over 100 on clotted cream moving from torridge to devonshire town at random. Mr speaker, this is unreasonable and plainly against the spirit of that protocol. He insisted the bill was only needed if no deal was reached with the eu. I have absolutely no desire to use these measures. They are an insurance policy. And if we Reach Agreement with our european friends. If we Reach Agreement with our european friends which i still believe is possible they will never be invoked. And, of course, it is the case that the passing of this bill does not constitute the exercise of these powers. Now, the labour leader, sir keir starmer was self isolating because of coronavirus so it was the shadow business secretary and former labour leader, ed miliband who stood in. I never thought respecting International Law would, in my lifetime, be a matter of disagreement. I stood opposite the Prime Ministers predecessor, David Cameron, as leader of the opposition for five years. I disagree. | dont know why hes rolling his eyes, madam deputy speaker, i disagreed with them profoundly, i disagreed with them profoundly on many issues, but i could never have imagined him coming along and saying, we are going to legislate to break International Law on an agreement we had signed less than a year earlier. As a country, there is an irony here which is that as if this wasnt enough this bill does precisely nothing to address the issue of the transport of food from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. It is about two issues where they are going to override International Law its about exit declarations, Northern Ireland to gb and the definition of state aid relating to Northern Ireland. Now, if the Prime Minister wants to tell us that there is another part of this bill that i havent noticed that will deal with the supposed threat of the blockade, i will give way to him. Ill very happily give way to him so he can tell us, im sure he has read it, im sure he knows it, im sure he knows it in detail because hes a details man. Laughing. Come on, come on. Tell us, what clause protects the threat that he says hes worried about, gb to Northern Ireland experts. I give way to him. The right honourable gentleman give way unless hes asked to. There you have it, he didnt read the protocol. He hasnt read the bill, he doesnt know his stuff. How dare he try and blame everyone else . can i say to the Prime Minister, this time, he cant claim the right honourable member for maidenhead, he cant blame john major, he cant blame the judges, he cant blame the civil servants, he cant sack the cabinet secretary again. There is only one person responsible for it and thats him this is his deal its his mess, its his failure for the first time in his life, its time to take responsibility. Its time to fess up. Either he wasnt straight with the country about the deal in the first place or he didnt understand it. Because, madam deputy speaker, a competent government would never have entered into a binding agreement with provisions it could not live with. The snp reckoned the bill was an attack on devolution. If this legislation is forced through, powers will be given to uk government ministers to design and impose replacements for eu spending programmes in devolved areas infrastructure, economic development, culture and sports, education and training, all of it. Their agenda is clear. A number of tory mps looked set to abstain or rebel on the bill, and Ian Blackford pointed to the oppostion among peers too including former tory leader, michael, now lord howard. As we know, there is opposition on the conservative benches. In the other place, the tory leader, lord howard, told the government that the legislation would result in the uk showing itself as having scant regard for its treaty obligations. You know, madam deputy speaker, when your government is getting verbally slaughtered by a brexiteer who, how shall i say, has something of the night about him, that it is as clear as day that the tories have gone way beyond the pale. Ian blackford there. After the party leaders, it was the turn of rank and file mps to have their say. More than 100 wanted to take part so many that they were limited to four minutes a speech. A former minister was among conservatives calling for changes so the uk didnt break International Law. I cannot support the bill with these clause in it as they are at the moment. I hope that we will take the opportunity to change and improve these clauses in a way in which they might operate so that we do not fall into a means of damaging our reputation. Thats why i cant support the bill tonight. I hope that we will see amendments to change what i believe are the egregious and needless and potentially damaging elements of part five of the bill. A view shared by a former law officer. Britain stands as a rule of law country, its respected across the world for its stance. And i think its right that all the Prime Minister is that i served under thats three of them have come out with grave concerns about this bill on the point that im concerned about. And i would just comment that, Margaret Thatcher herself made clear, her barrister, how important it is often saying that democracy is not enough without a love of liberty and respect for the law the rule of law. Hear, hear but other tories blamed the European Union. I welcome this bill as both a reasonable and essential step for our government to take in light of the eus unreasonable position. It has become crystal clear, ever since our country voted to leave, that the eu would not act in a constructive spirit, that they would not treat the uk as an independent country with equal basis in negotiations as it has with other countries such as canada. Labour and the sdlp targeted the Prime Minister. This is a terrible diversion from the task at hand. We have less than four months to go. The livelihoods of many businesses in this country depend on getting a deal with the European Union. Now, for a long time, i thought the government would get one, but in the last few days, i have begun to doubt whether they actually want that because they seem to be acting in a way that undermines the prospect of an agreement. I believe that these arrangements serve the interest of Northern Ireland and the uk as a whole. It is a great day for our whole country, not my words, the words of this Prime Minister. How can anybody trust the word of this Prime Minister when he does a deal not even a year ago and he comments about it in those terms . And now he is ripping up that agreement. The bill allows the uk government to intervene in areas currently the responsibility of devolved governments. It enhances the powers of uk ministers to act and to be relevant in uk nations. This is essential for the future of the union and in my mind, its the start of the union fight back. It shows that whitehall now understands the changing nature of our makeup as a United Kingdom. I have been calling for the tips, which are the responsibility of the uk government which have fallen into the river, that the work that needs to be done to take away the 60,000 tonnes of material to be funded by the uk government. I havent seen a penny so im not going to listen to all of this nonsense pretending they are going to send us money, its a whole load of tosh hear, hear the snp saw a powergrab and had a dig at the new scottish tory leader, douglas ross, a part time football linesman. This bill is emblematic of a government with no regard nor will to work with devolution. It a barefaced power grab. The scottish tory leader has already boasted that he will vote for this bill tonight. At his otherjob, he runs the line, in thisjob, he crosses the line. The dup said their own warnings about the brexit divorce deal had come true. If this bill is an attempt to try and undo some of the damage which was done by the Withdrawal Agreement and to respond to the points which Arlene Foster and other ministers have pressed the government to address, then we welcome it. 0thers wondered why they were talking about brexit. I have to say, if any of my constituents are watching this afternoon, i think they will be wondering what on earth is going on . Why, they will ask, are mps banging on about brexit again . Isnt that what the general election last december was meant to end . Surely, its not surprising with the transition period about to come to an end, that these debates will come back to this house. And isnt it good, and wouldnt she agree with me, our Prime Minister, he is fighting for british interests. Hear, hear tom hunt and that bill will now be scrutinised by mps in more detail during the rest of this week before going to the lords where its likely to face an even rougher ride. Youre watching monday in parliament, with me, alicia mccarthy. Dont forget, you can follow me on twitter at bbcalicia. The government announced at the end of last week that the uk had struck its first major post brexit trade pact after signing a deal with japan. It aims to expand trade between the two countries by around £15 billion. Critics have said the deal will only boost the uk economy by a fraction of the trade that could be lost with the eu. But, in a statement to mps, the deal was hailed by the International Trade secretary. It shows that economic powerhouses like japan want ambitious deals with the United Kingdom. And it shows the uk can succeed as an independent trading nation. It shows that we can strike deals that go further and faster than the eu. British shaped deals that suit our economy. This deal will drive Economic Growth and help you level up our United Kingdom. She said it would help the manufacturing, food and drink, and Tech Industries and mps would have the chance to ratify it. It benefits all parts of our country, whilst protecting our redlines on areas like Food Supplies and standards. The agreement that we lay before parliament will be the first of many because there is a huge appetite to do business with global britain, and a huge opportunity for every part of this country to benefit from these agreements. This deal is a sign and a signal that we are back as an independent trading nation. Welcome and necessary as this deal withjapan is, it is nothing as important in terms of our global trade as reaching a deal to maintain free trade with the European Union. Our trade withjapan is worth 2. 2 of our current global trade that does not come anywhere near to the 47 of trade that we have with europe under the best Case Scenario of this government. I warmly welcome my right honourable friends statement today, and congratulate her on this agreement which is really good news. Can she explain how smes will benefit from this excellent deal, as they are the backbone of our british economy . Well, the deal with japan has a dedicated sme chapter thats all about reducing red tape that smes face, making it easierfor uk smes and japanese smes to understand the others markets, providing information so its easierfor them to export and gain the benefits that they can from International Trade. Yes, we would also welcome a trade deal, but i have two concerns. One, that it seems to mirror what we have with the eu and, apart from the symbolic winds on things like cheese, the government has failed to leverage any real meaningful benefits. And since this deal has stricter trade regulations than the disputed ones in the eu proposals i mean, does the government actually have a trade strategy . And since this deal has stricter trade regulations than the disputed ones in the eu proposals i mean, does the government actually have a trade strategy . The government has signed up for more restrictive conditions on state aid in this deal then being negotiated with the European Union. So will the secretary of state confirmed now that those negotiations with the European Union are all about deterring the eu from reaching a deal, so that they will walk away, we can blame them for no deal, and not take the hit that would otherwise be aimed at the government . Im not quite clear with the honourable gentleman was my question was. It seems to be more of an accusation. As i said, subsidy clauses in the deal are standard fda clauses, theres nothing like what the eu are demanding of us. Liz truss. Now, lets go back to the internal market bill. The controversial legislation was raised with Northern Irelands first minister when she took her regular round of questions in belfast. The house of commons will consider the internal market bill today. Does the first minister not agree it is entirely inappropriate for any government to announce its intention to break International Law, and thats precisely not the way to successfully conclude negotiations . Well, i think as i understand the internal market bill, they are notwithstanding clauses, and therefore the hope is that there will still be a negotiated settlement through the joint committee, and in particular around a free trade agreement. Thats certainly what we want to see, an agreement which gives us clarity for our businesses, our consumers, and indeed our citizens here in Northern Ireland. We want to see that agreement put into place, we recognise that time is very short in relation to all this, and we will not be found wanting in our continued engagement, despite all the other pressures because we recognise how important it is to find solutions in these matters. We are in a very dangerous situation in Northern Ireland. In a few months time, we will crash out of the transition period and we may or may not have a deal with the eu. Can i ask the first minister can i ask both first ministers that they urgently step up together and make a joint united plea to the uk government for serious engagement on the delivery of protocol, protection of all citizens of Northern Ireland, and to stop messing around with our Fragile Society and protections that exist for everyone here . Across the executive, we want to see that our businesses are protected at the end of the transition period, that we have unfettered access for our businesses into the gb market, and indeed that the joint committee, which is currently tasked to use their best endeavours to deal with a number of issues identified in the protocol, deal with those issues that are in the protocol, particularly around state aid and around goods and the risk of entering the single market, which comes through Northern Ireland. I am amazed that that issue has not yet been solved because it is a very straightforward issue. I know a number of our businesses want to see the certainty around that, and i want to again call on the joint committee to find solutions to these issues that the member has identified. Could my right honourable friend tell me what her opinion is of the assessment that was given by lord frost recently . That Michel Barnier and other eu officials deliberately threatened the food supply of the people of Northern Ireland . Does the first minister agree with me that such antics are despicable and reflective of an eu bureaucracy that has overplayed its hand . The eu needs to stop using Northern Ireland to get their own way. We are not the plaything of the European Union. It causes great difficulties here in Northern Ireland, mr speaker, when people use Northern Ireland in that fashion. I do recall when the then taoiseach used a photograph of a blown up border post to make his point in the European Union in october 2018 that was wrong, as well. What we need to do is focus on getting answers for our consumers, for our businesses, and for the citizens of Northern Ireland. And it is quite wrong to use hyperbole to get their own way. What we need to see is the actual protection of peace in Northern Ireland. Arlene foster. The Health Minister lord bethell has given a stark warning that, if the government doesnt get the communications challenge right on coronavirus, the disease will come back, leading to tens and thousands of deaths. Some peers said the public needed to understand the evidence behind the rule introduced in england on monday limiting meetings to six people. I think, my lords, we are at a dangerous moment in the life of this horrible virus. One where we are being advised to bring down the rate of infection, which has increased at an alarming rate in the last week or so. She highlighted warnings by sir mark walport a member of the governments Scientific Advisory group for emergencies, or sage. He said the data suggested that, without action, britain will be on a path extremely similar to france where the numbers continue to rise. Can the noble lord the minister advised the house how they arrived at the rule of six why not eight, why not four . Members of the public are now asking why children under 12 and 11 are included as even part of the six, why is it that they can be in a school and in a class of 30 at 3pm, but at 3 30pm cant be in a house with seven people including their two grandparents . What Scientific Evidence exists to suggest that causes more harm than 30 of them in a classroom . Can i also ask when people have asked me, so i can go to the office and be in an office of 20 people at 4pm, but at 4 15pm, i have to go in a bubble of six into a pub and not be more than six . The evidence may not be there, but it has to be explained in a way that those questions can be answered in the public have confidence in. The minister replied that the government wanted rules that were easy to understand. There is, across the board with space, the rule of six and other measures we are seeking to publish. A genuine effort to engage the public in a really simple lexicon of how we can beat the coronavirus. And sir mark walport was right in his warning that the jeopardy is enormous. And if we dont get this communications challenge right, if they do think they are confused and have a way out because its in its own way complicated, then we will fail in the disease will come back, and we will have tens of thousands of deaths, we will have an nhs that is challenged, an economy that is shutdown, and we will have a generation that is lost to education. That is the stakes, and we are determined to get it right. And im happy to stand here for as long as it takes and be pub quizzed on this or that if it means that we get it right. Only this morning in my locality, all but one reception class was shut down due to the Covid Infection of a teacher. The noble lord, the minister will understand as a father, many parents remain fearful and are now seeking assurance of evidence in safety, holding the government to account afterwards, after any tragedy has happened, will be meaningless. Policymakers from around the world are facing exactly the same dilemma which is that we are determined to have the schools back because the long term effects on young people, particularly those who are least advantaged, will be profound if we shut the schools of. Since the minister wants to keep things simple, can he explain to families that are separated what the rules now are . So in my case, im a single father of three young boys who live with me every other week. They live in a household of six the other week. And that six includes another child who also lives in another household half the time. Which of us are allowed to get together when . My lords. Laughter. Thats a pub quiz question of all pub quiz questions. My lords, there are special provisions for families that are like yours separated or complex. Those guidelines have been published, i believe, and id be happy to send you an e mail with a link to them. Lord bethell, dealing with coronavirus in a complex world. And thats it from me for now, but do join me at the same time tomorrow for another round up of the day here at westminster, as mps get their teeth into that controversial brexit bill. But for now, from me, alicia mccarthy, goodbye. Hello there. We had the warmest september day on monday since 2016. For many it was a case of blue sky and sunshine. It was a beautiful september afternoon. Why am i showing you jersey . Well, it was jersey that had the top spot with 31 degrees. Not far behind was charlwood, in surrey. That was the highest temperature across mainland uk, with london hot on its heals with 29 celsius. And the reason being, this area of High Pressure centred across europe, thats allowing this southerly flow to drag in some very warm air all the way from africa. So were seeing temperatures unusually high for the time of year, but things will change subtly as we go into tuesday, with weak weather fronts bringing some showery outbreaks of rain to start the day. Its going to be a relatively mild start, however. Double digits quite widely across the country. But there will be some rain, not the heavy persistent rain that we have seen, and it will weaken as we go through the afternoon a little. More cloud into south west england, maybe south wales and north west england. Cant rule out an odd isolated shower as we go into the afternoon. But we keep, for many of us, dry, settled, sunny conditions, light winds and plenty of warmth to go with it. Temperatures again quite widely mid to high 20s. We might see 30 degrees perhaps nearer to east anglia, through tuesday afternoon. Things changing again though, as we go through the middle part of the week. It stays largely dry. Theres no significant rain in the forecast but it will turn noticeably cooler. That is because High Pressure will stay with us, but its going to be centred across the north of scotland and, as the winds swing around in a clockwise direction, that means more of a north or north easterly, over the next couple of days, and that means a notable difference to the feel of the weather in scotland, Northern Ireland Northern England and, in particular, along those north sea facing coasts. So that could drag in a few isolated showers, and maybe even some mist and fog. Here, temperatures 13 17 degrees. And further south, though, we mightjust see those temperatures peaking at 25 celsius thats 77 fahrenheit. High pressure is not going too far away at all. Another high moves in, keeping things very quiet indeed but noticeably cooler as we go through the week. So no significant rain in the forecast, but temperatures perhaps falling down to where they should be for this time of year. Take care. Welcome to bbc news, im mike embley. Our top stories as the west coast suffers more devastating wildfires, the rivals for the white house clash over the cause. When you have years of leaves, dried leaves, on the ground, itjust sets it up. Its really a fuel for a fire. If you give a climate arsonist four more years in the white house, why would anyone be surprised if we have more america ablaze . Anger against politicians, corruption, and poverty brings people onto the streets of lebanon. Lebanon is being eaten by poverty and, in communities like this, it is increasing the tension, amd the anger and the fear, in places where guns