Transcripts For BBCNEWS The Week in Parliament 20240710

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Now on bbc news, the week in parliament. Hello again, and welcome to the week in parliament, your irreplaceable guide to the world of westminster and beyond. In this programme, labour delivers the prime Ministers End of term report. Last week, A Million kids were off school, businesses are closing and millions will spend their Summer Self isolating. A self isolating borisjohnson explains the Governments Approach to covid. You have to balance the catastrophe of the disease against the suffering that is caused by lockdowns. As england ditches facemasks, Mps Search for some Summer Travel tips. If youre on an Ner Train travelling from england i through to scotland, the rules i change as you cross the border. Have you any idea how that will practically work . And we look back on 60 years of pmqs. You need to write out 1000 times, i will behave myself at Prime Ministers questions but first, the last week of the parliamentary term was dominated, as was the rest of it, by the pandemic. Three, two, one. Cheering and applause on monday, so called Freedom Day, most legal restrictions were lifted in england. Nightclubs finally reopened after 16 months, but ministers now say youll need a covid passport to gain entry from september. It was the week the pandemic became the Ping Demic, with more than half A Million people told to isolate by the Nhs App despite conflicting government advice. More than A Million children missed school. Ministers worried openly that Staff Shortages could lead to empty shelves in supermarkets. At Prime Ministers questions, borisjohnson defended the Covid Isolation rules from his own isolation at the Prime Ministers country residence, chequers. The mounting confusion offered plenty of ammunition for the Labour Leader, sir keir starmer. I cant believe that the Prime Minister doesnt see the irony of him spending Freedom Day locked in isolation and. And. Laughter. And announcing plans for a vaccine Id Card. I remember when he used to say hed eat an Id Card if he ever had to produce one, but now hes introducing them. So, Mr Speaker, when it comes to creating confusion, the Prime Minister is a super spreader. He wondered why the need for covid passports in nightclubs would only be introduced in the autumn. Everybody can see that we have to wait until The End of september, by which time its only fair to the younger generation, when they will all have been offered two jabs, before we consider something like asking people to be double jabbed before they go into a nightclub. Thats blindingly obvious to everybody. Its common sense. The Prime Ministers former adviser, dominic cummings, is still making headlines. He made public Text Messages sent by borisjohnson that suggested hed resisted a lockdown last autumn because he thought people dying from covid were essentially all over 80. Keir starmer had watched the interview. Weve all now seen the Prime Ministers text message. I quote, the median age for covid fatalities is 82. That is above life expectancy. And we have the prime Ministers Conclusion in the same text. So get covid and live longer. Remind the Prime Minister, over 83,000 people aged 80 or over lost their lives to this virus, every one leaving behind a Grieving Family of loved ones. So, will the Prime Minister now apologise for using those words . There will of course be a public inquiry into what has happened, but i would just remind the right honourable gentleman that when he goes back over the Decision Making Processes that we had in those very, very difficult and dark times, that these are incredibly tough balancing decisions that you have to take. Again, you have to balance the catastrophe of the disease against the suffering that is caused by lockdowns, the impacts on Mental Health, the loss of Life Chances for young people, Mr Speaker. The Labour Leader Accused Borisjohnson of breaking numerous promises. Mr speaker, he also promised that monday would be Freedom Day. He said 18 times from that Despatch Box that itd be irreversible. But the truth is hes let a new variant into the country, hes let cases soar and hes left us. He� s left us with the highest Death Toll in europe and one of the worst hit economies of any major economy. Last week, A Million kids were off school, businesses are closing and millions will spend their Summer Self isolating. But dont worry, Mr Speaker, the Prime Ministers got it all under control. Because this morning we read hes got a new three Word Slogan keep life moving. You couldnt make it up. Mr speaker, isnt it clear theres only three words, three words this Prime Minister needs to focus on Geta Grip Mr Speaker, lets look at the position now as it was at The End of last year. And as we come to The End of this parliamentary term, lets be absolutely clear that it is thanks to the Vaccine Roll out, which by the way i never tire of repeating wouldve been impossible if wed followed his advice, that 9 Million people have now come off furlough, unemployment is 2 Million lower than predicted, job vacancies, Mr Speaker, are 10 higher than they were before the pandemic began, Business Insolvencies are lower than before the pandemic began. He wants three Word Slogans, Mr Speaker, ill give him a three Word Slogan. 0ur three Word Slogan is get a jab, and get a jab, and by the way what were also doing is helping people to get a job. Were turning jabs, jabs, jabs intojobs, jobs, jobs. And after those exchanges, it was announced that one of keir starmer� s children had tested positive for coronavirus. The Labour Leader is now also self isolating. The Snps Westminster Leader returned to the Prime Ministers words in those dominic Cummings Text messages. The reality is that the Prime Minister wrote| these words himself. The Over 805 were expendable. A Prime Minister is charged with protecting society, not putting folk at risk of an early death. Such a Glib Attitude Towards Human Life is indefensible. I the Prime Minister is simply, simply not fit for office. He said the only way to get at the truth was to bring forward the public inquiry into the pandemic thats due to begin next spring. I dont think that right now, in the middle of a third wave, when were seeing many of the key people involved in fighting the pandemic very, very heavily occupied, i dont think its right to ask them to devote a lot of their time to a public inquiry of the kind that i think we would all want to see. Borisjohnson. As if the Ping Demic were not disruptive enough, theres also been more confusion about the ever changing covid travel rules. The Top Civil Servant at the Department For Transport was grilled by mps on the public Accounts Committee about some of the changes. Bernadette kelly agreed that putting france in a separate new category did add complication to the Traffic Light system. We seem to have introduced a fourth light in the Traffic Lights, which is usually a recipe for chaos i wouldve thought. Are we likely to see more fourth lights or are we going to see a rainbow of all the colours, with joy for everybody, but perhaps an illusory crock of gold at The End of it . Look, i understand that obviously what we have done here with france is introduce an exemption to the red Traffic Light, but that which nonetheless requires people whove been double vaccinated to quarantine on arrival. I agree it does add some complications. I think what we are doing now is urgently ensuring that we have a system that is as effective and also something that people can understand. She was also asked about Domestic Travel complications. One of the issues being raised with us is that i if youre on an Ner Train travelling from england i through to scotland, the rules i change as you cross the border. Have you any idea how that will practically work . Well, what i hope is that people will be sensible and put their facemasks on, if they havent already got them on, at the point at which they travel into scotland where its mandatory. Its very much the same as coming in on a train to a London Mainline station and then getting onto the tfl network. So, as i say, were relying on peoples good sense and good judgement here, i think. And certainly what i saw this morning was a lot of people wearing masks on public transport. Bernadette kelly. Now, we may have left the european union, but brexit, like dominic cummings, is still with us, with the government seeking to renegotiate part of the deal it negotiated with the eu. The so called northern Ireland Protocol helps prevent the need for checks on the border of the island of ireland, effectively by creating a border down the Irish Sea. But ministers are particularly concerned that some food Products Wont be able to move from great britain to Northern Ireland when a Grace Period expires at The End of september. The minister who negotiated that deal explained the problems with the way its working. My lords, the difficulties we have in operating the northern Ireland Protocol are now the main obstacle to building a relationship with the eu that reflects our strong common interests and values. Instead of relationship, were seeing one that is punctuated with legal challenges and characterised by disagreement and mistrust. We do not want that pattern to be set, not least because it does not support stability in Northern Ireland. The northern Ireland Secretary told mps it was time for the uk and the eu to strike a new balance. We have today set out an approach which we believe can do just that. We urge the eu to look at it with fresh eyes and work with us to seize this opportunity and put our relations on a better footing. That new approach would include ending checks forfood products only ever intended to be consumed in Northern Ireland and removing medicines entirely from the scope of the protocol. That approach failed to win over labour. Today, businesses and communities needed reassurance. They needed to see the Secretary Of State announce to this house an agreementl on a sustainable way forward that will fix the problems i the Prime Minister created. Instead, they have more political brinkmanship, i more threats to tear up i the protocol with nothing to take its place. Communities are tired of these games from a government they have totally lost trust in. Northern irelands political parties gave it a mixed response. The Statement Today is a welcome and significant and important first step. To be clear, Mr Speaker, tinkering around the edges simply doesnt work. And i trust that the eu will approach new negotiations in good faith and recognise the need to enter into new arrangements that remove the Irish Sea border. This statement, Mr Speaker, is the second attempt in one week that this government has made to distance itself from agreements that they have negotiated. In Northern Ireland would trust anything that this government says from this day forward . The only legally sustainable way forward to achieve the necessary flexibilitiesl and mitigations is through agreement with the european union, either within the Protocol Or Building on the trade and cooperation| agreement. So, does the Secretary Of State recognise that achieving that. Requires trust to bel built and sustained, but all of the governments actions around the protocol this year have undermined that, including today the empty threats around article 16 . Article 16 of the protocol allows the suspension of the brexit deal. The government says it wont trigger that now, but all options are still on the table. Brandon lewis laid the blame firmly at the door of brussels. Its the eu who have said they would at work at pace to resolve these issues seven months ago. Its the eu who sought to trigger article 16 that caused so many issues for the unionist community in Northern Ireland and who have not yet come to agreement on a range of issues that we need to resolve for the people of Northern Ireland. I think it is right, therefore, that we take this opportunity to outline a way we think to move forward in a positive way that can rebuild the relationship with the eu and fundamentally resolve the core issues that are detrimentally affecting so many of his constituents and people across Northern Ireland. Brandon lewis. Sometimes the most effective Committee Inquiries are those where the politicians let others do most of the talking. Mps on Thejustice Committee have been hearing from former prisoners as part of their inquiry into women in prison. One of them, lisa, explained how shed ended up with a jail sentence. My life was in tatters. I was in a really destructive relationship. I could not stop using the substances that i was using, which i was on. I was an intravenous drug user, on heroin and crack. I couldnt stop. My addiction was escalating, which had a really bad impact on my Mental Health. Shed ended up in her words committing more and more crimes. When i went to prison, i was relieved. I thought, oh, my god, thank god ive been given the opportunity to be removed from my life and possibly have this period of time where im away from that, and i had every determination to get my life back together. Shed hoped for support and treatment. Their solution to my Mental Health was to put me on really quite huge anti psychotic medication that would, you know, knock out an elephant. This stuff is, like, seriously strong, and im sure that it was to keep me calm, and i. That wasnt a solution. And she called for far greater support for women in prison, saying many were victims. When im treated like i am worthy and im not dictated by this Stigma And Stereotype and Ball And Chain of my past, actually, i have a choice. And you can make that choice every day. Its all about empowering. Its all about empowering and encouraging change that, actually, every single Human Being has got the capacity to be able to, you know, up level their lives, to live a life of freedom, to have love in their life. Lisa, telling mps on the Justice Committee how she turned her life around after prison. Time now for a look at some other news in brief. The home secretary, priti patel, has defended a new deal in which the uk will pay france £54 million to stem the rising number of migrants crossing the english channel. The number of people crossing the channel this year has now passed the total for the whole of 2020. The latest deal follows a payment of £28 million to the french last november. Mps on the home Affairs Committee were sceptical it had been money well spent. Since that time, we now have a Record Number of boats which have come across the channel and the number of interceptions has actually fallen by the french. So, Last Night, you announced that were going to give the french another 50 Million or 5A Million, i think the figure was to do the same thing. So isnt that throwing good money after bad . This is never a static situation. This is an evolving situation. The numbers of migrants attempting these crossings from france has increased considerably, and we are also seeing i mean, the french Interior Minister and i were discussing this Last Night over 60 of the inflow coming to france is actually coming from belgium. And this is an increased trend in a pattern. A top Police Officer will be put in charge of tackling violence against women and girls in england and wales. The creation of the role was recommended in a report after 33 year old Sarah Everard was murdered in march. Her death she was killed by a serving Police Officer sparked a public debate about womens safety. These crimes that disproportionately affect women and girls are despicable. It is high time we sent a message enough is enough. This government will always stand up for the law abiding majority. And through this strategy, we will strive relentlessly to prevent these crimes, to support victims and to bring perpetrators to justice. Today, rape prosecutions are a record low, domestic abuse in this country is soaring, charging is falling. Sexual abuse in school is being normalised, according to the recent 0fsted inspections. Ending violence against women and girls is a cross party issue. On all sides of this house, there is a profound Concern And Desire for an ambitious strategy that would deliver. Mr speaker, the Strategy Today is not ambitious enough. The Housing Secretary has said that Mortgage Lenders should no longer require Safety Information on external walls for properties in low and medium rise blocks. In the wake of the Grenfell Towerfire in 2017, banks had been asking for so called cladding forms and refusing mortgages if buildings failed safety assessments. Robertjenrick said the number of fires in peoples homes was the lowest since records began. On this basis, Expert Advice includes five significant recommendations to correct the disproportionate reaction that weve seen in some parts of the market. Firstly, ews1 forms should not be a requirement on buildings below 18 metres. But some mps doubted it would make a big difference to leaseholders. Fundamentally, this bill betrays leaseholders, who will still face life changing costs for problems they did not create and who are trapped in unsellable, uninsurable, unmortgageable homes, notwithstanding some of his announcements today, which i fear will do little to resolve it. Two members of the House Of Lords have been banned from parliaments bars, libraries and restaurants because they refused to attend compulsory anti bullying training. Lord kalms and lord Willoughby De broke were found to have breached the code of conduct for peers. But one member of The Lords argued the ban was self defeating. Do we really, my lords, want to say to former Captains Of Industry and others that we wish to treat you as recalcitrant schoolboys . Because you didnt do your prep, you cant go to the tuckshop or the library, especially as the library has a number of books on good behaviour. Lord cormack, who as youve probably guessed was in a former life a schoolteacher. Now, one of the joys of working in a centuries old institution is that youre never more than a few days away from a significant anniversary. And so the speaker, sir lindsay hoyle, was keen to mark 60 years since the first Prime Ministers questions on july 18, 1961. On that day, the speaker at the time was Sir Harry Hylton foster, who was the last speaker to die in post. I hope not to reintroduce that laughter he introduced pmqs by informing the house that the Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was willing to try this experiment for the remainder of the session, if that be the wish of the house. After 60 years, 12 Prime Ministers, pmqs has become one of the most high profile events of the parliamentary week. Questions to the Prime Minister there were no Tv Pictures in macmillan� s day. The cameras werent allowed in until 1989, in margaret thatchers third term. Will the Prime Minister now make a public apology for this gross incompetence . Mr speaker, apart from the year it sold jaguar, rover had not made a profit since 1976. The first question to a great new Prime Minister, sir. Tony blair. Prime ministers and leaders of the opposition have come and gone since then. This approach is stuck in the past, and i want to talk about the future. He was the future once laughter its not a forum for the nervous. Although i know its many harsh contentions, it is still the arena that sets the heart beating a little faster. And if it is, on occasions, the place of low skullduggery, it is more often the place for the pursuit of noble causes, and i wish everyone, friend or foe, well. And that is that, The End. Laughter, applause many Prime Ministers find defence the best form of attack. A boss. And maybe even a boss who exploits the rules to further his own career. Jeering remind him of anybody . The referee has changed a few times over the years too. Remember him . Order, order you really, you really. Order you really are a very overexcitable individual you need to write out A Thousand times, i will behave myself at Prime Ministers questions John Bercow was a modernising speaker, but even he didnt have to preside over Prime Ministers questions by videolink from a 16th Century Manor House in buckinghamshire a first for the pandemic parliament. What could possibly go wrong . Hang on a minute. Is it this thing here . Prime minister. People were trying to be quite rowdy, but i can hear you now. Continue. Can you hear me, Mr Speaker . Mr speaker, can you hear me . I can hear you loud and clear, Prime Minister do you want me to give that answer again . No, dont worry just complete The End bit. Well, that never happened in macmillan� s day mps and peers have now left westminsterfor their summer break. Theyll be back in september, but we wont. This is the very last edition of the week in Parliament And Therell be no more daily programmes either. Groans thank you. This programme started life as the record way back in 1992 on bbc two, before migrating to the Bbc Parliament Channel when it started in the late � 90s. A weekly round up programme was added. Hello there, and welcome to the Record Review of the week at westminster. Although that was rebranded after an mp turned up for the Show Thinking hed been invited on to talk about his record collection. Well, that may not be entirely true, but in 2012 the programme became known as the day in parliament with another weekly review. Welcome to the week in parliament, and indeed welcome to parliament. And as well as keeping you informed about the big issues in parliament, we didnt forget its traditions either. There used to be a great deal of doffing when a new peer was introduced to the House Of Lords. Watch prorogation. Its one of the few examples youll ever see of a Real Doff in action. Ok, so youre obviously our expert. Give us a quick rundown what makes a good doff . And then were going to have a go. Take The End of the hat with your right hand and a good forward projection of the hat. We have to finish off by having a go, then. Now, i understand that as a lady, i only have to nod, so ive got the easyjob. So, here we go. Well, shall i give us a command of three, mark . 0k, ready when you are. One, two, three. Now, you dont get that on netflix, do you . That was the week in parliament. Thank you for watching and goodbye. Good evening. The Weather Story is on the change, and Weve Seen Signs of that today with some contrasting conditions out there. Yes, there were early morning thunderstorms across southern england, and then those eased to a legacy of cloud for much of the day. Further north and west, weve had some beautiful sunshine, and yet again, some warmth not the extreme warmth, but 25 degrees. Thats 77 fahrenheit. It looks likely that we see that north South Divide through the night with clearer skies to the north west. But low pressure really dominating the story over the next few days, and that could trigger off further thundery downpours overnight tonight for southern england and for south wales, and thatll continue into the early hours of sunday morning. So, at risk, then, of some showers here. Therell be quite a lot of cloud as Well Spilling in off North Sea coasts, the clearer skies the further north and west. Its not going to be a cold night. Temperatures will hold up quite widely into double figures, perhaps quite a humid feel generally down to the south, with 16 degrees to start off sunday morning. So, sunday, once again, we could see some sharp, thundery downpours first thing in the morning, with this area of low pressure really not going very far, very fast at all. The best of the dry, brighter weather is likely to be further north and west. The Lions Share of the sunshine will be in scotland and Northern Ireland. Early Morning Cloud should thin and break across north east england, the risk of those showers across East Anglia and down to the South East are likely to linger for much of the day. If you keep some sunshine, the highest values are likely to be once again into the mid 20s. Now, this more unsettled theme is set to continue into monday with the low pressure just drifting its way further north and east up through the North Sea. That means the further east is likely to see more in the way of showers. So, monday is a messy mix, really, of sunny spells and scattered showers. The best of the sunshine is likely to be out to the west, and we could see temperatures once again into the mid 20s. But some of these showers could bring a lot of Heavy Rain in a short space of time, so the Weather Story is certainly on the change. Last week, it was extreme heat and lots of sunshine. Our week ahead keeps those showers and certainly, a notable difference to the feel of the weather, with temperatures just below where they should be for the time of year. This is bbc news. Im samantha simmonds. Our top stories australia smash the World Record to win gold in the Womens Ax100m Freestyle relay. Two huge disappointments for team gb, as double olympic champions Andy Murray and jadejones are both out of the games. Wildfires in northern California Force thousands into Evacuation Centres while a Covid Outbreak in oregon puts firefighters into quarantine. Thousands of hungarians join the annual Pride March and protest against a new anti lgbt law. And the Uk Army safely detonates a World War ii bomb on the site of a new housing estate

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