The brexit bill clears the commons and heads for the lords. Plenty of democratic debate . Not everyone thinks so. What is it about the procedures of this place that allow a bill of this constitutional significance to be railroaded through in this disgraceful fashion . The bill goes through unaltered. But there are concessions. A Brexit Minister promises that parliament will get a meaningful vote on the final eu exit deal. I can confirm that the government will bring forward a motion on the final agreement to be approved by both houses of parliament before its concluded. Also, a little local difficulty forjohn bercow, after he suggests President Trump is sexist and racist and shouldnt be allowed to make an official address in Westminster Hall. Has the speaker prompted a campaign to remove him . Funnily enough i dont think there was ever not a campaign to get rid of the speaker. Theres been a whole lot of tory mps, most of them in fact, who would be delighted to see him go. And. Message delivered 0k, but to a surprise recipient. Did the text that came the labour leaders way reveal a secret deal on social care . And is the same Sweetheart Deal on offer to every council facing the social ca re crisis created by her government . But first. Joy for the government, joy for brexit supporters. But problems and high profile resignations for labour. The successful passage of the so called brexit bill through the commons produced several moments of turbulence for the political parties. Against expectations, the notification of eu Withdrawal Bill was approved by mps without any alterations. It now goes on to the House Of Lords. The bill, imposed on parliament by the ruling of the Supreme Court, authorises ministers to start the eu departure process. But before the bill left the commons there were key issues to debate, issues such as the rights of eu nationals working and living in the uk. Labour said, why no guarantees . They and their families are not pawns in a game of poker they cannot be used as a human shield as we battle it out in europe for our uk citizens in other countries abroad. Ithink, again, it would be completely wrong in terms of negotiating, in terms of our negotiating position, to declare unilaterally that all eu nationals up to a certain date can continue to live here without any fear or favour. Another day, another issue. On tuesday mps demanded that in two years Time Parliament gets a decisive vote on the Final Exit Agreement from the eu. The central theme of the case i will seek to make this afternoon is that a vote in this house must be before the deal is concluded. That is the Dividing Line that makes the real difference here. I can confirm that the government will bring forward a motion on the final agreement to be approved by both houses of parliament before it is concluded and we expect and intend that this will happen before the European Parliament debates and votes on the final agreement. I hope that is of assistance. I am very grateful for that intervention. That is a huge and very important concession. If that deal comes to this house and we vote it down and subsequently the commission and the European Parliament agree it and say, like it or lump it, what will we do then . I would have thought that in the circumstance that this house had voted it down it would be highly unlikely that it would ever be put to the European Parliament. I think the point here is, for this to be a meaningful concession, what the house wants is the opportunity to send the Government Back to our eu partners, to negotiate a deal if one hasnt been reached. Going on to wto rules, i say to the minister, will be deeply damaging for our economy and wholly unacceptable. We could end up with a situation where the agreement is one minute to midnight at the end of the two year period, and if the government doesnt then conclude an agreement to bring it to the house before it goes to the European Parliament, we could end up with no deal at all. You could imagine, two years of travel, journey down that road and negotiation, we get to the edge of the canyon and we have a point of decision. Are we going to have that bridge across the chasm, which might be the new treaty, it might take us to that new future, or are we going to potentially decide tojump off into the unknown, into the abyss . And parliament should have the right to decide that point. So to wednesday, and at Prime Ministers questions the snp asked, what about the views of the Scottish Parliament . When the Prime Minister was in edinburgh on the 15th ofjuly last year, she pledged that she would, and i quote, not trigger article 50 until she had an agreed uk wide approach. So given that the Scottish Parliament has voted overwhelmingly against her approach and all bar one mp representing a scottish constituency in this House Of Commons has voted against her approach, she does not have an agreed uk wide approach. Now, mr speaker. Mr speaker, as the Prime Minister knows, a lot of people in scotland watch Prime Ministers questions, so will she tell those viewers in scotland whether she intends to keep her word to scotland or not . The Supreme Court was very clear that the Scottish Parliament does not have a veto on the triggering of article 50. The bill that is going through the house obviously is giving the power to the government to trigger article 50. And i would also remind him of this point, because he constantly refers to the interests of scotland inside the european union. An independent scotland would not be in the european union. With all amendments voted down, the brexit bill reached the end of the road in the commons. But before the final vote, expressions of anger. The governments refusal to accept a single amendment means there will be no report stage. The Programme Motion means theres no debate on third reading. Im informed by the library that the last time that combination happened was the Defence Of The Realm Act of 1914, which was about the first world war. For this to happen in any bill would be an abuse. To happen on this bill is an outrage. What is it about the procedures of this place that allow a bill of this constitutional significance to be railroaded through in this disgraceful fashion . What i can say is that the house agreed to a Programme Motion and that is whats been adhered to. Point of order. Mr deputy speaker, this house has nobly represented the will of the british people in a referendum. That is why its passed as it has. And so to the vote. The question is that the bill now be read. As many as are of the opinion, say aye. Aye to the contrary, no. No division. Clear the lobbies. In fact, the verdict was never in doubt. With most labour mps supporting the bill, there was a huge majority for the government. The ayes to the right, 494. The noes to the left, 122. 52 labour mps had defied their whip and voted against the bill. That meant some resignations, most notably clive lewis from his job as shadow business secretary. And a final footnote. The pro european snp mps struck up a musical note in the chamber, by way of protest, singing beethovens ode tojoy, the european anthem. All sing until they were stopped. Order i dont want a sing off within the chamber. Its a very good of you, much appreciated, but if youlljust leave it for a little while, its been a very tense week already, ijust dont need any extra. Thank you. Lindsay hoyle, the deputy speaker, bringing the commons to order in his own way. It was quite a week for the Commons Speaker himself. A motion of No Confidence was put down on speakerjohn bercow, after he dramatically announced that he wouldnt want the us president , donald trump, to address Westminster Hall on his anticipated forthcoming state visit. The No Confidence motion, tabled by a tory backbencher, is not likely to be debated. But it does add to the pressures on mr bercow. Critics say by speaking out hes undermined the traditional neutrality of the speakers role. Gary connor now reports. Ever since it was announced that us President Donald Trump would come to the uk on a state visit this year, theres been a row brewing. Some state visits, such as those by nelson mandela, Pope Benedict and barack obama, have seen the leaders make a speech in Westminster Hall. But more than 200 mps have signed an early day motion, a method for mps to register their support for a course, against President Trump visiting westminster. And on monday the speaker spoke out. I wondered, mr speaker, whether you could tell us what approaches have been made to you and what conversations or discussions have taken place with the relevant authorities, the key holders for such an approach to go ahead, and whether or not there are ways in which those of us who have deep concerns about President Trumps comments could make that known to the responsible authorities . Before the imposition of the migrant ban, i would myself have been strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump, i am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. As far as this place is concerned, i feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism and our support for Equality Before The Law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House Of Commons. But an address to parliament isnt just at the discretion of mr bercow. His House Of Lords equivalent also has a say. And lord fowler said that he wasnt consulted. Yesterday mr bercow made it clear that he was opposed to the president speaking. I can say that i wasnt consulted on that decision. Although john bercow received rapturous applause from the opposition benches, some on the government side, not always great fans of the speaker, werent so happy. So was the speaker wrong to express a view shared by many mps and members of the public . Theres nothing wrong with that if youre the Prime Minister, possibly even if youre the monarchy, you know, that is what the leaders of the country are there to do. Hes not the leader of the country, though, hisjob is to be a very independent arbiter of proceedings in the House Of Commons. And the speaker was taken to task by certain sections of the press. So hes been a very good speaker certainly for backbenchers, for journalists too, regularly, almost every day, certainly once or twice a week he will call a minister to the House Of Lords to answer an urgent question, which is great because that is almost always topical. When he does put his head above the parapet and goes a bit too far, as i think most people think he might have done this week. Absolutely hes a target and newspapers are there to try and pull him down a peg or two. Its what were quite good at. So what impact mightjohn bercows stand have on his future as speaker . I thinkjohn bercows future is going to be incredibly interesting and this will play out this year. He said he was going to stand down in 2018. He said he would serve nine years and that was that. There was a lot of chat in the tearooms amongst mps on both sides in the last week after the trump furore that actually he might have done this simply to put his cards down for re election. Maybe hes actually thinking, actually im rather enjoying this job, i dont want to go next year. I mightjust stay on a few more years and ill be able to do that if i have the support of labour mps, and what better to get that support than giving donald trump a kicking . Tom newton dunn ending that report by gary connor. The people of surrey were due to take part in a referendum in recent days, not on eu membership but on whether they were happy to see a large, 15 rise in their council tax to pay for the increasing costs of caring for elderly and vulnerable people. But the vote was called off. So what happened . At Prime Ministers questions, the labour Leaderjeremy Corbyn believed he knew why the vote and the 15 rise were abandoned. Can the Prime Minister tell the house whether or not a special deal was done for surrey . We recognise the short term pressures. That is why we have enabled local authorities to put more money into social care. We have provided more money. Over the next two years, £900 million will be available for social care. Mr speaker, my question was whether there had been a special deal done for surrey. The leader said they had many conversations with the government. We know they have because i have been sent copies of texts sent by the tory leader david hodge intended for somebody called nick who works for ministers and the department for communities and local government. And these texts read, im advised that dclg officials have been working on a solution and you will be contacting me to agree a Memorandum Of Understanding. Will the government. Will the government now publish this Memorandum Of Understanding . What the labour party fails to understand is this is notjust a question of looking at money, it is a question of spreading best practice, and finding a sustainable solution. And i have to say to him that if we look at social Care Provision across the entire country, the last thing Social Care Providers need is another one of labours bouncing cheques. Mr speaker, i wonder if it is anything to do with the fact that the chancellor and Health Secretary represents surrey constituencies. Mr speaker, there was a second text from Surrey County Council Leader to nick. In the second text, it says, the numbers you indicated are the numbers that i understand are acceptable for me to accept and call off the r. Ive been reading a bit ofjohn le carre, and apparently, r means referendum. It is very subtle, all of this. And he goes on to say, in his text to nick, if it is possible for that info to be said to myself, i can then revert back soonest, really want to kill this off. So, how much did that government offers sorry to kill this off . And is the same Sweetheart Deal on offer to every council facing the social care crisis created by her government . Yet again, what we get from labour are alternative facts. What. What they really need is an alternative leader. What he always fails to recognise, what he fails to recognise is that you can only spend money on social care and on the National Health service if you have a Strong Economy to deliver the wealth you need. Theresa may, displaying her Leadership Style in the commons. Well, the Leadership Approach of britains recent Prime Ministers is the subject of a new series produced by Bbc Parliament. The politicaljournalist Steve Richards will be examining the careers of six former british Prime Ministers. His unscripted talks were recorded at westminster. Here, he considers David Camerons decision to call the eu referendum. I still think there was a case for doing it. I certainly understand why he did it. Leaders sometimes are trapped, and when you have mps defecting to ukip, and ukip winning, as they did the european elections, topping that poll, you panic, as Prime Minister. And cameron, he had already offered it by the time ukip had one the european elections, so he had no choice if he wanted to keep his Party Together but to hold it. But one of the lessons of leadership is this, referendums are dangerous. They lure leaders towards them, thinking this is the way that they will be able to survive in politics and the referendum is their saviour. And when the leader actually announces one, it tends to clobber them. And finish them off. And the first of the series, Leadership Reflections is on Bbc Parliament at eight oclock on sunday evening. Now, a look at some of the other stories around parliament in the last seven days. Labour has described as shameful the governments decision to wind down a scheme allowing vulnerable refugee children into britain. The home secretary amber rudd said the programme risked acting as an incentive for children to make perilous sea crossings to europe. The labour peer whose name is associated with the scheme voiced his disappointment. I must confess, im slightly puzzled because if the government says a specified number of children, then after that total had been reached, the scheme had been closed. I believe in arbitrarily closing down the scheme, without any good reason for doing so, the government is in breach of its own commitment. At this point in time the scheme is not closed. What i think. Well, more children will come, the scheme is not closed. What i think we have to appreciate, and i think the noble lords generally have appreciated, is that the capacity of local authorities is limited. The noble lords might rubbish that but the passage to have local authorities is limited. Are the banks ripping us off . Which . Magazine finds that customers who run up Unauthorised Overdrafts face charges sometimes seven times higher than the cost of borrowing from a Payday Lender . It is a disgrace that the banks are charging more than Payday Lenders for short term lending and getting away with it. So, the government should take action. The major banks currently make up £1 billion per year on charges on unauthorised overd rafts, the majority of whom, says the head of the competitions and markets authority, from financially vulnerable customers. Weve taken steps to encourage competition, we have taken steps to support credit unions, we have taken steps to improve financial education. And it is through this comprehensive approach that this government will continue to take steps to make sure british customers have quality choices. An important tradition . Or do they give parliament the wrong image . The wigs worn by the clerks who sit in the chamber of the commons are to be phased out later this month. The speaker finds himself in more controversy. And it will, moreover, in my view, which i recognise may not be universally shared, convey to the Public A Marginally Less Stuffy and forbidding image of this chamber at work. And i had declared informally that i thought it was sensible to continue because this, mr speaker, is the high court of parliament. And i do think that the clerks, dressed as they are, add to the dignity of the house. But the idea that this was something that i dreamt up and sought to impose against the will of the clerks is 100 wrong. Will building new homes, both for owning and renting, provide the answer to englands broken Housing Market . The government announces ways to get more houses built, including making it harder to object to new developments. And well tackle unnecessary delays, caused by everything from Planning Conditions to great crested newts. They are young people right now in every one of our constituencies staring into the windows of estate agents, their faces glued to them, dreaming of renting or buying a decent home but knowing that it is out of reach because prices have risen so high. It is tragically clear, mr speaker, from the statement, that seven years of failure on housing is set now to stretch to ten. We were promised a white paper, we are presented with a white flag. Theyre definitely increasing but are they also becoming more aggressive . The Seagull Problem and how to solve it occupies mps thoughts in Westminster Hall. They make a nest on the flat roofs of houses, they squabble with each other, they squawk incessantly at all hours of the day and night, creating a nasty racket, they bombard and soil windows. We read stories about a diving seagull killing pet dog. Things have become so bad, so widely publicised that our former minister, david cameron, said that he wanted a Big Conversation about murderous seagulls. And those juicy courgettes that we all miss so much. How long will the courgette crisis go on for, after wintery weather in europe left the shelves short of veg . A minister in the lords reassures us things are not so bad. It is certainly no crisis. The only shortage will be of Iceberg Lettuce which will be for about a few months. And there is a wonderful variety called cos which is even better. Isnt it time that the governments forthcoming green paper on food and farming seeks to tackle this decline in home grown veg . Very much so. In fact, i was pleased only this morning to hear that cauliflowers from cornwall are coming onto the market. So, we have a great opportunity again, to buy some british vegetables. Lord gardiner. And finally, its official. As we long suspected, the Prime Minister is a keen viewer of Bbc Parliament. At pmqs, theresa may told mps how often she tunes in during the course of an evening. It all stemmed from a question put to her by an snp mp About Long Winded speeches. Does she agree with me that the rules of the house should be changed to prevent filibustering and to ensure that the members from all sides of the house Have Theirfair Share of the Time Available . I have to say, i find that rather curious question from the honourable gentleman. Last night, as it happens, i was out of the house between the two votes. I switched on the Bbc Parliamentary channel, and i saw the honourable gentleman speaking. I turned over to something else. I switched back. I switched back to the parliamentary channel. I saw the honourable gentleman still speaking. I switched over to something else. I switched back and the honourable gentleman was still speaking. He is the last person to complain about filibustering in this house. Theresa may, clearly a big channel hopper. But what was she switching over to . Thats it for this programme. Mps and peers are now leaving westminster for their half term break. When they return, the House Of Lords begins its debates on that brexit bill. So, do join us in a fortnights time for the next week in parliament. Until then, from me, keith macdougall, goodbye. For most the weekend felt pretty bleak, cold, cloudy and some snow. Beautiful pictures sent in. Sunday afternoon in west yorkshire, Preeti Asa Afternoon in west yorkshire, preeti as a picture but i sure it felt pretty cold out there. Science things are getting milder through the middle of the week. We can actually see the reason why because the winds will swing around, dragging in milderair. It the winds will swing around, dragging in milder air. It will help break up the cloud it because the wind is still pretty strong, with gales, it perhaps will not feel that warm straightaway. Be patient, we will get there. Clouds thickening and a drizzle. Still disappointing. Not bad through northern ireland, and north west england. The temperatures, if you factor in the wind, may still feel chilly. There will be the potential for rain through the Isles Of Scilly through the weak weather front. Windsor through the night pivoting to a more southerly direction. Breaking up the cloud even more. We will see sunny spells. Outbreaks of rain but elsewhere highs of 7 11 degrees. These areas of low pressure could bring in rain. A breezy feel but i suspect through wednesday, we could see 12 degrees with sunshine and that will feel quite nice. More cloud around on thursday but devic is much better than this time last week. Temperatures. Tending milder and dare i say it, it might even feel by welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to viewers in North America and around the globe. My names ben bland. Our top stories after north korea hails a missile test, the us, japan and south korea call for an urgent meeting of the security council. Tens of thousands take to the streets in mexico against Donald Trumps policies on immigration and building a border wall. The worst conditions theyve ever seen. Australian firefighters battle blazes in record high temperatures. And he won just one grammy award in his lifetime. But a year after his death, david bowie wins five for his last album. The united states, japan and south korea have requested
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