gentleman who is seeking to intervene might take her place instead. as i said yesterday, i hope that the prime minister does go head—to—head with the leaders of other parties. it is quite simple, she would floor them all. no, she wouldn't. she would not managed that with nicola sturgeon. but i am surprised and i welcome what the honourable gentleman had to say any encouragement. because i think the public deserves a debate during the election campaign and i think the prime minister should have some more confidence in herself. i think she should be prepared to address the country and to debate the idea is that all the political parties across the uk have. but we have already learned of course in scotla nd already learned of course in scotland that the prime minister is prepared to ignore the mandate and wishes of the scottish electorate. of the scottish parliament. and the

scottish government. so why would anyone in scotland... i need to make some progress, so why would anyone in scotland vote for such a distant respectful —— disrespectful party and prime minister? the prime minister promised that she would have a unified approach with all the devolved governments, an agreement, before triggering brexit, but she didn't. she broke her word. and as we have learned in recent weeks, in connection with the appalling clause, the one thing that the scottish tories don't like talking about is tory policy. but this election will highlight the dangers to scotland of unfettered tory westminster government. we live in one of the most unequal countries in the developed world, but the tories wa nt to the developed world, but the tories want to make it even more unfair. experts say that their policies will

cause the largest increase in inequality since margaret thatcher. does he agree with me that if this election is as the prime minister saysis election is as the prime minister says is about a more secure future for this country, if it is an election or such national significance, we should have an urgent change in the law to give britain's 1.5 million 16—year—old and britain's1.5 million 16—year—old and 17—year—olds a say in deciding their own future on the 8th ofjune. as someone who gave his maiden speech on in franchising 16—year—olds and 17—year—olds, i totally agree. some young people have been given the vote in some referenda but yet denied it in others, that is wrong. he will be aware that the supreme court made it abundantly clear and all the judges decided on a unanimous basis that

issues concerning brexit negotiations should be determined by this house which represent the whole of the uk and that this was not an issue to be decided by any of the devolved institutions. which bit of thatis devolved institutions. which bit of that is the right honourable gentleman have a problem with understanding? the thing i have a difficulty understanding is the commitment that the prime minister gave, she gave it when she came to edinburgh, it was on the front page of the house journal of the house daily telegraph and she said she wa nted daily telegraph and she said she wanted a seat uk—wide abroad and agreement. the honourable gentleman might want to rewrite history but the prime minister gave an agreement to reach an agreement and she did not do that. mr speaker, the fixed—term parliaments act was supposed to stop political parties abusing their position and putting party before country. today, the tories are going to do just that and sadly, the labour party is going to vote with the tories and make life

easy for them. we of these benches will not vote with the tories, but given the arrow keys that the party is going to be voting with the tories, there will be a general election and boy, we look forward to that. —— given their realities. because, in scotland, we... mr morris, normally you have a very mild manner, you are a very restrained individual. but you have become overexcited. calm yourself, ta ke become overexcited. calm yourself, take some sort of soothing medicine, it will have a good impact! in scotland, the general election will bea scotland, the general election will be a two horse race, a straight fight between the snp and the tories, do i think that mainstream regardless of whether they voted to leave or remain will vote for a hard tory brexit? i do not believe that will be the case. while the board

for more cuts to public services? i do not think so. while they vote for a party that is undermining the mandate given by the voters any scottish general election? for people in scotland to determine their own future? no, i do not. we of these benches, will work hard for every vote in every seat in scotland and mr speaker, we look forward to defeating the tories in this general election. order, there are at least ten people wanting to speak, we have less than one hour, members can do the arithmetic for themselves and it would be appreciated if each member helps other members with their contributions accordingly. thank you, mr speaker. iwelcome contributions accordingly. thank you, mr speaker. i welcome the courage that the prime minister has shown in taking this question to the public. who is that they are expecting to lead the country for the next five years? i have to tell you, having followed the last week i

can assure the public it will not be the right honourable gentleman for moray. i think the public will have to think long and hard because brexit is happening, this is not about... this is very time—limited, eve ryo ne about... this is very time—limited, everyone has to have the time to speak. this is not about us in here, this is about delivering the future for the british public, future that they deserve, delivering the best possible outcome for this country as we leave the european union. and i know that when we have that election on the 8th ofjune, there will be individual members here who may well find themselves in difficulties with their constituency, for whatever reasons they have expressed about the dealership. i am proud to be standing behind a prime minister who has made it brutally clear that this is not about making gains in this place, this is about delivering a brexit that is the good of the european... well, it is for the good

of the european union as well, i have to say, getting our relationship with the european union in the future will be hugely important, but this is going to be a question that will be posed in constituencies of the leaders that could be the prime minister, that is what they are going to ask the country. does this country believe that the leader for islington north could lead this country? i suspect a large number of his colleagues on his own backbenchers would say no, andi his own backbenchers would say no, and i would suggest that the businesses in my constituency would equally say no. does the leader... sorry, westmorland and lonsdale, whose voting record and attendance in this house, along with his colleagues, is generally pretty low, there were too much here today, none to vote on the budget yesterday, does he really believe that he can lead this country, i suggest no. i would suggest that the british

public, when they are looking who to vote for on the 8th ofjune will look forward with confidence to a prime minister with an increased mandate to take us through to the next five years and i am delighted that she is giving this opportunity to the country, to examine our record in saint old since 2010, 70 396 record in saint old since 2010, 70 3% youth unemployment, a drop. an extra... it is interesting for the third placed lib dems in my constituency who i must tell you, i hear nothing from in the house defending st albans, it is surprising, mr speaker that they are more interested in campaigning and less interested in running the country. this party, our government, has taken a strong stance and in st albans, as has taken a strong stance and in st alba ns, as i has taken a strong stance and in st albans, as i have said, there has been a two thirds reduction in youth unemployment since 2010. 76% increase in young people going into

apprenticeships. those of the records we will put to the public. brexit is happening, we are going to make the best of it and i believe our prime minister will not have to suffer 100 and elected liberal democrat in the other place and nine in this place are rarely turn up, trying to target the tail of this prime minister. we need to make the future secure... i will finish my remarks. we must make the future secure for our young people and our young families and begin playing in this place is a disservice to the british public who are probably fed up british public who are probably fed up having elections anyway, but let us up having elections anyway, but let us get on and get a mandate for our prime minister. please, to the honourable lady, the public do not respect the fact that people yell from the backbenches. she can speak up from the backbenches. she can speak upfor from the backbenches. she can speak up for her own leader in... her own leader and her own manifesto and her own party and what she believes her

own party and what she believes her own leaderfor own party and what she believes her own leader for islington north that he will be the man to take the country through and the next five yea rs. country through and the next five years. i cannot share her confidence but she always the highest belief in his abilities. i know that this government which has delivered so much already and has so much more to deliver has a resonance with the british public when you look at what is on offerfrom british public when you look at what is on offer from the other parties that are divided, wrangling, scaremongering and in denial of brexit. this government will give the best deal for brexit. this government will give the best dealfor all of the best deal for all of our businesses and all of our constituencies. tim farron. appropriate time to be called. i notice that the former prime minister, david cameron, earlier welcoming the prime minister's decision to call an early election. given that we are in this mess in one sense as a country because he put party before country

calling the referendum when he did, it is hardly surprising that the prime minister should follow him and indeed choose to put party before country once again. let us remember from the moment that she took of this that the prime minister has ignored the closeness of the referendum vote, has pursued the ha rd est referendum vote, has pursued the hardest form of brexit, driving division instead of cohesion. she has ignored the british people, british businesses, british public sector and the national health service, and now, what is now clearly another act of putting 1's party before 1's country, she has chosen an early election, let us not by this nonsense because that you need a mandate to deliver brexit, the labour party has given her a mandate to deliver brexit, she is acting upon a narrow majority of the referendum in 2016, not for the moment... let us all be very clear and honest. she has chosen, she has

chosen this election because she looked across the dispatch box and could not resist the temptation of doing the political equivalent of taking candy from a baby and facing a labour party in a general election. she expects... she expects a coronation and not a contest, and thatis a coronation and not a contest, and that is why the liberal democrats relish the challenge of a general election. i will give way to my neighbour. i am very grateful for him giving way. just about that coronation, will he rule out a coalition with the conservatives? the problem we face in this country is that the prime minister is running on expectation. we do not need a coalition with anyone. the prime minister... in good time. the prime minister... in good time. the prime minister... in good time. the prime minister will call the general election in order to take advantage of what she thinks is a clear

opportunity for a majority of 100 or more. i have accepted the gentleman's intervention. what is the answer? it is very clear that we're not talking about balance, the prime minister takes the view that in calling this election, it is an opportunity for her to have a 100 seat majority, an opportunity to drive through notjust a hard brexit, a deeper agenda to slim down the nhs, to... order! rather disorderly atmosphere. the right honourable gentleman is undertaking an apprenticeship to become a statesman but he has several models and some years ago. he must calm himself. mr farron. to answer the hackles of my friend of many years, the reality is that we are not looking at a balanced parliament, the prime minister... i think i have

given you your answer. the prime minister has clearly caught the selection on the understanding that she can get lots of numbers and give herself a majority to allow her to... and not for the time being, thank you. to allow herself to deliver the hardest form of brexit to shrink the nhs, to undermine the support for integration and to take us support for integration and to take us out of the single market. if you wa nt to us out of the single market. if you want to avoid a hard brexit, if you wa nt to ta ke want to avoid a hard brexit, if you want to take britain in the single market, if you want a briton that has a decent opposition, a decent opposition, then only the lib dems will give you that. can ijust point out? there is only one route, mr speaker, the prime minister losing this general election and it is the lib dems. i am happy to explain why that might be the case, there is not

that might be the case, there is not that much time, let me move on, please. let me explain that the only route through which theresa may, the prime minister, could lose her majority... unless my friends on the snp benches are about to launch a aggressive foreign policy, they can only do so much. not even the labour party believes it will gain seats at this general election. the snp can only possibly gain one more seat than they already have. so the only way to stop a tory majority is the growth and revival of the lib dems. the government has already stated that it will not outline its negotiating stance any further than the dab rhetoric we have already seen. we have said that that is not good enough. if they will not tell us good enough. if they will not tell us what they are pursuing, they must instead trust the people with their

say on the final deal. the prime minister has already confirmed that she will not do any tv debates, referring to bash machiavellian to hide behind the media that supports than face the public any tv debate. i will give way. i think you might have misheard the straightforward question, it is being afraid, do not be afraid, will you rule out a coalition with the tories, yes or no? the outcome of this general election is up —— uncertain and in the days and weeks to come we will no doubt talk about what will happen... honourable gentleman below, you as well, you have to be patient, your patience will be rewarded.

i don't think he gave a straight answer to that question, so let's try another question. many of his viewers will be asked about over the next seven weeks and he was asked one question which he refused to give an answerto. one question which he refused to give an answer to. does he think that being gay is a sin?|j give an answer to. does he think that being gay is a sin? i do not. i do not. i am very proud to have gone through the lobby behind, with the liberal democrats equalled gay marriage and equal marriage, —— brought about gay marriage and equal marriage, but there is more to be done. if we campaign for a open and tolera nt done. if we campaign for a open and tolerant society, we need to make sure we are not complacent about lg bt sure we are not complacent about lgbt rights, sure we are not complacent about lg bt rights, anywhere sure we are not complacent about lgbt rights, anywhere in the world, including what is going on in

chechnya at the moment. let me say this. i won't. chechnya at the moment. let me say this. iwon't. let's move chechnya at the moment. let me say this. i won't. let's move on and finish. i'm flattered so many people wa nt to finish. i'm flattered so many people want to know my views, and i will put myself up for a debate with others, even if the prime minister doesn't. the reality is, what we had in the referendum lastjune was a vote to start the process and giving the prime minister a mandate to negotiate brexit but what was not given was a mandate to give the prime minister the right to enact any old deal at the end of the process. what the prime minister is asking for now is a blank cheque to allow the british people to put up with whatever stitch up she and the brussels bureaucrats bring together over the next few years, that is not democracy. an election which takes

place on the 8th ofjune will not decide the outcome, it will be about imposing on the british people a deal that absolutely nobody voted for. yes, the liberal democrats welcome this opportunity to show the british people that there is another way, that the values of tolerance and openness and fairness can help build a vibrant and successful community across the uk and beyond, and the government has made it clear that this is not the britain that they believe in. they have chosen isolation over calibration, meanness over fairness, and i isolation over calibration, meanness overfairness, and i believe in a better britain and that is why we will support this motion —— over cooperation. order. on account of the level of interest and given that there are only 37 minutes to go i will impose a three—minute limit on backbench speeches. will impose a three—minute limit on backbench speecheslj will impose a three—minute limit on backbench speeches. i can take up

less time. it was a great honour to follow the leader of the liberal democrats. i would've hoped he would have rolled coming into us in a coalition. —— ruled out. there is no chance that we would want you, sir, in our coalition. 0r chance that we would want you, sir, in our coalition. or any government. today the party politics is in full swing, but really, this is a good day for parliament. this is another slight step towards parliamentary democracy rather than dictate by the executive. the prime minister has not called a general election, it is this house that will decide whether there will be a general election, and if! there will be a general election, and if i thought for one moment that this election had been called for party political reasons to go early to the country, as happened with previous governments, previous

governments chose the moment ago for political advantage and it gave great power to the executive. strange number of circumstances have come together, we have had a change in the prime minister and not only a change in the prime minister, but the changing all senior ministers. we have moved from a government that was anti—brexit to pro brexit, and thatis was anti—brexit to pro brexit, and that is why i will cast my vote today in support of the government motion. it is up to every member in this house to make that decision. i think that proves that the fixed parliament act is working and i absolutely, if members disagree, they can vote against... thanks giving way. he said it is parliament that will decide but the prime minister went on television yesterday declaring across the world that they would be a general election. if parliament does not

give her the two thirds, should the prime minister resign after such a public humiliation? that is the advantage of the parliament act. if the house does not agree to a general election it won't happen, and the government will continue in office. opposition members that don't want a general election will be very strange creatures indeed. but also opposition members that sit on their hands and don't vote will be regarded as important members of parliament. i hope the gentlemen will make his mind up and cast his vote one way or the other. isn't that why the fixed term parliament act can never work because no opposition can sensibly say that they prefer a government they are opposed to to continue in office rather than have a chance to defeating it? therefore be fixed term parliament act should go. very

rarely that i disagree with you, but i think it is proved today that it is working. i believe we will have the required majority, but i understand that if nobody objects and you decide the matter on the voices, it in fact is carried and we don't have two actually have two thirds which i think is a strange anomaly but i hope somebody will set —— will shout no and we will actually get it. i would never dream of doing anything other than that. i just think of despite the party politics, this is a great day for parliament and is a small step forward in parliamentary democracy. mr nigel dodds. there are three issues i would like to address in the short time available, the first is that this election is happening in the midst of political

discussions in northern ireland about the formation of an executive which is unfortunate. as far as our party is concerned we respond positively to the request for discussions to continue in northern ireland and we have made it very clear along with the stl p and the ulster unionist party we are ready to form an executive in northern ireland —— s dlp. we will be looking at health education funding and public services, we believe they are far more important than some of the issues which are said to divide us. we don't need prolonged negotiation. the second thing, in terms of brexit, northern ireland's position is different from other parts of the uk and that has been made clear in the government's paper that it has set out, it has recognised the

special circumstances and we believe it is imperative that northern ireland's voice is heard very strongly. that is why it is such a strategy that sinn fein has walked away from the executive and collapsed the assembly —— such a tragedy for them boycotts this place and then demands a special stages which has been rejected by the irish republic, the european union and even the european parliament when it set out its negotiating position. they want, and we agree with special arrangement, which recognises special circle sciences of northern ireland, so mr speaker, it is essential and the election is going to happen —— special circumstances. there's a clear choice between a party which has walked away and abandoned its responsibilities and a party which will enter in northern ireland and contributes and raises its voice and stands up for northern ireland. the final thing i want to

say, on the big issue about going forward in terms of this country, this election will provide clarity and it will provide clarity on the union, that really matters, the union, that really matters, the union of the united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, and on that issue again the people of northern ireland will have a clear choice, they will have a clear choice, they will have a clear choice as to whether or not they will want to rally round and say very firmly that they want northern ireland to remain part of the united kingdom, or whether they want to go down the route presented by sinn fein which is a marxist leninist concept of a republic which has been rejected even by most people who accept their nationalism, but reject what they stand for in terms of their economic outlook and all the rest of it. the only way to support the union is by rallying behind the democratic unionist party on the 8th ofjune. the prime minister presents

herself as the straight sort of person, like tony blair. she is a former home secretary, and she knows full well the value of evidence as it is proved, so firstly, she was initially in favour of leaving the european union and on this honourable stance even if i disagree with, and then she was in favour of remaining the european union, is something of a stinking violet in her support, and now she is keen on leaving. she was opposed to having an early general election, it would bea an early general election, it would be a distraction, she said. when she had important international negotiations to conclude, but now she is determined that a general election we must have. against the european union, for the european union, and then against again, against holding a general election

and now determined to hold a general election. the record is about as straight as the legendary european union banana. the prime minister today repeatedly says she wants the early election to produce a larger tory majority, dusty member agree that the prime minister is treating the electorate of the united kingdom with contempt because she assumes the electorate will result in a larger tory majority? —— does remember. i have no crystal ball and i know the disarray in the party to my right, and who knows what the outcome will be, but i am suspicious of the prime minister's motives and her reasoning. she says a general election would enhance the status of the 27, for example, and i can't see how that might be the case. to turn

briefly to what i do think the prime minister's motives are, and i think they are pretty clear, they are in fa ct pretty they are pretty clear, they are in fact pretty straight. it is not only about the destruction of the labour party as a credible opposition over the next decade, although i'm afraid they are doing an effective demolitionjob on they are doing an effective demolition job on themselves without her help, and it is not only about raising a challenge to my friends in scotland, although i think in this case her case is already lost. no, this election is about seeing off not her opponents on this side of the house, but her enemies behind her. as ever with the tories, desperate disunity papered over when it suits. my party plaid cymru welcomes the opportunity that this election presents to the people of wales and we welcome the opportunity to change our course in the long—term away from labour's

government in cardiff and decentralised government in london, cutting our own path towards economic regeneration and prosperity, socialjustice and the proper confidence plays for wales in the world. —— confident place. the prime minister wants a general election there would be less controversy. at every opportunity, she herself or those who spoke for the prime minister denied there was going to be a general election. where was the general election, they we re where was the general election, they were asked, and the answer was clear, 2020. there is no great public demand for a general election. how many members have received in the last few weeks or days letters or