labour's 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 e—mails asking for a

general election? hands up. it is absolutely clear there has been no such demand. the reason given by the prime ministerfor a general election, brexit, it is feeble, a flimsy excuse, and not taken in by anyone. my honourable friend said the government shouldn't be complacent about a large majority. hopefully they will not receive one. when you consider the harm done to those in need when this government has had a small majority, imagine what would happen if there was a large tory majority. a nightmare, absolute nightmare for those who we represent. millions of people in this country that need the

government to protect them and not harm them and that is not going to come from a tory government with a small or large majority. i was here during the tory government of the 19805 and i saw the harm that was done to my constituents and so many others. this motion before us is murky, completely opportunistic, and it reflects badly on the prime minister. i will conclude with these words. many people are cynical about politics in this country and u nfortu nately politics in this country and unfortunately that is a trend which has increased. i do say that this motion and general election which is coming, purely for opportunist reasons, will increase the cynical viewing and that is damaging to the democratic process. i will be voting

against the motion today because i think it is totally unnecessary and i say that as somebody who voted leave on the 23rd and since then has had a grudging respect for the way the prime minister has conducted herself since she took over. however, thejustification herself since she took over. however, the justification which she has given for having a general election is quite frankly disingenuous. to suggest she needs a mandate to negotiate brexit is just ridiculous. she was given that mandate on the 24th ofjune by a majority of the british people. it is up to her now to carry that out. if she wishes to have another election at the end of the process or to have another referendum then so or to have another referendum then so be it but to justify it now is

just, as my honourable colleague said, purely opportunistic. furthermore, she says she needs a larger majority because her business of the house is likely to be disrupted by opposition parties or by the house of lords. well, she ought to look back to what happened when the wilson government was in power train 64 and 66. he had a majority of three. the callaghan government in the 705 governed for five years without any majority and if she is fearful of what could happen from the house of lords she should do exactly what tories have donein should do exactly what tories have done in the past and flood the place with her own people to ensure she gets her way. there is no justification for arguing that she needs to have a larger majority in order to get business of the house through. furthermore, the quite

frankly arrogant view that the electorate should concentrate purely and simply on one narrow issue is treating the electorate with contempt. i can only speak for my constituents but when they consider theissues constituents but when they consider the issues they are going to be asking the questions why is every school in my constituency losing out under the new funding formula? why is the city council having to make horrendous cuts because the government have cut the support grant? why are waiting times increasing at hospitals? there are just not enough staff. why are more hard—working just not enough staff. why are more ha rd—working families just not enough staff. why are more hard—working families having... ? i will. i thank my honourable friend forgiving way. i wanted to point out that in his questioning about why things were happening in his

constituency, i wondered things were happening in his constituency, iwondered if things were happening in his constituency, i wondered if you might address why my children's school in his constituency they are having 32 children in a class. i don't remember that happening under a labour government.” don't remember that happening under a labour government. i thank her and she is right. under a labour government we had educational programmes like building schools for the future, we had sure start centres, under this government the programme was stopped and secondly sure start centres are being closed left, right and centre. my constituents will ask the questions. why are more and more hard—working families being forced into the humiliation of using food banks because they do not have enough money at the end of the week to feed and clothe their families? money at the end of the week to feed and clothe theirfamilies? why money at the end of the week to feed and clothe their families? why our energy consumers paying ever—increasing prices? while the

energy utility firms are ripping them off in the name of competition. why are young people, married and unmarried, unable to acquire proper housing for themselves and very often have to stay with their in—laws. these views will be echoed throughout the country. there is no justification for this election and i will certainly be opposing it.|j will be supporting the motion because i think as one of the members opposite said it seems rather bizarre that the opposition should say we want to keep a tory government in power. it makes no sense. we have to put our case to the british people and see what happens. we have arrived at a position today which i always thought was inevitable, this was bound to happen. i never believed

the stuff about no election. there isa the stuff about no election. there is a dynamic at work which has resulted in this decision being almost inevitable. given he is going to support the government, is he then confident we will not have a tory government returning post—election with two more years? what does he say is going to happen? to do what ever you can to get rid ofa to do what ever you can to get rid of a tory government as sinners you can. it might not work but it is up to the british people in an election. it is their choice. the reason it is inevitable position, i wa nt to reason it is inevitable position, i want to pay a minor tribute to mr david cameron, late of this parish. when the history of this country in the early part of the 20th century —— 21st—century comes to be written, he will have one of the most prominent roles, not a glorious

tribute but decisions that he took well over time damage this country immensely. i remember serving on the original eu referendum bill, named after the memberfrom original eu referendum bill, named after the member from stockton south. i remember one evening the then prime minister david cameron came into the committee room, a six committee room seven or eight, and sat in the public gallery simply to pay obeisance to the heart right—wingers from the tory party who were on that bill. i have never seen or heard of a prime minister facing such ignominy. 0f seen or heard of a prime minister facing such ignominy. of course, he gave them no guarantee of a referendum in or out. he didn't say

he was come to renegotiate terms and then put that to them, he was gone to renegotiate and then have an in/ out referendum. when i say he will go down as one of the most damaging prime ministers, he also put in jeopardy the whole future of the uk, not just as a jeopardy the whole future of the uk, notjust as a trading nation, our relationship with the eu, but the future of scotland as part of the uk, and again it was he who granted the referendum in the first place which set the dynamic in play which destroyed the labour party in scotla nd destroyed the labour party in scotland and gave the snp the prominent role that they enjoy today. he has also put injeopardy our relationship with the republic of ireland and also, as the honourable gentleman from the dup said earlier, put at risk the very stability of northern ireland as an

entity, as part of the uk. all these things add up and the damage done will be with us for decades and the people who will pay the greatest price will be the young people, the next generation and those who come after. it has permanently damaged this country. i will vote for the general election. i don't think it will change anything. i think the essential landscape will remain much the same after the election as it is now and it will all follow from the calamitous decision of last june now and it will all follow from the calamitous decision of lastjune to leave the eu. i can understand certain political reasons. there is sanctuary and hypocrisy today. politics is not science or art or religion. people do things for their own advantage and every prime minister has always done that.” didn't intend to speak in this debate but in response to a question

posed by the honourable memberfrom walsall north. i have received e—mails from constituents over the last few weeks asking me to encourage the prime minister to call a general election and go to the country once again. he seems to be implying that nobody in the country was asking for this but there were members of my constituency who were asking me to do that. when the prime minister made the announcement yesterday, initially i was in shock because, like my right honourable friend, the member for because, like my right honourable friend, the memberfor new forest, i was telling people there was no chance of the general election. i wasn't quite as bold as to put it in the local paper but verbally and in e—mails i was telling people i didn't think it would happen. having listened to the prime minister's reasons, i believe it is the right thing for the country. we obtain a

new mandate to go into the negotiations to leave the eu and put the prime minister and others who will negotiate in the strongest possible position in those negotiations. i am also happy to stand on this government's record of delivering for this country. it is not just about the brexit negotiations, it is about this government which has delivered growth, one of the best performing economies in the world, record numbers of jobs, great economies in the world, record numbers ofjobs, great investment in the nhs, and i am proud to go to the country and let us —— and say let us continue delivering what our country needs and putting us in the strongest position. 0ne needs and putting us in the strongest position. one final point. if the conservative party is returned into government with a substantially reduced majority i say to the leader of the lib dems will he accept it is the will of the

british people that they have returned to the conservative party with a clear mandate to press on and ta ke with a clear mandate to press on and take us out of the eu on the prime minister has set out and drop this opposition and gameplaying to thwart the democratic will of the british people? as someone who believes that the prime minister has presented the case for this election on an entirely false premise i will also be voting against a motion today. i wasn't asking for an election last week or the week before, i was arguing in the context of the talks in northern ireland that any move foran in northern ireland that any move for an election in future wouldn't help the context of those negotiations. my mind has not changed so why should i pretend it has. i will not be goaded into voting differently because of the prime minister's actions and sta nces. prime minister's actions and stances. she has accused others of playing games in this parliament. essentially our argument is that she

has no confidence in parliament so she has a bizarre situation where we had a referendum on taking back sovereignty and the prime minister announces she has no confidence in parliament. she doesn't trust opposition parties and confers on them powers to block. if members of them powers to block. if members of the tory benches are concerned about the tory benches are concerned about the house of lords then move to abolish it or have coherent reform but stop using them as props. the prime minister is pretending she needs the election now so she has a strong hand in the short term whereas we really know she is after a free hand in the longer term in terms of the wriggle room around periods of adjustment. does my friend appreciate that the

nearest parallel to what is happening now in this campaign for an election is the... order, order. please faced the house. you were busy talking. i was being spoken to by an illustrious member of the opposition whips office. the nearest parallel is the election of 1974 when ted heath, the then prime minister, decided on a very narrow argument that the miners were on strike and it would be about who ru ns strike and it would be about who runs the country. and most general elections are about a lot of things. this one was about a specific thing, and cani this one was about a specific thing, and can i say, what happened in

effect was that the labour party finished up with the largest number of seats and the queen said to ted heath, and the liberals ran away.” appreciate that intervention and i will also make the point that if we are going to bring in comparisons with that election and 1974, an on fuzzing casualties that election was the sunningdale agreement, the power—sharing executive that had been formed out of the 1973 executive —— an another casualties. and of course this election has been called without regard to the fact that there are sensitive negotiations going on in northern ireland and it is hard to see how this general election won't have an impact on those negotiations, which will cull of parties to some of the

issues they are dealing with —— which will colour the parties. the british government will not be in a position to give commitments in the context of those negotiations, so how are we going to get a com brands of agreement in those kind of circumstance? —— comprehensive agreement. i do not take these issues lightly. and i cannot be dismissive of them. i want to make sure that we have the agreement fully protected and that is why i am no saboteur when it comes to anything that has been endorsed by a referendum. least of all what the irish people in dost when they voted for the good friday agreement. —— irish people endorsed. the government are in denial that the process of brexit has implications for that agreement. i also recognise

that the agreement gives us the machinery to answer many questions for the whole island of ireland in terms of brexit, and it gives us the material in terms of being able to make a future in a north and south bases, in ways that continue to be funded by the eu, we treat the market as a common market, single market, and we can use the auspices of the good friday agreement, but there is no pretence that the election is necessary and no pretence that the prime minister is justified in the terms that she has used and we do not buy the pretence that the right honourable memberfor belfast is giving yet again regarding sinn fein. this is the sort of thing that gets politics a bad name and is leading to the alienation from many of our citizens, because there's only one reason why the prime minister wants a general election on the 8th of

june and that is she she has a better chance of winning now than she does in the future. it is therefore the most blatant abuse of therefore the most blatant abuse of the democratic procedure for party political advantage. as this campaign progresses it will be seeing is that, and this has nothing to do with the country bosman interests and everything to do with the management of the conservative party —— the country's interest. the prime minister suggested she needs to have a majority, but she has not lost a ny to have a majority, but she has not lost any boat on brexit over the last year with a majority of less than 30 and she... she has not won, rather, said the majority is already there. she says this will give clarity to the brexit process, but we have been trying now for ten long months to get clarity to the brexit process and every question we have asked has been met with silence and with a refusal to actually say what brexit does indeed mean. i don't believe for one minute the tory

ma nifesto believe for one minute the tory manifesto will spell out what the plan is for britain opposed brexit so who is kidding who? we will not be any clearer as to what brexit means that we are right now. the media are reporting that up to 30 sitting tory mps face being prosecuted for electoral fraud and that the cps service will announce whether it intends to press charges very soon. does my right honourable friend think this might have anything to do with the prime minister's change of heart? yes, it is remarkably suspicious, but my concern is that what the prime minister wants to do is silence dissent and disagreement in this house and in this country and therefore her instincts are not democratic, they are authoritarian and that is a great worry for our country. can i turn to the situation in scotland. there are two reasons

why the people should be given another choice on self—government and the first is because, not because the people lost the referendum don't respect the result but because the people who won the referendum changed the deal afterwards. the uk that people voted to be part of in 2014 will no longer be there in the future, but the second is that despite a compromise position from the scottish government that said neither will we challenge the brexit deal, that was thrown back in our faces, challenge the brexit deal, that was thrown back in ourfaces, and so there is no option but to offer people in scotland and opportunity and a choice between having a hard tory isolationist britain or taking control into their own hands. this doesn't require a mandate to have a second referendum because the scottish government already has that mandate. but this will be a judgment on your refusal to agree to the wishes of the scottish parliament

and i'm glad to ask this in finishing, if the conservative party loses the general election in scotland, will you stop blocking the right of the scottish people to have a choice? very unfair. thank you very much. northern ireland is in a brutal state as we all know at the moment and we have no executive and we have no other —— brittle. i wonder if the finest will fully consider what happens to us there. -- if the consider what happens to us there. —— if the prime minister. regarding our position in the union, i'm very grateful to this, and i want to get three points across. 0ne grateful to this, and i want to get three points across. one is not about this election, which we support, but the public in northern ireland are fed up to the teeth with elections and they have had so many and they see no point of another assembly election. if you watched what was going on at easter and you

watched paramilitaries what was going on at easter and you watched pa ramilitaries dressed what was going on at easter and you watched paramilitaries dressed in we st watched paramilitaries dressed in west belfast and elsewhere marching, carrying the union, the european union flag as if it was their banner, brexit for us is a very different world and we fully support that we need to find the right way forward , that we need to find the right way forward, but it is going to be used by sinn fein to really try and break up by sinn fein to really try and break up the union and we need that support. i ask that in the manifesto that they look at how they deal with northern ireland special status and also how you look at that manifesto at making sure that we have a workable government in the future, because we need change and that is what the ulster union 's have been about, getting back to the central party is running northern ireland and making sure that the manifesto looks after our armed forces and former servicemen. legacy is playing

its way out but not protecting the people that should be protected for doing their duty. we will support the motion today. two colleagues that can help each other. mr alan brown. thank you. as several members have already pointed out, the prime minister heads up a party with a current majority that was gained partly by her party cheating in the last general election and yet today she has the brass neck to stand there and give a speech about leadership, so i wanted, what leadership, so i wanted, what leadership does the prime minister show on this? she refused to answer some questions and also questions from glasgow south and about how some of mps will be participating in the next election. what has she done within her party to make sure that this spending and cheating does not happen again? upon the border. twice

the honourable member has accused members of cheating and there is no proof of cheating and he should withdraw the remarks. it is a matter of taste rather than of order but the lady has made her point with force and is on the record. had the honourable gentleman concluded? force and is on the record. had the honourable gentleman concluded 7m terms of further non—leadership interventions from the prime minister, she said there will be no general election and then did a massive u—turn, she could not answer why she changed her mind on the single market and we have had no evidence what the hard tory brexit is going to mean. she has consistently ignored the scottish government and scottish parliament, soi government and scottish parliament, so i ask her, show some real leadership. they will be more

turkeys voting for christmas if they followed the prime minister and dance to her tune. the prime minister needs 433 mp5 to support her today and she has gone on television and told the welfare will bea television and told the welfare will be a general election if parliament backs are full stop but if parliament doesn't back her, will be prime minister resign? that answer could change the views of the labour membership. i must now put the question, the question is, that there shall be a early parliamentary general election, as many as there of that opinions say aye. 0n the contrary say noe. and the contrary say noe. division. clearthe contrary say noe. and the contrary say noe. division. clear the lobby! we had a wide debate there on the

proles —— pros and cons of the general election. let's go to norman smith in the central lobby in houses of parliament. can you clarify fear we stand with the lingering embarrassment of the 2015 general election, police involvement, one mp passed on to the ground prosecution service, possibly others. we are is that enquiry left with this call for a general election? that is a matter for the police. we know there are around a dozen police forces investigating those claims, expenses reviews, during the 2015 general election campaign. it will be dependent on the police if they are going to present that the cps and if they decide to prosecute. we are

some summary of that. the implication is if an mp or a candidate was to face charges, i imagine they would have to withdraw. we are quite a view stage is back from that. a lot of the people looking into this suspected those who may be most vulnerable me actually beat agents rather than candidates. it could be that injured responsible for local constituency campaigns, they may be the ones who could potentially face charges. no charges have yet been brought and it is still being considered by the police and the crown prosecution service. this argument about a tv debate is livening up. itv already seeing the intent to hold a television debate with or without the prime minister. will her team now be thinking we might have made a slight mistake? bully incest is not. we are adamant she will not be taking part in a television debate, regardless of whether itv hold one.

i was just regardless of whether itv hold one. i wasjust reading in regardless of whether itv hold one. i was just reading in the telegraph caught by a senior figure i was just reading in the telegraph caught by a seniorfigure in i was just reading in the telegraph caught by a senior figure in the i was just reading in the telegraph caught by a seniorfigure in the bbc implying that bbc two wants to hold a television debate. that increases the pressure, but this is may's team have firmly closed the door to it. what we don't know is how this plays. is this the sort of election issue which we might get fussed about, and issue within the westminster village, or does it play with voters? two people ask why isn't the prime minister taking part in this debate? we have had this on the 2010, 2050 election, why should she get away with it? team li meaty view there will be some fuss for a while and then all settle down and eve ryo ne while and then all settle down and everyone will move on to the substantial issues around brexit and leadership and it will all be forgotten. generally, i don't know. there is a way to on this. what is clear, the opposition parties have

seized on this as an issue to go at mrs li overan seized on this as an issue to go at mrs li over an issue of trust and broken promises. why would she defend her record ? broken promises. why would she defend her record? why would you call a snap election? why is she running away from the tv debate? the irish seizing on this. we will have to see whether this is a mistake by tea m to see whether this is a mistake by team may, if this is theirfirst significant blunder in the election campaign. talk is to know what's going on now and how long we have to wait for the vote. mps are voting on whether to trigger this general election on june mps are voting on whether to trigger this general election onjune eight. a few people said no, the speaker was waiting to see if anyone said no and the vote had been passed anyway, but some labour mps will be against that, roger dobson was one, david winning another, so some will vote

against a general election. the snp are poised to abstain, so there will not be a formal vote and we will get the result in the boat nine minutes but we know it will be an overwhelming endorsement of the call for a general election, not because labour mps for a general election, not because labourmps are for a general election, not because labour mps are enthusiastic about it but they find themselves in an impossible position. they fear if they oppose an election they will be accused of being frightened. questions will also be asked why they are turning down a chance to get rid of the conservative government so they are obliged to back mrs may in triggering this election. we are seeing the chamber filling up in readiness for that, what is the timetable thereafter? when will we see the battle buses, when does the

queen get involved? i think everything will begin to lock in this weekend. there will be a period when all sides begin to get their acts together, confirm candidates, sort out manifestos and campaign teams. the labour national executive committee is meeting this afternoon, they will be mulling over how they quickly flash together a ma nifesto. how they quickly flash together a manifesto. they probably copy and paste large chunks of ed miliband's ma nifesto. paste large chunks of ed miliband's manifesto. we know on candidates they will say all sitting labour mps will be automatically reselect that, in terms of manifestos, i think the publication may be a little way off, maybe a week or two weeks away. in terms of campaign buses, my impression is that the reason of

may, although she did the interview this morning, she has done other interviews, one with the sun, she wa nts to interviews, one with the sun, she wants to play this as a tightly controlled election. she likes to have control of our events, i don't think this will be a free wheeling come along and ask me any questions, campaign. ithink come along and ask me any questions, campaign. i think it is more likely to be tightly restricted because she is in pole position and does not feel she has to do that. this place will pack up on may the 3rd, so we have one more prime minister's questions before parliament is dissolved. last question, but in terms of prime minister's questions, looking at the labour benches, the biggest cheer was not forjeremy corbyn but for yvette cooper. the obvious message for many labour

mps, a thought bubble from their heads was i wish she was our leader. there is no disguising the fact that most labour mps are sceptical about mr corbyn, that is no great secret and some will ponder if this all goes terribly wrong for labour, will afterwards mr corbyn and apart? i don't think that is a given, let's see how this pans out, maybe if he does better than expected those around him will point the finger of blame at those labour mps who refuse to show support and say if he hadn't had to go through to elections, you can see scenarios where he might seek to carry on. we are getting ahead of ourselves but a lot of mps compared and contrasted yvette coopehs

compared and contrasted yvette cooper's direct questions to theresa may with jeremy corbyn's, which cooper's direct questions to theresa may withjeremy corbyn's, which went round the houses of debt on the deficit and the debt, which was a slightly curious tack for him to take. norman, don't go away, we see the chamber filling but we norman, don't go away, we see the chamberfilling but we know norman, don't go away, we see the chamber filling but we know what the results will be but the prime minister has asked mps to back her calls for an election, saying the result would help unify parliament. i have set out divisions that have become clear on this issue. they can and will be used against us, weakening our hand in the negotiations to come and we must not let that happen. i believe that at this moment of enormous national significance there should be unity here in westminster, not division, and that is why it is the right and responsible thing for all of us here today to vote for a general election, to make our respective cases to the country and then to respect the result and the mandate it provides to give

britain the strongest possible hand in negotiations to come. speaking after theresa may, jeremy corbyn said he welcomed the election because it gave people the chance to win left a labour government. we welcome the opportunity of a general election because it gives the british people the chance to vote for a labour government that puts the interests of the majority first. the prime minister says she has only recently and reluctantly decided to go for a snap election. just four weeks ago her spokesman said, "there isn't going to be an early general election." how can any voter trust what the prime minister says? britain is being held back by her government. the prime minister talks about a strong economy but most people are worse off than they were when the conservatives came

to power seven years ago. the election gives the british people the chance to change direction. this election is about her government's failure to rebuild the economy and living standards for the majority. let's go back to norman smith. what's going on? mps are standing, waiting to be called to the bar of the house but we know this will be a huge majority because mrs make can count on the support of most labour mps, the liberal democrats, the snp will abstain so she will clearly get the two thirds majority. 0ne abstain so she will clearly get the two thirds majority. one thing raised by a number of mps was wiped labour and the lib dems did not refuse to back mrs make and instead

challenge her to put a no—confidence motion down in her own government. interesting strategy, there is a view that maybe mr corbyn should have played hard ball over this, view that maybe mr corbyn should have played hardball over this, but he said some time ago in discussion over the fixed term parliament act whether he would go along with a call for an election and he said he would, and that gave the green light to mrs make to call his bluff, which is what she is now doing because she knows labour mps there not now refused to trigger a general election because it would put them in an invidious position because of how it will be to voters, as if they we re how it will be to voters, as if they were saying they do not care what the public thinks, you cannot have a general election. that sort of message would have been a difficult one for labour to self but it all

went back to the fact that mr corbyn pretty much sold the past to theresa may by saying he would back an election. we should get the vote soon, a few people dilly—dallying in the lobbies before going in and then they will go up to the speakers table and we should get the result of the vote. this is may need is a two thirds majority. interesting to see how many votes against. we had a few labour mps say they would vote against to defy mr corbyn, i don't think it will be that many, maybe a dozen or so, a small number who wrote against. i'm battling bright sunshine out here but i cannot see theresa may. i cannot see her either. she may have voted and gone on to other

business or she may feel there is not a desperate need to be there given the scale of victory, it is not as if it will be some knife edge vote so she may feel there is no obligation to be there. i would have half expected her to be there because of the symbolism and the fa ct because of the symbolism and the fact she opened the debate and she has pressed for the motion but i cannot see her unless she has some pressing bit of prime ministerial business which means she cannot be there, but this is a motion that she put down so you imagine she would be there just to emphasise the momentous nature because it's the first time this has ever happened, there has been a vote on the fixed term parliament act, and one thing we will look for in the tory ma nifesto we will look for in the tory manifesto is whether the ad, along with a load of david cameron policies, get booted into touch

because there is clearly no enthusiasm in team may for the fixed term parliament act and the ma nifesto term parliament act and the manifesto might say we will repeal it, which it was by and large only put there at the behest of liberal democrats who wanted to avoid being turfed out of government should david cameron decide to call a snap general election, but that may now go when we get the tory manifesto. two other things which will be interesting is whether mrs may backtracks and abandons that pledge of giving 0.7% of gdp in overseas aid, another david cameron pledge to detoxify the tory party, unpopular with sections of the conservative party, that seems a likely candidate to go, and philip hammond in his

budget said all major spending commitments would now be reviewed ahead of the next manifesto. we thought that wouldn't be until 2020 but now it will be in a week or so, so crucial will be whether those spending commitments on the triple lock, protecting state pension, guaranteeing it will go up with inflation or earnings, other pledges less likely to do or that commitment to ring—fenced the nhs. i would doubt that mrs may, however come streaming she may find that, would seek to ditch that because that is such an emotive standout pledge, it would also be a guest tojeremy corbyn and if he was looking for some way to galvanise his election campaign, for theresa made to say she will end our commitment to

ring—fenced nhs funding would be a gift to mr corbyn so i doubt she will do that but we will watch to see what bits of the cameron legacy are now ditched. especially, you reflect on the fact that george osborne today signals he is quitting, and you get the sense that the cameron europe is another age now, all the people and policies aren't going and god and we are into aren't going and god and we are into a totally new ballpark, the era of tories may, when if she secures this election victory, they are really in a dominant position in terms of her party and parliament —— the people and policies are going. she can now pursue her agenda in relation to brexit and domestic delay, and she

has signalled that she wants a mandate to do beyond brexit, policies like grammar schools and other areas where she may mark out a different course to that of david cameron. the prime minister is now in the chamber, how many times in the last two years chamber, how many times in the last two yea rs have chamber, how many times in the last two years have we used that word historic but this is an important moment. it is, also a surprising moment. i don't think anyone at the start of the week thought here we would be on thursday about to kick—start a general election. the ayes to the right, 522. the noes to the left, 13. the ayes to the right, 522, the

noes to the left, 13. so the ayes have it. carnlough. —— unlock. we now come to motion number three, the programme motion, do we move formally? as many as are of the opinion, say "aye". to the contrary, "no" the ayes have it. now proceed to read the orders of the day. consideration of lords amendments.” must draw the house's attention to the fact that financial privilege is engaged... as expected, theresa gets her way, the general election will

happen, a considerable majority. with me now is former downing street adviser sean worth, former lib dem adviser sean kemp, and due to work together in the coalition government. it seems clear that theresa may is keen on getting rid of any david cameron policies, that this is a fresh start. one advantage she has been calling an election, i don't think this was the key reason but one advantage is she can build her majority. all the announcement so far have been green papers, not a great deal of hard policy, she has to work with the ma nifesto policy, she has to work with the manifesto voted on in 2015 and now can do her own thing. if she can increase her policy —— majority she can put in place and more radical

programme, on housing policy or consumer policy, none of that has come out concretely and now she has the chance. talk about the triple lock on pensions, that perhaps she doesn't want to come up to. more likely she will go after consumer type is that she spoke about in the beginning. she was talking about reining in the behaviour of some big businesses, corporate ethics, there have been policy papers on those, no serious material but team want to be radical and now she has a chance and people will like that. shawn kemp, asa people will like that. shawn kemp, as a liberal democrat, did you think that what was seen as a one issue election for theresa may is the right approach? it's the dominant issue of the day so theresa make couldn't pretend it was about the

nhs for schools, and for the liberal democrats that is what they want because they know that his front issue where they have a distinctive position, they can campaign for five weeks and it seems bizarre to say about the party that has nine mps but they feel bullish because they can go out and campaign on this. but they feel bullish because they can go out and campaign on thism couldn't get much worse after the last election, so bullish on basis? it cannot get much worse but it's a chance to undo a lot of the damage in 2015 and because they know they are ina in 2015 and because they know they are in a distinctive position, the only pro remain pro—single market, referendum on the destination of brexit, a clear position which labour do not really have so they have carved out territory. the numberof mps is

have carved out territory. the number of mps is sub optimal but they hope to turn that. we are joined by tom baldwin, a former labour director of communications. is that discussion of brexit something that helps labour because going back to core values, nhs, housing, issues jeremy going back to core values, nhs, housing, issuesjeremy corbyn has been talking about today, is that as sense that there can be ground gained on that? i don't think so. i'm afraid labour won't be heard on these core issues until it has a clear position on brexit. this is a brexit election whether we like and theresa may has a clear position, the liberal democrats, i heard emily thornbury on newsnight saint labour did not take sides in this issue and that will not sustain itself through election campaign. so jeremy corbyn

is getting it wrong? on this and other things. will his leadership be what labour voters are talking about? i hope not, they will talk about? i hope not, they will talk about brexit but the alternative is to talk about jeremy corbyn. theresa may was criticised as pushing a stick which seems strange to those of us not in the world of politics because of course she is. there is opportunism and opportunism. her brand is about integrity and principle but she has been breaking promises like a bull in a china shop. she was elected on a manifesto to remain part of the single market, gone. she was elected on a manifesto to get rid of the deficit, gone. she said she would not call a general

election. so much for putting the national interest first. like david cameron she has risked the national interest for an arab party political interest. it's shallow politics and i think people have had enough. the argument over the tv debate, is she right to say she will not do it?” think she is becausejeremy corbyn is such an underdog that it would be difficult to come out with a win, andi difficult to come out with a win, and i think she will win in a head to head. there is such an expectation that she will hammer him that she cannot come out with a win so wide do it? so she won't eat him too much? the expectation would be thejeremy too much? the expectation would be the jeremy corbyn, too much? the expectation would be thejeremy corbyn, i think she could be tim in a debate... how damaging would it be for her to be empty

chair at. i tv are planning to have one. next. a huge number of people watch them. the last ones with cameron and miliband were watched by a lot of people. cameron did staged on his own and then miliband on his own, they should do something like that because she should take part in that because she should take part in that debate. nick clegg for many, the debates made him. he was in a fortunate addition as the outsider and people didn't was and if you are the guy who is coming in and people haven't got a fixed opinion of you, it's an enormous opera richard lindsey. theresa may, i can see politically is it the right thing, is it the right thing in terms of

healthy debate ? is it the right thing in terms of healthy debate? how many mps will be wondering if they will be back?” think the conservatives will lose some seats to the liberal democrats but on the tv debate point, it is preposterous in a modern democracy to decide tv debates, deciding whether they will go ahead whether it is in the interests of the prime minister. we need an independent commission, the debate should happen and if the prime minister boycotts them, that will be her loss or whoever's loss does not turn up. isn't it up to the broadcasters?m should be on an independent statutory basis that these debates are part of elections. this is a symbol of that type of prime

minister that theresa may is, she will decide what brexit mince, what broadcasters show and which promises to keep and which to break. i think it looks awful for her. thank you all very much. let's go back to stormont smith in the lobby. a huge majority in favour of triggering the general election, 522 against just 13, triggering the general election, 522 againstjust13, i suspect all labour mps. againstjust13, i suspect all labourmps. a number of againstjust13, i suspect all labour mps. a number of labour mps spoke out against the general election, the snp abstain. let's mull over that with dominic raab. it would always be impossible for opposition parties to vote against an election. they have been forced into acquiescing but we are under starter ‘s into acquiescing but we are under starter '5 orders selection will be

about leadership and we believe that under theresa may, the burning social issues she wants to address, it is the strength of leadership and stability under the conservatives thatis stability under the conservatives that is the clear choice for the electorate. is there any point in keeping the fixed term parliament act given that the dynamic seems to be that no one dare block an election so why bother having the back? do you think the may might say we have to get rid of it? it gives a five—year period of stability but on the other hand, we found this isn't an election that theresa may wanted but one of the necessity to strengthen our hand to get the best deal out of the eu and out of these negotiations, but also to keep the

economy pharynx and address burning social issues, so i think the truth is the raw arguments both ways. i don't think that is what the country will focus on, they will focus on bread and butter issues and who is the strongest leader. completely unacceptable, is it not, for theresa may not to take part in tv debates? she debates withjeremy corbyn every week. you can do both. the public have seen a lot of thatjousting. she wants to get her message on leadership, the economy, directly to the country and that is where we will be focused in the weeks ahead. all the signs from downing street or that whatever the broadcasters do, mrs may remains adamant she will not ta ke mrs may remains adamant she will not take part.

norman, thank you. plenty more to fear from westminster but now let's get a weather update from darren bent. not quite the balcony, more the studio but the weather is still the studio but the weather is still the same, it's not sunny all across the same, it's not sunny all across the uk, there is this cloud moving slowly south but it has been breaking in scotland, in aberdeenshire have seen temperatures about 16 degrees, otherwise about 11 or so under the cloud, a little drizzle for northern ireland pushing into western scotland, that will filter into northern england and north wales as this cloud pushes its way south. a westerly breeze, a lot of cloud so temperatures should be high enough to prevent frost, except for central and south—east parts of england where we will have clear

skies and temperatures close to freezing. some sunshine in the south—east corner but otherwise cloud, a little drizzle but it should become thinner and brighten up should become thinner and brighten up in scotland, east wales, even with a lot of cloud, a lot of cold air. temperatures of 13 to 15. you're watching bbc news. i'm simon mccoy live at westminster, where mps have just voted overwhelmingly to back theresa may's call for an early election on june 8th. eyes to the right 522, the nose to the left 13, so the ayes have it. the prime minister said a conservative victory would give britain stability during and after brexit. people will have a real choice during the selection, between a conservative government and a labour party whose economic policy would bankrupt this party. but the prime minister's decision not to take part in any tv debates

is criticised by labour leader jeremy corbyn. mr speaker, if she is so proud of her record, why won't she debated? jeering. the former chancellor george osborne