tv Tuesday in Parliament. BBC News February 20, 2019 2:30am-3:01am GMT
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a very warm welcome to bbc news — broadcasting to our viewers the latest headlines: in north america and around the globe. my name's mike embley. our top stories: the london teenager who ran away to join the islamic state extremists in syria has her the british government is revoking citizenship revoked by the uk. the citizenship of a london teenager who joined the islamic state group in syria. thousands take to the streets in 60 shamima begum ran away french cities in protest four years ago aged 15, at the rise in anti—semitic attacks. but is now seeking to return to the uk. her family say they're very disappointed by the decision and hope to appeal. thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in 60 french cities to condemn a rise in bernie sanders fires up his second bid for the american anti—semitic attacks. presidency — will the democrats hours earlier, almost 100 graves still feel the bern? were found to have been the fashion world pays tribute to designer karl lagerfeld, who's died at the age of 85. desecretated with swastikas at a jewish cemetery. the vandalism prompted a visit from president macron, who vowed to punish the offenders. bernie sanders is making a second bid for the american presidency. the vermonet senator is the best—known name in a crowded democratic field for next year's election, but his campaign team say they raised $1 million within three and a half hours of his announcement.
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it's just gone 2:30am. time for tuesday in parliament. hello there and welcome to the programme. coming up... the business secretary says honda's decision to pull of the uk is devastating. the motor industry, japanese investors, and honda in particular, have been very clear for many months that brexit is an additional worry and a difficult time. ministers come under fire over their handling of brexit and an attempt to stop a physical border on the island of ireland. surely, this nation deserves better than a government wandering in the wilderness, not even sure about what its next move is. and, counting the cost of looking after children. our constituents come to me in good paid jobs,
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having to think about selling their car in order to pay for their childcare. but first, the business secretary says honda's decision to close its swindon plant, with the loss of 3500 jobs, is a bitter blow to the whole economy. the japanese company builds 160,000 honda civic cars a year in swindon, its only car factory in the eu. the firm said the move was due to global changes in the industry and the need to watch electric vehicles, and had nothing to do with brexit. the plant is due to shut in 2021. the business secretary made a statement to mps. i'm not going to understate what a bitter blow this is to the 3500 skilled and dedicated workers at honda in swindon and their families. to the many more people and businesses who supply the plant, and to the town of swindon, which has been proud to be home for 3h years to one of the best car
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factories in the world. it's a blow to the whole british economy. honda have given the reason for their decision as accelerating the move to electric propulsion and choosing to consolidate investment in their facilities in japan. following the eu japan free trade agreement earlier this month, tariffs on cars exported from japan to the eu will drop from 10% to zero by the 1st of january 2026. honda will then export from japan rather than britain to europe and the rest of the world. labour mps accused the government of creating uncertainty. as a result of the uncertainty, only two weeks ago, it was their decision to build the trail here, they have slashed a500 jobs and ford have cut 1000 jobs. over the weekend, we have the senior
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vice president saying a new deal brexit would be catastrophic, adding that we'll have to look at future investments. if there were other countries that love aerospace, we herd last year that leaving the eu without a deal could cost the company tens of millions. so there can be no doubt that this government's reckless threats of no deal and prolonged uncertainty is having an impact on business decisions in the here and now, even if that is not the top line in the press release. so no deal must be taken off the table and a firm commitment to the customs union and the single market deal agreed. i've always been very clear with this house that the motor industry, japanese investors, and honda in particular, have been very clear for many months that brexit is an additional worry at a difficult time. they have been instrumental in shaping
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the deal that has been negotiated, and if there's one message a lot of those in this house can give that they want to hear, it is that the deal should be ratified. the union has the formula of one job that creates supply chain and it's one of the lessons here of the eu japan trade agreement, in contrast to the continuing uncertainty here, two and a half years after the referendum for our businesses and for overseas investors, as to what the future terms of our trading relationship with europe are actually going to be. can the secretary of state tell us why it is taking so long to put in place our agreement, our trade agreements with countries like japan, like canada and like australia 7 the business secretary repeated that brexit wasn't one of the factors cited by honda for the decision. but...
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i made mention last time i was in the house to what nissan said, the political uncertainty over a no—deal brexit or what kind of brexit casts a shadow over our future. when investors who have no political motivation to make statements like that issue that advice and that warning, we should attend to it. it seems to me that we have the information necessary to conclude these negotiations, and in my view, we should do it during the days ahead. the harsh reality is that britain's reputation as a stable place to do business and a gateway to europe is being undermined before our eyes. does he agree or disagree, for the sake of those failing to understand, with the senior vice president of honda, who has confirmed this decision has nothing to do with brexit, it is not driven by brexit, and it is not because of brexit. of course, i completely respect, everyone has to respect the reasons
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for their decision that have been given. but i'm pretty familiar with this industry and others, and there are a number of factors and i report to my honourable friend, truthfully, that the — on the minds of many investors around the world is an anxiety that is caused by a lack of knowledge as to what our trading relationships will be with our most important neighbours in just over a month's time. greg clark. to the closure of the honda plant and swindon is a subject close to the heart of the solicitor general. he wanted to say a few words on the dispatch box. —— the closure of.
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i think my constituents will expect the me to briefly to express their dismay and deep concern, which i anticipate the statements of my right honourable friend, do not tell me what the situation is. the honourable gentlemen is a lower officer. he should've asked me in advance, you're either on the front bench or you are not, it is not for the honourable gentlemen to presume the right to speak about the matter. i'm very sorry, but i said what i said. well, the minister was in the commons to answer an urgent question on progress towards resolving the deadlock over the northern ireland backstop. the insurance policy to stop a physical border between northern ireland and the republic of ireland. labour's nick thomas simmons, who requested the statement, accused ministers of running down the clock. but mr buckland said it was down to all mps to get the brexit deal through parliament.
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we're about to make a momentous decision about the future of our country, the government needs to be clear with this house as to precisely what its strategy is. running the clock down is reckless and irresponsible. surely, this nation deserves better than a government wandering in the wilderness, not even sure about what its next move is. mr speaker, what would be reckless and irresponsible would be government to provide a running commentary on sensitive negotiations. i would have thought it is as plain as a pike staff to the member that is not the way negotiations should be conducted. and that the government get on with its work and rather than criticising from the sidelines, mr speaker, i think it is time for all mps on his side to actually
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work for a constructive solution. it is in his hand as much as it is in the hands of the government. saying that the government will not provide a running commentary on the negotiations. unless you are the chief negotiator, like what happened in a bar in brussels and give a very detailed running commentary to anyone who was in earshot! that is extremely unprofessional behaviour, a minister who did that would be sacked, what disciplinary action has been taken against mr robbins or did he get away with it because he's teacher's pet? the right honourable gentleman has referred to a newspaper report that i think would be ill advised for me to comment on. can i say this generally about our civil servants, whatever their role or position or their views, they are in a cingularly difficult position in that they cannot answer back. i hope he will not mind me putting on record the distaste we felt
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for that personal attack from the back benches on a member on a civil servant trying to do hisjob. the job that they're trying to do is a very difficult one and the people responsible for that difficulty is the government, not the civil servants trying to do a good job. everyone knows given what michel barnier said that having no controls and checks, so all of this is scaremongering and isn't going to happen. anyone who knows anything about irish politics knows that no irish government will introduce a hard border on the island of ireland. how can the government, abetted by the front bench, continue to defend their myopia, their talent for procrastination, when will they admit their lot in this problem? i've seen all the excuses today, blame the civil servants, blame brussels, blame ireland for what is entirely a british made problem. on 2017, they supported the du and gave their commitment to provide the solution that would make
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their custom union compatible with the belfast agreement. isn't it the case that the only reason the backstop exists is because the government has failed to deliver on those commitments? the minister said he didn't believe in blame games and was fed up with the snp carping from the sidelines. but when the statement was over, a senior conservative criticised the remarks about ali robbins made by mark francois. and similar comments from another conservative, andrew pridgen. they did so in terms that suggested he had been drinking too much when he had been drinking too much when he was overheard, which as far as i'm aware, there has never been the slightest indication, even in any of the newspaper reports on which they we re the newspaper reports on which they were relying. mr speaker, people like that have no opportunity whatever of even knowing these allegations are going to be made or replying to them. there is an increasingly unpleasant personal tone creeping into the debate about
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europe, mainly from the right—wing members of my party. and it will get quite out of hand if you don't issue a word of rebuke and say that that is an abuse of the privileges of the house of commons, that is not conduct that should be repeated. house of commons, that is not conduct that should be repeatedm is not strip the speaking an abuse of the procedures of the house and is not disorderly, but i think it is extremely undesirable and it does represent a rank discourtesy and indeed, as the right honourable and learn a gentleman implied, a coarsening or polarisation of the terms of trade in political debate, which we should all strive to avoid. and let me say it to the father of the house that i did not react quickly enough, as i should have done to the right honourable gentleman, when he said what he did. —— vulgarisation. he is absolutely entitled to his point of view and even the robust questioning of ministers, of course, that he should not have said what he did about
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serving civil servant. they you're watching tuesday in parliament with me, alicia mccarthy. now the health secretary has revealed that his department has spent £11 million preparing for the possibility of the uk leaving the eu without an agreement. matt hancock was challenged over what a no—deal brexit would mean for the availability of medicines. can the the secretary of state say how much has already been spent after activating nhs no—deal contingency plans, and what the overall bill for this will be? yes, around £11 million has been spent already, we aren't — the nhs is not generally buying the extra medicines that are going into the elongated stockpiles, but the pharmaceutical industry is because, of course, we'll eventually buy most of those
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medicines for the nhs stop nhs. some of my constituents with diabetes have contacted me regarding supplies of insulin. could the secretary give us and insurance specific answer, if possible? —— could the secretary give us an insulin specific answer, if possible? across all medicines we have requested the pharmaceutical industry have an extra six weeks of supplies in case of a no—deal brexit in the case of insulin, there are two providers that already made stockpiles of at least double this which shows that those with concerns about access to insulin can know that the plans we've got in place for insulin are being enacted even more strongly than elsewhere. the government's own impact assessment says that on an ideal scenario, nhs will pay more for drugs, there will be more red tape, nhs patients will go to the back of the queue.
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—— when it comes to international innovation, given the consequences of no deal, so devastating for the nhs, will he, like apparently the justice secretary will do, resign from the government if it means blocking no deal? if the honourable gentlemen really cared about stopping no deal, he would vote for the deal as well. and there is something else that's worth saying about this shadow secretary of state, he is a reasonable man, he's a sensible man, i like him and my politics, my politics, mr speaker, are probably closer to his politics than his are to the leader of his party, so why does he not have the gumption tojoin his friends over there in the independent group instead of backing this hard left proto—communist as a leader of the labour party? matt hancock there. it was the first big split in a mainstream party taking
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—— mainstream political party in more than 30 years. on monday, seven labour mps announced they were leaving their party and would sit as a new independent group in the commons. speaking at a conference in westminster, jeremy corbyn gave his reaction to the news saying he regretted the seven‘s decision, he said he wanted the party to be strong and united around the policies it had forward. in the commons meanwhile, some members of the group could be spotted taking their new places of the opposition benches next to the dup. one of the breakaway mps, chris leslie, was the first to speak in the chamber, he wanted to know what had happened to a promised government paper on social care. doesn't this delay, put long—term issue on the back burner, typify what is wrong with the broken politics in this country? first of all, can i welcome him to his new location in the chamber and from that location he might recognise that actually, there has been a failure of success in government to get to this very thorny issue of the long—term funding of adult social care, where the government that decided
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to tackle this in the longer put it in the too difficult pile will be publishing this document shortly. now ministers have insisted that the government is supporting libraries in england, despite opposition claims that their budgets were cut by £30 million last year. the liberal democrat lady pinnock said the government had set up a libraries task force in 2016 and was quoted from this report. it stated that libraries change lives for the better. and that includes reference to attacking social isolation, saving the nhs an estimated £30 million a year. i wonder if the noble minister can tell the house how libraries can improve lives, when in the last year alone, £30 million last was spent on local libraries and further 127 libraries were closed? —— 30 million pounds less. they do strengthen communities, they become community hubs
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and we agree that we should make sure that we monitor the role that local authorities have in providing a comprehensive and efficient library service. it is not helpfuljust to look at the stray numbers of openings and closings, sometimes it's the right thing to close library and produce a better library that's more centralised, albeit one that's in partnership with other local community areas. local authorities have their budget by 60%. it is natural that this offers an easy way of saving money and simply to say that to outsource responsibilities to the local authorities is not good enough to address this question. if the dcms has not conducted its own impact assessment, the unions have. and without repeating the statistics, it is a horrendous picture of dissatisfaction by those working in libraries at the service
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they are obliged with fewer and fewer resources to offer to the public at large. loon lake it is easy to blame the government decisions are not to be liking of the people at the noble lords. it is --it is easy to blame. i accept that local authorities have had to make ethical decisions. libraries have been retained. it is worth bearing in mind that many local authorities have actually opened new libraries and refurbished them so it's a question of priorities and what a local authority thinks is important for theirarea. authority thinks is important for their area. those aged over 25 will be paid a minimum of £8 21 an hour.
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an increase of nearly 5%. it does mean that a full—time worker on the rate will be over £2750 better off next year compared to the year the national living wage was introduced. the regulations also increased the rate for younger workers and apprentices. those aged between 21 and 2a will be entitled to a minimum hourly rate of £7 70 and 32p increase. any increase in pay for those on the lowest pay is to be welcomed. however, this small rise is entirely insufficient and emblematic of the government who will only do the very barest minimum for working people and often not even that. the uk government's pertained living wage is not enough to live on.
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the real living wage is calculated by the living wage foundation and said is set at £9 per hour or 10.55 in london. mr deputy speaker, the pertained living wage fall short of this. an mp has warned that child care for young children can be so expensive that parents have considered selling their car to pay for it. and although the government has expanded free childcare in england and offered tax relief from other care, its claim is that it's so complicated that some families don't use it. three and four—year—olds in england are eligible for the equivalent of 30 hours free childcare every week. but only if their parents are in work. otherwise, they get only 15 hours free care week, as do 2 year olds from poorfamilies. the issue was debated in westminster hall where some mps had sent their apologies as the decision to cancel parliament's half—term break had left them with childcare duties. it's clear that the current system
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is too complicated not sustainable. that is what they say. parents are not aware of which system is the most relevant to their needs. darren jones highlighted problems of the system that offers tax relief. 0ur constituents come to me and good payjobs, having to think about selling the car in order to pay for their childcare in order to be able to stay and work. this just can't be right, not only is it too confusing, but parents are not using it because it's too much hassle. a conservative said the too generous to some better off families. it amounts to just over 1100 hrs of free childcare a year for many families, including my own, in fact i countdown the days until september my youngest is eligible for free childcare for three—year—olds and the holidays i be able to go on with that extra money. but that identifies the problem and that it shouldn't be necessary
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to pay for my holiday. that that funding is used for. there were warnings that some nurseries were struggling to survive and to retain staff on what the government pays them. i am a dad and i am a granddad, and my grandson, there are precious. but as an mp here or across the state, local would not think of their family in a particular way. it is a nation, we seem to be content with leaving those most precious members of our family to be looked after by people often on minimum wage and discontent with their working lives. the snp want to see more men working in childcare. perhaps we need to do a bit more and terms to attract men to work in the nursery sector, because clearly the provision has moved towards nurture and i make that point perhaps more as an observation and ask people reflecting on these proceedings
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to look at that because is about 4% of the workforce that is male in terms of provision and as we look to inspire children to have more role models, props and not getting that right wing 96% of the workforce is female. labour has introduced a flagship policy in this area. a flagship policy in this area, but there are problems with 30 hours policy is one that excludes parents and children whose parents are out of work. these children, many of the rooms are the ones that would benefit the most, are the ones that are being cruelly excluded from accessing it through no fault of their own. i believe that is a fundamental flaw in the policy and we do not understand the repercussions of this for a long time to come. the government had expanded free childcare is usually during the last nine years. —— hugely.
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0ur our policies helped over 300,000 children in the first year of policy to take advantage of high—quality childcare with savings up to £5,000 a yearfor parents. again, is the government's balanced approach for the public finances and the economy that has enabled us to do that and to provide that benefit to parents. nick gibb there. and that is it for me from now, do join me at the same time tomorrow when among other things will have the highlights from prime ministers questions. but for now, from me, alysia mccarthy, goodbye. hello again. 0ur weather has been mild over recent days but we are about to turn up the heat. yes, we will be dragging
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up some area coming off the north—west of africa, pushing past spain and towards the uk into the weekend. that will boost temperatures and we could see highs, given a bit of sunshine, getting as high as 18. that is just about possible. it depends on how much sunshine we'll see and the next few days look cloudy even though we will be mild. the weather system is pushing north and east, bringing wet weather. over the next few hours, we have some rain around across scotland and northern ireland but it is largely dry in the south. some showers following to northern ireland. you will notice a mild start to wednesday. temperatures in the range of 7—11. wednesday, a cloudy start for most with outbreaks of rain particularly across north—western areas. the rain could be heavy at times for wales, western scotland but they could be sunshine coming out in the afternoon.
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the best chance of that is in the north—east of scotland, and east anglia. slowly brightening up for northern ireland. a mild day. temperatures between 11 and 1a. through wednesday evening and overnight, most of the rain will ease for a time but there could be more spits and spots of light rain and drizzle a round western coasts and hills. another mostly mild night but with clearer skies towards the south—east and the countryside gets cooler. for thursday, a greater prospect of seeing a little bit more in the way of sunshine breaking through. the best chance of that is the east of high ground, the midlands and eastern wales, not doing too badly. the east of the pennines and eastern areas of scotland, whereas in the west, a bit more cloud. temperatures on thursday up to 17 in paris and madrid and across parts of spain as we head through the weekend. the pressure builds a bit further across england and that will punch
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a few more holes in the club on friday. perhaps some more mist and fog to start but more in the way of sunshine to go around. the sunshine will boost the temperatures 14— 15 degrees at least. you could see high is going a bit higher, given the decent cloud breaks. the mild weather is set to continue through the weekend and for many of us it looks drive through the week ahead. that's your weather, goodbye.
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