, a national political reporter covering the trump presidency, and republican leadership. caitlin owens, health care reporter. and mike allen, cofounder of axios and executive editor. watch this spotlight on axios monday morning, starting at 7:00 -- 8:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. >> the british parliament is on recess until after the june elections. bbc parliament looks back at the major events that took place during the 2016-2017 legislative session. this is an hour.

keith: hello and welcome to our look back at the u.k. 56 parliament. alicia: it was the shortest par limit for 46 years, just two years long. alicia: although short, there was enough people and politics. keith: two years ago, we had different leaders. the uk was a solid member of the european union and the brexit word had yet to be invented. >> as i once said, i was the future once. [laughter] keith: alicia: -- new people at the top. accordance with the wishes of the people, we are leaving the european union. >> they hold our values in contempt. they hold our values of tolerance and decency in contempt. alicia: a new approach to prime minister's questions. >> maureen wrote to me this week, and she writes with a heavy heart, we have been treated disgustingly. alicia: and robust exchanges at

westminster committees. >> would i do that again? no. am i sorry i didn't? yes. alicia: you could have predicted the events lay in store as opening of parliament went ahead on may 20 7, 2015. it was the 62nd time her majesty open parliament. against expectations and projections, david cameron had won and outright general election victory for the conservatives. no coalition with liberal democrats would be needed this time. following his resignation, labor was led by acting leader harriet harman. her words were exchanged between the party leaders as mps filed through parliament to hear the queens speech and the legislative plans for a government expected to last five years. >> my government will renegotiate the united kingdom's relationship with the european

union and pursue reform of the european union for the benefit of all member states. keith: as she congratulated the prime minister, the acting labor leader made a remark that would turn out to be remarkably prescient. >> although he and i have many differences, people have pointed out in some ways, we are quite like. one of the things that we have in common is that we are both, by our own admission, interim leaders. [laughter] so we will support the government's bill for a referendum on britain's -- we believe it will be better for britain if we stay in the european union. >> we have a very clear strategy of renegotiation, reform, and referendum. the bill in the queen's speech makes clear the referendum must take place, at the latest, by the end of 2017. keith: the new party with 56 mps were the scottish nationalist.

>> mag congratulate the prime minister for his election success -- in england. [laughter] and it is an honor to reply to the queens speech on behalf of the third-party in the house of commons. [applause] the scottish national party. can i say at the start of parliament that the convention, that we don't clap in this chamber is very, very long established and widely respected, and it would be appreciated if members would show some respect for that convention. keith: the queen returned to politician's minds in september 2015 when she became the longest running monarch in the country's history, surpassing the record of queen victoria. her majesty had reigned for 63 years, seven months, and two days. on the day, she was opening a new train line in the scottish borders. the prime minister talked about

her many duties. >> whether it is something we suspect she enjoys, like the highland games, or something we suspect she might be slightly less keen on, such as bending new year's eve in the millennium dome. [laughter] she never, ever falters. >> she is now on her 12th prime minister. we on these benches had hoped that he would now be on her 13th. [laughter] she reigns over 140 million people. that is a huge number, nearly as many as the number of labor party registered supporters. [laughter] keith: that remark about the size of labor's membership was a none too subtle reference to the long drawn out leadership election during the summer of 2015. to enliven a potentially dull contest, labor mps had let in the backbencher, jeremy corbyn, a veteran with a long history of meddling.

to the consternation and amazement of most labor mps, mr. corban quickly became the favorite. he won by a landslide, and soon he was answering his first prime minister's questions. >> jeremy corbyn. >> i have taken apart in many events and conversations with many people about what they thought about this place, our parliament, our democracy, and our conduct within this place. and many told me that they thought prime minister's question time was to theatrical, that parliament was out of touch and to theatrical, and they wanted things done differently. but above all, they wanted their voice heard in parliament. changee are able to prime minister's questions and make it a more genuine exercise and asking and answering questions, no one would be more delighted than me. alicia: a new approach to prime minister's questions, and a fresh look to the house of

commons generally. have been elected in may and they all had to make a maiden speech. by convention, these are noncontroversial, but a new conservative mp decided to dispense with that tradition. heidi allen used or made into launch a withering attack on the government's announced cuts to tax credits for working families. >> the prime minister has asked us that with everything we do to pass the family test. cutting tax credits before wages rise does not achieve that. showing children that their parents would be better off not working at all does not achieve that. sending a message to the poorest and most vulnerable in our society that we do not care does not achieve that either. alicia: a new rebel was born. in previous parliaments, conservative governments assumed they could always count on the support of peers. not these days. there is no longer a tory majority in the lords.

the leader pleaded for a compromise on the tax credit issue. >> i have been to see the chancellor this morning at number 11, and i can confirm that he would listen very carefully, were the house to express its concerns in the way that it is precedented for us to do so. alicia: it appeared the lords could support the government. >> we can be supporters instead of those 3 million families facing letters at christmas, telling them on average, they will lose up to around 3000 pounds a year, a letter which will take away 10% of their income. keith: they voted down the tax credit changes. so what would be chancellor george osborne do in the face of -- lordss' rejects and rejection? >> i have listened to the

concerns. because i have been able to announce an improvement in public finances, the simplest thing to do is to avoid these changes altogether. [shouting] we introduce universal credit. keith: that reversal was just the first in a series of u-turns. four months later came another change of heart, this time as a large cut george osborne made to disability benefits. the changes infuriated this man, ian duncan smith, who resigned from the cabinet in protest. a few days later, the chancellor dropped his disability benefit changes. >> while the reforms reposed -- proposed two weeks ago drew on the work of an independent review, they did not command support. they will not go ahead. even if they had, this government is spending more on disabled people than the last labor government ever did.

>> he has made a welcome u-turn, but shouldn't he acknowledge that was a mistake he should say sorry for? >> where we have made a mistake, we listen and we learn. that is precisely what we have done. where is the apology from the labour party? keith: earlier, mr. osborne had shown some skills and labor is ohn mcdonald -- >> the shadow chancellor usually -- literally stood [indiscernible] it is his personal signed copy. is, half the shadow cabinet has been sent off to reeducation. 56tha: this was the parliament of the united kingdom

, but just how united was the kingdom? the scottish nationalist group of mps were now the third largest party. naturally, the campaign for more power for scotland, but they also campaigned against something -- changes the government wanted to make to the way this place is run. specifically, they were objecting to something that rather ominously became known as evil, english most for english laws. scottish mps could be excluded from voting on some legislation. it gave a new task to the speaker and his deputies. >> there will now be a joint debate on the consent motion for england and wales, and the consent motion for england. , remind honorable members that although all members may speak in a debate, if there are divisions, only members representing constituencies in england and wales may vote on the consent motions for england and wales.

and only members representing constituencies in england may vote on the consent motion for england. >> for the first time in the history of this house, this parliament, members of parliament will be banned from participating based on nationality and geographic location. keith: one of the defeated scottish politicians in advance of the 2015 elections, charles kennedy. a short time into the parliament came as that news -- mr. kennedy had been found dead at his home. tributes were paid from all sides. >> i would like to direct these words at donald, son of charles and sarah. your father was a very great man. he stood up for what he believed in. centerleftrty of the

with dignity and compassion. , you willre older know your mom and dad believed in a cause greater than themselves, and you will be proud. >> it is not what you have done, it is who you are. charles kennedy was a very special man. donald, you should be proud of your daddy. i am proud of your daddy. i left him to this. i am -- i loved him to this. i'm proud to call my friend. keith: the drawnout conflict in syria was continuing. the terror group i.s., also known as isis or i so, had taken parts of neighboring iraq in 2014. at that time, they were in favor of british airstrikes on iraq, but not syria. should british airstrikes be extended to syria? in 2015, ministers were advised strongly again.

terrorist carnage on the doorstep of britain dramatically changed political opinion. three teams of terrorists carried out a plan, coordinated operation at the heart of paris. 130 people were dead. isis claimed responsibility. the world at westminster was no different. a motion was put before mps to extend british airstrikes to cover i.s. targets in syria as well as iraq. in october 2015 was the ultimate decision -- to go to war or not. >> i hope the house will come together in large numbers for britain to play its part defeating these evil extremists and taking the action needed now to keep our country safe. >> the issue now is whether extending british bombings from iraq to syria is likely to reduce or increase that threat to britain, and whether it will counter were spread the terror campaign isil is waging across

the middle east. the answers don't make the case for the government motion. on the contrary, they are warning, step back. a vote against yet another ill-fated twist in this never-ending war on terror. >> i share the horror and revulsion. i have still to hear convincing evidence to suggest that u.k. bombing isis targets in syria is likely to increase our security or help bring about lasting these. >> this is the toughest call i think i have ever had to make, maybe ever and certainly in this house. what pushes me in the direction of voting for action is, above all things, the united nations resolution 2249, which calls for us to eradicate this safe havens that isis has, that daesh has in syria. keith: the closing words in

favor of military action, in open defiance of jeremy corbyn, came to be seen as a vintage comments performance. >> we have always been defined by our internationalism. we believe we have a responsibility, one to another. we never have and we never should walk by on the other side of the road. and we are here faced by fascists, not just their calculated brutality, but there believe that they are superior to every single one of us in this chamber tonight, and all of the people we represent. they hold us in contempt. they hold our values and contempt. they hold our believe in tolerance and decency in contempt. they hold our democracy, the means by which we will make our decision tonight, in contempt. fascistse know about is that they need to be defeated. it is now time for us to do our

bit in syria. that is why i asked my colleagues to vote for this motion tonight. [shouting] voted byter which, mps a clear majority for military action. u.k. airstrikes on i.s. targets in syria started soon after. on, they have conducted more than 1200 airstrikes across iraq and syria as part of a coalition of countries committed to defeating i.s. operations to be far more air operations to remove i.s. have been far more effective in iraq then in syria, where the six-year long brutal civil war continues. >> history came to an end in 2016 with the financial collapse of british home stores, a familiar site for a decades and many a high street. a parliamentary inquiry was soon underway into why they had collapsed.

the debt was 1.3 trillion pounds. its former owner, one of britain's wealthiest businessmen, faced mps. >> nothing is more sad than how this has ended. you have got a pretty good track record as a company. the average head office is 11 or 12 years. do you mind not looking at me like that all the time? it is really disturbing. tocia: why did they sell bhs a racing driver who had been made bankrupt twice? >> unfortunately, it was the wrong number. we could keep going over -- you said you don't want to be here all day. would i do that deal again? no. am i sorry we did it? yes. >> i have never met you before, but you seem a strong personality. you are holding your own. you seem extraordinarily thin-skinned to quite courteous questions.

in respect to the selling of -- we couldbody challenge you on this. . >> that is your opinion. keith: this low passage of the eu referendum bill made certain the people of britain would take part in a vote on britain's continued e.u. membership, but would it be 2016 or 2017? would david cameron go early or late, and who would be campaigning for britain to stay in and who would be wanting to get out? in the comments, labor was indulging in plenty of teasing of ministers. >> to compel us in or out. >> he is an out, isn't it. he has an outer. >> the labour party has a leader who has changed his mind twice in the last few months. they claim to support a reformed

european union, but want say what they want to reform. keith: soon the pretense of unity was ended. cabinet ministers were set free to campaign on both sides of the debate, and a clutch of high-profile leaders were in front of the cameras. the campaign for a british exit from the eu was soon known as brexit. the remainders never found a similar slogan. on february 20, mr. cameron announced the date of the referendum, thursday, june 23. david cameron had expected. or from his close friend, justice secretary michael though. had other ideas, announcing he would be backing leave. a beautiful friendship was never the same again. worse for cameron was the loss of support from the outgoing mayor of london, boris johnson. >> the referendum arguments begin. the claims and counterclaims were made. one pledge on the side of the leaf campaign bus was the weekly

cost of britain's e.u. membership could be spent in said became especially well-known. the public grew suspicious of the forecast. committee sessions were looking at the issues both big and small. >> one of the rules that you cite -- one of the ludicrous rules -- isn't eu rule that says you can't recycle a teabag and that children under eight can't blow up balloons. >> this site says that adult supervision is required in the use of uninflated balloons by children under eight. household,ay, in my only children under eight are allowed to blow up balloons. i do think it is absolutely ludicrous to have this kind of prescription at a european level. >> do you not see that leaving europe puts at risk england investments from companies like hitachi?

alicia: with one week to go to polling day, the increasingly bitter campaign came to a sudden, shuddering halt. >> reports of a stabbing and shooting involving the mp joe o cox. very scant information. keith: the country was horrified that an ordinary member of parliament could be brutally killed while going about her normal work. a far right extremist was later jailed for life for the murder of jo cox. the public soon showed its huge respect for the mp. parliament was recalled briefly from its short referendum break. on her empty seat in the comments were two roses. >> jo believed in a better world , and she fought for it every day of her life with an energy and a zest for life that would exhaust most people. >> and she was brave.

her energy and effectiveness were an inspiration. >> the last -- let me say this -- they will go on to elect a new mp, but no one can replace her. >> i can't ever recall seeing her sad, negative, or without hope. she once told me at a meeting at oxfam that she did not do touchy-feely, and i was being too emotional and we needed to get on with it. [laughter] and we needed to sort out the campaign we were working on. alicia: the public wondered if murderck of the mp's might produce a more considered form of politics as the referendum campaign entered its final few days. people flocked to london's wimberley arena for a two-hour debate, leading figures in the leave and remain camps in front of jubilant supporters. love works with

its friends and neighbors, does not walk away. >> leave and take back control. i believe this thursday can be our countries independence day. alicia: both sides claimed to be on course to victory. the polls closed at 10:00. the counting started. first indications suggested leave had polled strongly, and it soon became clear the night's story was going only one way. in the small hours, nigel farage , the man who devoted years of his life to fighting the eu, was triumphant. it was all over remain. victory lay with leave. >> british people have spoken, and the answer is, we are out. alicia: for many, it was a bemusing moment. britain had opted to exit. this sense of bewilderment was only added to shortly after 8:00 a.m. outside downing street. >> i will do everything i can as

prime minister to steady the ship over the coming weeks and months, but i do not think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination. alicia: now we had a prime minister also heading for the exit. politicians spent the weekend after the referendum recovering from the whirlwind. the comments regrouped on monday. >> it was not the result i wanted nor the outcome i believe is best for the country, but there can be no doubt. >> it is quite shameful that politicians made promises they knew could not be delivered. >> leaving aside the constitutional turmoil, the damage to the economy, and the uncertainty that hangs over britain's place in the world, the leaders of the brexit campaign have engendered an atmosphere where some people believe it is open season for racism and --

>> there should be an early general election. >> could i ask him to say today, to condemn very clearly those people who are almost implying that decent people all over this country who voted to leave the european union are somehow closet racists? >> at lunchtime, sterling fell to a 31 year low against the dollar. if you break it, you own it. who owns this particular adjustment? is it a prime minister who called the referendum or the right honorable member from oxbridge who exploited it? keith: a reference to boris johnson, who people assumed was on course to fill the vacancy caused by cameron's resignation. the country seemed to be leaderless. the losing remain side looked for reasons for defeat. one scapegoat became jeremy corbyn. the labor leader was accused of not doing enough campaigning. there was an orchestrated series of resignations from his shadow cabinet.

many labour mps urged him to resign. david cameron joined in. >> i have to say to the honorable gentleman, he talks about job insecurity. in my two months ago, it might be in my party's interest and a sitdown. it is not in the national interest. i would say, for heaven sake, man, go. alicia: but defiant, jeremy corbyn stayed on. labour mps eventually found one despitee, owen smith, mr. gore in the second summer leadership battle. conservatives could not afford to gloat too much. they had their own turmoil. would it be boris johnson and number 10? who could stop them? may: i think i am the best person to be prime minister. alicia: boris johnson still looked to be ahead until the moment michael goad dramatically withdrew his support, triggering a shock exit from the contest.

came third in the vote of tory mps, meaning two contenders were left. then an article in the times newspaper forest andrew led some to quit, and so after an extraordinary series of unplanned event, britain finally had a new prime minister, theresa may. keith: back in 2007, tony blair left his job at number 10, having enjoyed the sound of enthusiastic applause ringing out from all sides of the house of commons at the end of the prime minister's questions that was much more relaxed than normal. the idea obviously appealed to david cameron, as he considered how to bring to an end his six-year tenure of the top job. >> questions to the prime minister. >> mr. speaker, this morning i had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. other than one meeting this afternoon with her majesty, the diary for the rest of my day is

remarkably light. >> 33 years in this house watching five prime minister's and several at spry ministers -- several ex-prime minister is, i have seen him achieve a mastery of the dispatch box. >> we think the prime minister for his hard work and leadership. >> it is only right that after six years, we thank the right honorable member for his service. >> this session does have admirers around the world. i remember when i did his job and met mayor bloomberg in new york. everyone came up and said, mayor, you are doing a great job. no one had a clue who i was until eventually someone said, cameron, prime minister's questions, we love your show. i would also like to pass on his banks to his mom for his advice about ties and suits and songs. it is extremely kind of her. i would be grateful if you pass that on to her. i'm reflecting on the lesson that she offered. >> i will certainly send his

good wishes back to my mother. he seems to have taken her device, looking splendid today -- taken her advice. >> as no two people know what brexit means at the >> the organization has never gone as far to get him to carry a mobile phone. it will keep ringing me on it. move, i seem to remember that we're moving the morning meeting to accommodate the 9:00 cigar. >> i will watch these exchanges from the back benches. i will miss the roar of the crowd. i will miss the barbs from the opposition. just willing on the front bench, defending the manifesto that i

put forward. they come here with great love for the constituencies that they represent. also, willing on this place. perhaps more than some other countries, that is something we should be proud of and we should keep at it. i hope you will all keep at it. the last thing i would say that you can achieve a lot of things in politics. nothing is really impossible. [laughter] [applause] >> with that ovation ringing in, david cameron returned for the

final time to demonstrate late opposing for those final photographs before making a car journey to buckingham palace to tend to his formal resignation to her majesty, the queen. theresa may made her way to buckingham palace where she was invited to form an administration. the queen and pointed her prime minister, returning from the palace, she spoke for the first time. >> if you are just managing, i want to address you directly. i know you are working around the clock. your best.are doing i know that sometimes life can be a struggle. the government i lead will be driven not by the interest of the privileged few that by the bylaws. we will do everything we can to give you more control over your lives. >> one prime minister out and

one prime minister in. >> theresa may made a series of bold appointments. establishing that she was a very different sort of conservative two different cameron. it was a new chancellor, a new justice secretary and a new foreign secretary in the shape of forest johnson. >> she also addressed insecure workers, saying you have a job but you don't always have job security. does that mean that she is proposing to scrap the employment tribunal fees, repeal been zeroe act or hours contract as more than a dozen european nations have already done. on the i did say that streets of downing street, i think it is very important that we consider not only what might be called a obvious injustice but consider the lives of those

people. they are in work but troubling -- struggling to make ends meet. the situation of some workers that could have some job insecurity. i suspect that there are many members on the opposition benches that might be unfamiliar. a boss doesn't listen to his worker. it requires some of his workers to double their workload. maybe even a boss who exploits the rules to further his own career. remind him of anybody? reassembled,ommons there was a brand-new minister. the secretary of state is exiting the european union. >> ministers were accused of

secrecy over brings it. >> this is a government that true of no plans for brags it. now there is no strategy for negotiation. it offers no parent -- no transparency, no scrutiny of the process for developing a strategy. >> i have to say to her, i would have thought they were and peace. >> they were back in charters later after the speaking in the party's second leadership contest in two years. saga, thebrexit government said it would produce a plan for the eu.

plans, he talks about doesn't mean there should be a series of tents? visit and execution of principles or specific biologist? to say that it might consist of hence, i would merely remind the moses came down during the tablets, it did not contain this. it is pretty clear what to do. people showed a minimum of a motions. times change. people are more open. they have heard remarkably frank speeches. first, michelle thompson spoke young person, she

was raised. she was just 14. >> i remember feeling surprised and then fear and then harbor as i realized, i could not escape. , i walked home alone, i was crying, i was cold and shivering. that was the shock response. i didn't tell my mother. i didn't tell my father. i didn't tell my friends. i didn't tell the police. i bottled it all up inside me. thathing i realize now is i am not scared. he was. , i am not ared victim, i am a survivor. >> thank you to the honorable lady for watching the way that she said it. indeliblet an impression upon us all. earlier, shes

spoke about losing her daughter soon after her birth. >> eventually, the doctor was called and i was rushed to the emergency room. she lived for five days. she said her life for hours. i never wanted to let her go. my five days of her being alive, she was never able to cry, smile, i looked at her and desperately wanted her. even if i don't talk about it all the time.

it hurt so much to do so. let's she was later what the price for her bravery. >> it has been an extraordinary two years for the u.k. independence party, better known as this party led by this man. he had resigned straight after the 2015 general election. later, only to resign again after the referendum, triggering a bizarre feeling of present. he didn't make any breakthrough during the parliament's election. he announced he was leaving the it worked now that brexit had been achieved. he later announced that he would be leaving parliament altogether.

>> and the prime minister confirmed or denied it to have been any official conversations at any level regarding giving nigel and appeal? say is that such matters are never normally discussed in public. donald trump became the 45th president of the united states. who would be the first british politician to welcome the former reality tv star? would it be to prime minister? the foreign secretary? no, it was mr. barrage. and theresa may did visit washington, in the end, january 2017, not everyone was convinced. the white house was a wise move, the prime minister said the new president was welcome to come to britain for a state visit.

visitguments over his came to light. >> they once famously declared that they would not go to york in case he was mistaken for mr. trump. is there a chance that president trump will not come to london on a state visit in case he is mistaken? >> i'm embarrassed to tell you i think i was mistaken for mr. trump in newcastle. it was a very humbling experience as it was, you can imagine. >> what about president trump coming to parliament? address. an it was not an automatic ride. president'sbout the executive order, banning people from entering the u.s.. >> after the imposition of the

trump, band by president we're even more strongly opposed by president trump in westminster hall. as far as this place is strongly, i feel very that our opposition to racism and sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important in the house of commons. >> after looking after the elderly and vulnerable -- vulnerable continues to mount, brought socialhs care rising up the political agenda. what was the best day for the ever-increasing cost? could this man help? announced aor reduction of 2 billion pounds of social care. exactly is all this money

coming from? are self-employed, many of them tradesmen. they couldlor says pay more in national insurance contributions. >> it was an attack on the self-employed, taxing the most -- the pathway of aspiration. this will come back to hunt this. >> the headlines were bad for the chancellor. >> since the budget, parliament and others have questioned whether the contributions -- that questioned whether the

proposed increase in contributions is compatible with the tax lock commitment made. but for meimportant and my friend, we complied not just with the letter but also with the spirit. >> they supported the chancellor's financial increase. >> because my article -- it is already with the printer. having been persuaded of the correctness of the courts. i really needed an opportunity.

is called anything, this parliament will be known as a brexit parliament. brexitent's role in the process -- they had successfully gotten the agreement of the high court. for the u.k. to start the process of the eu. it can be done by prime minister alone. the government appealed. were on this place, the supreme court. >> the politicians looked on on anxiously, whatever side. >> the supreme court rules that the government cannot trigger article 50 without an act of parliament authorizing it to do so.

>> a bill was brought up, just one have -- 170 words long. called they got brexit bill. they piled into the comments which lasted two days. >> it is not a bill about whether the u.k. should leave the european union or how it to do so. it is simply about parliament empowering the government to implement a decision already made in the point of no return. to accept and respect the outlook of the referendum. we remain a european country with a shared history. >> what sort of divorce would it be? >> this is a big deal. you're not taking this up. it has an impact on each and every one of us. the british people did not give this government to mandate to threaten to turn the country tawdry --

this is the former leader of the liberal democrats. people didn't know what they were voting for. first of all, there is no excuse for people in this heist to not know what they are voting for. >> they thought the visitors were living in the world. >> you follow the rabbit on the whole and you emerge in a wonderland. suddenly, countries throughout to gived are queuing up us trading advantages and access to the market that previously we had never been able to achieve. nice men like president trump -- haven't heard of them, he abandoned normal protectionism, i can go along with the prime minister.

exit means brexit. i cannot go along with the idea that brexit means trump. we beginhe moment that to take back control of our laws, borders and money. once again, we became a sovereign nationstate in command of our destiny and i am absolutely delighted about that. for me, this referendum was a massive peaceful revolution by consent of historic proportions. that last endorses that revolution. labor and these were told to back the government, there was no doubt about the and of the bill's final stage. >> 494. over to the lords. the package wasn't so smooth. opposition pairs put this in the works.

inflicting defeats on the bill. the first was a demand on the guarantee of the right of eu nationals in britain. >> these people are not bargaining chips. say quite freely that they are free to stay, that does give them the high ground to our government and its negotiations. >> by is everybody so excited about an amendment that looks after the foreigners and not the british? >> then came a demand for it to be enshrined in law that parliament had to have a meaningful vote in two years time on the u.k.'s final exit deal from the eu. on the long contested principle that this country's future should rest with parliament. not with them. >> we get to the final arm at midnight. the prime minister says hang on a second, i have to go and

consult the house of commons. it is ridiculous. it is a ridiculous proposal. >> to defeat for the brexit bill. was it in crisis? no. the brexit bill became an act. within days, article 50 was triggered. when the british ambassador to the eu handled the letter penned in downing street to the president of the european council. >> this is a historic moment from which there can be no turning back. >> in life, especially brexit life, do things run briefly. banks the referendum had produced a majority in scotland for the european union. they claim to the scots were now being dragged out of europe against their wishes. scotland minister in announced her intentions to ask for another referendum on

scotland's putting from the u.k.. >> in light of the material changes and circumstance, for the brexit vote, it is the chance to decide our future and a fair, free and democratic way. >> scottish parliament voted in favor of the demand, it was known as indirect two. theresa may declared that now is not the time for referendum. that took up the pressure. >> she rides her finger as much as she likes. prepared tot negotiate on behalf of the scottish government and secure membership, people in scotland and weve a referendum will have our day. likes he is comparing membership organization with our country. country for one over 300 years.

together, we have worked together, we have achieved together. constitutional gameplay must not be allowed to break the deep bonds of our shared history. it disrupted to deadly effect over the last decade. that is the july 7 the tax of 2005, london had avoided any terrorist outrage. things changed in westminster. >> in the space of 90 terrifying seconds, they put out a cart into pedestrians on westminster bridge, killing four. before storming into the precincts of parliament and fatally stabbing a police officer. shocked and bewildered parliament.

>> i no longer suspend the setting of the house. please wait here. >> there has been a serious incident. >> the commons reflected on the attack. >> as i speak, millions will be boarding trains to travel to london. they see the greatest city on earth. it is these actions, millions of finde normality that we the best response to terrorism. >> this attacker and people like it are not my religion, nor are they our community. if they were a religion, they would not be carrying out like this. we have to stay united and show them that they can't win on these grounds. >> one man cannot shut down the city and one man cannot lock down democracy.

>> they hate our freedom, our peaceful democracy, our tolerance, our openness, our unity. these elections have always been part of the drama of british politics. when they came in in 2011, there were days of prime minister's call general elections whenever they wanted. >> from now on, general elections take place every five years. or so we thought. that is what theresa may is close to. >> the prime minister's announcement to downing street on -- it took everybody by surprise. >> since i became prime minister i said that should be no election until 2020. now i have concluded that the only way to guarantee certainty and the stability for the years ahead is to hold to the election. it is a massive u-turn.

the prime minister has rolled out a early -- an early general election. >> our friend went about things in the time-honored fashion. ask what i cannot understand from what the reader of the house said today is how any of this makes things clearer, makes us feel more stable. it became clear that the opposition party were not going thisand in the way of general election. >> we welcome the general election. she said it is about leadership. she is refusing to defend her record and television debates. the would point out to honorable gentleman that i have been answering his questions -- every wednesday parliament has been sitting. since i became prime minister. >> the reason that we are having the general election is because the woeful state of the labour

party. >> the prime minister said she was calling election because parliament was blocking greg's it. for two thirds of the law voting for it. >> that is not true, is it? a month ago, she told her official spokesman to rule out an early general election and that is what is true -- that wasn't true either, was it? she is a woman of her word -- it is a truth that we cannot believe a single word. i think we should ask the good to ask theresale may and the conservative party to deliver a stronger, there were global britain in the future. >> the debate started.

>> the question is that there parliamentaryarly general election. the election gives the british people the chance to change direction. >> what we have now is a blank check to allow the british people to put up with whatever she and did bristled bureaucrats brought together for the next two years. parliament can be very serious and lighthearted. it will keep the house entertained. philip lee is a doctor. he told the house yet extensive knowledge. speaker, intely mr. a medical context, pr art is not stand for public relations. this involves putting on rubber

gloves. crying jail and asking him to cough. if i may give my right to defend the prime minister -- if, in the future, he finds himself speaking as a medical professional, under no circumstances should he tell the audience that in his life before politics, he was into pr. he found the work very stimulating. it seems i delivered the speech very well today. be grateful we are not holding this debate on a weekend when i understand that doctors don't perform as well.

>> bring us to the look back at u.k.'s 56ars of the parliament. >> they will both return in mid-june. >> we will be back with the first of our roundup on june 19. goodbye. >> the british parliament is in recess until after the june 8 elections. some prime minister questions will not be seen. you can go to c-span.org and find video of past prime minister questions and other british public appearance

programs. force forthe central international studies previews the upcoming presidential trip to the middle east and europe. this will begin at a: 30 a.m. eastern on c-span two. monday night on the communicators, a look at small town and rural broadband which -- the rural broadband situation, they talk about the organizational desire for broadband expansion to become a greater priority within the trump administration. interviewed by communications daily senior editor david count. biggest priority right now? in congress or the fcc? sure thatwe make broadband is considered part of any infrastructure package that is considered very i look at it and i think superhighways of the future, it is that broadband.

all the initiatives that keep our country robust. it can really be drive-by broadband. >> watch the communicators, monday. >> following his meetings with president trump and secretary of state tillerson. he commented on the investigation of russia's role in the u.s. election and the firing of the fbi director james comey. this is about 25 minutes.