shame on ruth davidson. and shame on the conservatives.e colours of ruth davidson and the conservatives. ifjeremy corbyn was prime minister there would be no rape clause. there would be no more housing benefit cuts and there would be no more austerity. and i will proudly campaign for that over the next six weeks as she campaigns for independence. so for the government to pass judgment... the two—child tax policy applies right across the uk. the snp have made it a particularly hot political issue in scotland. this row could be a problem for the conservatives. they are hoping to attract the support of people who are not natural tories but who don't want scottish independence. that's why all the other parties have come together to highlight a tory policy that is not popular in scotland. ruth davidson has worked hard to detoxify the tories in scotland. successfully increasing their support. by attacking her on issues like benefit cuts, her opponents want to reverse the campaign to rebrand and reposition the scottish conservatives. sarah smith,

and to the tory leader in scotland, ruth davidson.s always put the union first, and that's what people know. that's why whether you're a tactical voter, and i'm not necessarily someone who expounds that, but if you're a principled voter, your vote, if you don't want the snp, if you don't want to encourage their tunnel vision to break up britain, is to vote for the scottish conservatives. what do you do if you're a labour voting brexiteer who likes this government's direction of travel? we're in greater manchester... and non—tory area as we are, we're not going to vote for those,

well, ruth davidson has clearly not been paying attention.en consistent over many, many years in our criticisms of the common fisheries policy. and very clear about our intentions to see it fundamentally reformed. our 2007 manifesto, continue to work for withdrawal of the cfp. 2011, the cfp, well past its sell by date. the 2014 white paper on independence, independence for scotland would allow us to take a leadership role in reforming the common fisheries policy. so the reality here is, the snp that always stands up for scottish fishing, and always will stand up for scottish fishing. but ruth davidson thought the snp was facing in several different directions. the snp, saying they are in favour ofjoining the european union, but the first minister not confirming whether the first —— snp will back that in their manifesto. they say they are in favour of the common fisheries policy, except for mps in fishing constituencies, who are against it. then we have the real whopper. in scotland, nicola sturgeon saying the coming election has nothing to do

tonight we talk to ruth davidson and nick clegg, here in the studio, and we ask whether party loyaltyr brexit will dictate how voters decide in june. join me now on bbc two. here, on bbc one, it's time for the news where you are. hello, welcome to sports day. coming up hello, welcome to sports day. coming up on the programme tonight, sam warburton will lead a lions squad that will try and topple the mighty all blacks. he is one of 41 players picked for the new zealand tour this summer. picked for the new zealand tour this summer. juventus prevent another barcelona comeback to reach the champions league semifinals where they arejoined by champions league semifinals where they are joined by monaco. and trump is dumped out at the crucible. the pretournament favourite loses to eight 1000—1 shot in the first round of the world snooker championship. -- 281000-1shot. well, long. the british and irish lions squad for the tour to new zealand has been selected. sam warburton will lead them this summer, warburton will lead them this summer, as warburton will lead them this summer, as both he and

ruth davidson refuses to do so, that is aptly shameful. !ntroduced by a tory government at westminster with a tiny majority. if that is what a tory government can do with a tiny majority, let's what we can do with that a unfettered, out—of—control tory government can do with a bigger majority. if people in scotland want protection against a tory government. if people in scotla nd wa nt a tory government. if people in scotland want an effective, strong opposition to a tory government. they won't get it from unelectable labour, they won't get it from the lib dems. who still say they support a tory government, they will only get it from the snp and scotland's needs protection from the tories. residing officer in the weeks ahead, these benches will set our vision for britain's future. we will stand up for britain's future. we will stand up for scotland to stay in the united kingdom. we will say no to a second referendum so scotland can get on with building better schools and public services. but what about the snp's plan. the first minister's fi

ruth davidson, thank you for your time this afternoon. early general election, more than 500 voting in favour, just 13 against, theresa may saint a conservative victory would give britain stability during and after brexit. the other issue has been whether the prime minister would ta ke whether the prime minister would take part in any tv debates. more on all of that coming up next. simon mccoy will have the latest from westminster. today at five. mps vote overwhelming in support of a snap general election on june 8th. the ayes to the right 522. the noes to the left 13. the prime minister said a conservative victory would give britain stability during and after brexit. people will have a real choice at this election — they will have a choice between a conservative government that has shown we can build a stronger economy and a labour party whose economic policy would bankrupt this country. her decision not to take part in any tv debates during the campaign is criticised by opponents including labour leaderjeremy corbyn. mr speaker, if she'

i'll give ruth davidson the chance to do today what she has shamefully so far refused to do. here today and tell this chamber, tell scotland straight, do you support the rape clause in principle or do you, like me, think it is utterly abhorrent? answer the question. i'll answer the question the same way i answered it in the press this morning. if the first minister doesn't like the two child tax policy she can change it. but the truth is... the truth is this first minister is always happier, always happier, complaining about the uk government than she is about doing anything herself. and the fact is that the way the snp is readying itself to pour negativity on this country at this election is shameful. and she might not like it, she might not like it, but scotland is part of this united kingdom. and if the first minister really wants to set out her stall at this election isn't a practical vision of how she is governing scotland the very least that we should all expect? given the way that education and the economy are going, is she just banking on the fact that scots just won'

theresa may and scottish conservative leader ruth davidson came here to address an invited audience ofe tories target snp—held territory in the hope of weakening the nationalist campaign for another vote on scottish independence. if the snp win the election in scotland, what right would you have to block a second referendum on independence once the terms of brexit are clear? right now we should be working together, not pulling apart and that's why i say every vote for me and my team in this election will be a vote for strengthening our hand in the brexit negotiations. that will strengthen our hand to get the best possible deal. in nearby banchory, four leaflets were posted but no—one answered the prime minister's knock. for years, the tories have been toxic in scotland and like labour and the liberal democrats, they still have only one mp, but they're confident they can make gains in scotland at this election at the expense of the snp. you cannae trust the tories. in glasgow, the snp first minister knows it'll be hard to hold all 56 scottish seats won by her partyjust two years ago, bu

ruth davidson, the leader of the scottish conservatives, also highlighting that they will use this aspendence. i was speaking to ruth davidson just a few moments ago and she was fed —— said she was hopeful her party would win a clutch of seats here in scotland. the other parties here in scotland are also relishing the opportunity for a general election fight. later, the lib dems and the greens all hoping to eat into that impresses the 56 seats that the snp won out of 59 at the last general election. but nicola sturgeon calling this one of the most extraordinary political u—turns in recent political history. arguing that this, in her opinion, would give scott is a further chance to reject what she called the narrow divisive policies of the conservatives. 0f divisive policies of the conservatives. of course, the conservatives. of course, the conservatives would disagree with that and hope to increase the number of mps in scotland. that is the situation here, what about in northern ireland ? 0ur ireland correspondent, chris page, is in belfast. this has been called in the midst of northe

their leader, ruth davidson, but her part saying that nicola sturgeon‘s best intervention in this electionsition to become prime minister. that of course dipping a nod towards the comments yesterday from nicola sturgeon that she would be prepared to support an alliance. nicola sturgeon‘s responds today was that the polls suggest there was no chance of jeremy corbyn the polls suggest there was no chance ofjeremy corbyn getting into number ten. kezia dugdale, the labour leader, said that it within the snp's interests for the conservatives to stay where they are. nicola sturgeon has been due to set out how her proposals, have plans to hold a second independence referendum over the coming weeks, that triggered by brexit, it is not sure how that will continue now a snap election has been called. you can keep up to date with all of that on the bbc news page. theresa may has invited the president of the european commission jean—claude juncker, and his chief brexit negotiator michel barnier, to a meeting in london next week. it follows a meeting earlier today with the president of the european par

you'll also get to see how popular ruth davidson is north of the border.ts. that is the big ambition of theresa may. another reason why the snp is becoming more important is labour do not have that hold on scotland anymore. you're only going to get into power ever if you team up with the snp. they have a line they have been trotting out about the coalition of chaos between the lib dems and the snp and labour. that is difficult for labour to bat away. looking at the numbers, there is every chance, they hurt labour in 2015 and the tories are trying to do it again this time around. very quickly in the last minute, let's think about ukip. we have more mps now. they seem to have gone down the tubes. what is the point? in the polls they are collapsing. look at the tory voters who went to ukip, they all go back to the tories. theresa may is do what ukip wanted. she is pulling a of europe and bringing back grammar schools. douglas carswell said, myjob is done. a lot of ukip voters will feel the same. vote conservative and you get out

the conservatives are the main opposition here at holyrood, their leader ruth davidson, for her part, in this election has been to put mr corbyn in pole position to become prime minister. that, of course, nodding towards comments yesterday from nicola sturgeon that she would be prepared to support a progressive alliance. nicola sturgeon's response today was that polls suggest there was no chance of mr corbyn getting into numberten. chance of mr corbyn getting into number ten. labourfortheir part, and kezia dugdale, their leader, and kezia dugdale, their leader in scotland, claimed it suited the snp for the tories to stay in power because the snp have only cared about, she suggested, the issue of having another referendum. willie rennie, the leader of the liberal democrats, went in hard over the issue of europe and accused the snp of going soft on that issue. nicola sturgeon has been due to set out how their proposals to hold a second independence referendum for the coming weeks, triggered by the issue of europe, it's not clear whether that will now happen now a snap election has been

the argument, very similar to the argument made by ruth davidson in scotland, is not that the liberalwer or government, but thatjeremy corbyn is weak and he is to weaken labour are too weak to oppose the tories, that is why he is calling on people to vote on the liberal democrats in this election. so tim farron making it clear that he sees this election is about brexit in the eu? that's right, which chimes with theresa may. she says she has called this election because she wants to get a mandate for brexit. the liberal democrats' argument is she is heading for a high brexit, so they say every liberal democrats mp will be one that will fight for different brexit. they believe there should be a second referendum on that final deal. his announcement today was about the membership. he said the lib dems of over 100,000 members in the party, getting close to the record number of members, and many are here in london in the capital. there are seats in the south—west of london and elsewhere which they think they can take from the conservatives. but privately, they are trying not to up expectat

the conservative leader, ruth davidson, has yet to formally respond.ly general election in scotland. you mentioned the scottish labour leader, kezia dugdale, he says the party is ready and has been preparing for a general election. she says that labour in scotland. the process of selecting candidates this afternoon. in terms of a countdown, peter murrell, the chief executive of the snp the husband of the first minister nicola sturgeon, has tweeted saying the polls open in 50 days and hours. thank you very much. we're right backin thank you very much. we're right back in it, to make years after the last general election, headed for another one. so what do you think? if you want to get in touch on twitter, @bbcjoannag. anders says, it makes sense to me. the lib dem search is less, and labour are weakened. another viewer says, the conservatives want to rid parliament of opposition. anna says, completely unnecessary, we voted to make years ago and theresa may was part of that. sick of voting and a waste of time and money. aidan fletcher says, we can possib

and to the tory leader in scotland, ruth davidson. scottish conservatives always put the union first, and that's what people know. that's why whether you're a tactical voter, and i'm not necessarily someone who expounds that, but if you're a principled voter, your vote, if you don't want the snp, if you don't want to encourage their tunnel vision to break up britain, is to vote for the scottish conservatives. what do you do if you're a labour voting brexiteer who likes this government's direction of travel? we're in greater manchester... and non—tory area as we are, we're not going to vote for those, but who else have we got in front of us? and how do lib dems claw back the south west that went so heavily for brexit? hello, good evening. just two years ago this month, david cameron's conservative manifesto was promising a brighter, more secure future. an irony presumably not lost on the former pm politically or personally. but now it's theresa may's turn. what will she chose to promise the nation? brexit determined her reign, brexit h