Transcripts For CSPAN British House Of Commons Debates General Election Motion 20240714

In order. We now come to the motion. To move the motion, i call on the Prime Minister. The house of commons has theed a bill devised by leader of the opposition who i. Ee is not in his place as he is characteristically evasive, it is a veiled attempt to end the negotiations, a bill that demands an extension at least until next year and perhaps for many more years to come. The bill insists britain acquiesced to the demands of brussels and hands control to our partners. It is a bill designed to overturn the biggest democratic vote in our history, the 2016 referendum. It is therefore a bill without precedent in the history of this house. Seeking as it does to force the Prime Minister with a predrafted letter to surrender in international negotiations. This, mr. Se to do speaker, and it is clear that there is therefore only one way forward for the country the house has voted repeatedly to leave the eu, and yet, it has also voted repeatedly to delay actually leaving. It has voted for negotiations, and today, i am afraid it has voted to stop, to scuttle any serious negotiations. [indiscernible] Prime Minister johnson what this bill means is the parliament or the right honorable general gentlemen of the opposition who is still not in his place he refuses to give battle or at least to argument as a sign of how he intends to pursue things in the weeks ahead. The right honorable gentleman the right honorable gentleman im glad he has now favored the house with his presence, mr. Speaker, but the right honorable gentlemans bill, amongst its other functions, is to take away to right of this country decide how long it must remain in the eu and handed that power to the eu, and im afraid it is time that is what it does. That is what it does. Im afraid it is time for this country to decide if that is right. The country must now decide if the leader of the opposition or i go to those negotiations in brussels on the 17th of october two sort this out. So that everybody will know that if the right honorable gentleman were to go there, he would beg for an extension. He would accept whatever brussels demands, and we would then have years more dinner dither and delay, yet more argument over brexit, and no resolution to the uncertainty that currently bedevils this country and our economy, and everyone knows everyone knows by contrast that if i am Prime Minister, i will go to brussels and i will try to get a deal the only way that i know i can get a deal. If they will not do a deal, i think it would be eminently sensible for them to do so, and as i say, i believe that they will. Then under any circumstances, this country will leave the eu on october 31. Mr. Speaker, it is completely impossible for government to function if the house of commons refuses to pass anything that the government proposes, and in my view and the view of this government, there must now be an election on tuesday, the 15th of the righthat i invite honorable gentleman to respond asdecide which of us goes Prime Minister to that crucial council on thursday, the 17th of october. I think it is very sad for the mp to have voted like this. I think it is a great dereliction of their democratic duty, mr. Speaker, what if i am still Prime Minister after the 15th of october, we will leave on the 31st of october. The leader of the opposition now has a question to answer. Foras demanded an election two years while blocking brexit. He said only two days ago that he would support an election, and not having passed a bill t destroys he now going to say that the public will not be allowed in election . I dont want in election. The public does not want on election, the country does not want an election, but the house has no other options than letting the public decide who they want as Prime Minister, and i will commend this motion. The question is, shall there be an early parliamentary general election . Thank you, mr. Speaker. Haveis the second time i replied to a conservative Prime Minister seeking to dissolve parliament to call an election because they did not have a deliberate double brexit policy. However, i am not commending the woman by comparing her to a successor. She at least made detailed speeches setting out her brexit policy, even if we fundamentally disagreed with them. This Prime Minister claims he has a strategy, but cannot tell us what it is. The bigger problem for him is that he has not told the eu what he needs, either. In Prime Ministers questions time today, he was unable to say whether he has even made any proposals whatsoever to the e. U. And it is basically a policy cloaked in mystery, like the emperors new clothes. There is absolutely nothing there. And the naked truth is the reality is deeply unpalatable. A disaster is no deal brexit would take us into the arms of a trade deal with donald trump, would put America First in britain a distant second. The Prime Minister knows there is no mandate for no deal, no majority support in the country, and no majority for it in this house. The coconvene her of the leave Campaign Said in march this year, we did not vote to leave without a deal. Of the leaveers cleargn were absolutely that the referendum confirmed no mandate for no deal. Deal [shouting] mr. Corbyn no deal is opposed by every industry group, trade union, and by this house. Want anpeaker, we election [cheers] you obviously did not hear what you just said. That about to point out the office of the election today is like the apple of snow white and the wicked between. What he is offering is the poison of a no deal. I repeat what you said last night, let this bill passed, then we will back in election so we do not crouch down with a no deal exit from the European Union. And so, it is the antidemocratic instinct of this government that causes concern, despite the express wishes of the house. Peers, theirive colleagues have tabled 92 amendments. I really doubt this is motivated by a desire to improve legislation, not a bit of it, but to filibuster it. Undemocratic compelling on downing street along with the nondemocratic electorate to override the democratic will of this house expressed in the bill that we have just given a third reading to. If they cant win the argument, they tried to shut down debate. We have the Prime Minister deciding to provoke parliament in august, and today he wants to dissolve parliament to shut down scrutiny. He cannothandle handle the debate in his own party and expelled 21 of his own in ps who voted against him last night. The hypocrisy of this process is phenomenal. From a Prime Minister who twice voted against the Prime Minister the last Prime Ministers brexit plan. They general election is not an excuse for the Prime Minister to avoid his obligations or dodge scrutiny. He is committed to renegotiating where is the plan and where are the proposals . Ithe has a brexit plan, be no deal or the new mystery proposal deal that we did to see any information of, then he should put it before the public in a public vote, a referendum or a general election and seek mandate forward. Asked forime minister an extension so he can ck mandate for his unknown brexit plan and voted before the people. The truth, mr. Speaker, is this motion for the Prime Minister is about laying a disingenuous game that is unworthy of his office. I look forward to the day that his country and party and all the mystery heaped on this country are turned out of office and we prevent leaving we prevent this country crushing out on the 31st of october with all the damage. Will do the damage it to peoples lives and the job prospects in this country. It is a cynical movement from a cynical Prime Minister. Cheers] thank you for encouraging me, mr. Speaker. Found these that i exchanges quite predictable. They have been wellversed before they took place. I think the Prime Minister has tremendous skill in keeping his straight face while he is being so disingenuous. [laughter] [cheers] the fact is, he is now desperate to have an election in order to bring this houses proceedings to anand dan to have the general election clearly before october and toeedings to an end have the general election clearly before october 31. Is being blocked by wicked continental politicians, politicians who have no sense of the True National interest, which is to keep him in power. It is wrong to say that the opposition is trying to reverse the referendum. A very large percentage of those who have been defeating him in the last two days are prepared to vote for brexit. They voted for brexit more often than he has. He caused delay in march and he caused delay in april. We now have a bill which is the beginning of a pathway to actually give us more time for grownup, sensible changes. The idea that on the European Union they are refusing as a deal because they think are going to trap us in permanently is nonsense. They are desperate to get a deal. Of course they are desperate, but not so desperate that they are going to accept terms that will cause chaos in Northern Ireland and will shatter the normal rules which hold together the Single Market and the Customs Union upon which they are based. The Prime Minister has thrown down dramatic conditions which he must know make any sensible negotiations pointless unless he changes his direction. He is now Prime Minister. He is now a responsible politician [mps shouting] i urge you one last time to stop treating all of this as a game and to actually get a serious resolution of these impossible problems to look after the future goodwill of this country, giving us a proper, nodoubt different relationship with our partners on the continent, and in particular keeping our economic and trading relationships intact. They are essential for the future of our children and grandchildren. [cheering] thank you, mr. Speaker. Can i congratulate with all my heart the right honorable member who, i have to say, as he has done on many occasions, spoken with great sense . I have to say to the Prime Minister i will give you a piece of family advice. He might actually be able to give you some sensible advice. Mr. Speaker, were having this debate tonight quite simply because the Prime Minister has been defeated. Thats the reality. My question to the Prime Minister is this house is supposed to be solvent in his eyes. I accept the will of this house. I accept the bill the parliament has passed. I accept your duty as Prime Minister and go to the European Council on the 17th of october and negotiate the extension. Mr. Speaker, yet again this government has been defeated by a majority of the house of commons against a no deal brexit. The passage of the bill tonight to block no deal is a victory not just for democracy, but yes, for common sense. I pay tribute to the members of parliament across these benches who have worked tirelessly to build consensus from this legislation to pass and remove the catastrophe. Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister should not be talking about surrender. He should be congratulating members of parliament that have ourd up on all National Interests. Putting Prime Minister to accuse parliamentarians of surrender is simply it simply lacked dignity. Mr. Speaker, no parliament has. Nce again displayed its will the Prime Minister must show respect for democracy and agree to abide to the will of parliament on a bill blocking no deal. If you wish to intervene rather than shouting at me, i will [mps shouting] ive been listening to the honorable gentleman with great care. The one thing he doesnt say in all of this is the reason he has voted tonight for this bill is because he cant he and his party are adamantly opposed to ever delivering brexit. Will he now admit on his feet and that is his purpose and that is the purpose of this bill . My heavens, mr. Speaker, i that it is quite clear anyone who reads the bill knows what its about. It is about removing the cliff edge of the 31st of october, and yes, we have worked with colleagues right around this house with a spirit of consensus. But yes, of course i wish to stop brexit. I say this to the right honorable gentleman that we will work with everyone here, but i have a responsibility with my colleagues to stop this government dragging scotland out it [cheering] the message to the Prime Minister you respect democracy in scotland and will you respect that scotland has voted to remain . Mr. Speaker, it is the s ps top priority to avoid no deal. In now the devastation deal brexit would bring to scotland and across these islands. That is why we have been working hard for the past two years to avoid no deal. We have voted consistently against no deal. We have supported the process in march to avoid no deal. Now we are doing the same with this bill. Would he give way . I welcome the honorable members confirmation tonight the right honorable members confirmation tonight that he will, along with ourselves, the labour party, vote against the government, but if the government continues to pursue this reckless no deal policy, will he continue to work with us to block any attempt to take us off the cliff edge against no parliament . Because we have a responsibility to stop that disaster of no deal. I have been working with leaders of other parties to ensure that the bill passes tonight. We have come together to protect the lives of the people across the u and our livelihood is the absolute authority of this parliament. It is important, mr. Speaker, that we keep working together. Mr. Speaker, no one voted for a Nodeal Brexit. It wasnt on the ballot paper, and the Prime Minister needs to wake up to that reality. Perhaps you might have to start listening to the debate rather than chatting to the chancellor, if you dont mind. It is important that no brexit the democracy over the coming days. It wont work. The house of lords should not under any circumstances seek to damage or kill the protections in legislation. The Prime Minister should quit gameplaying stunts. The s p will not fall for them. The Scottish National party is ready for a national election. We are ready to break down the tory government and give scotland the chance to stop brexit. We signal our intent to work all across this house to stop a no deal brexit. [indiscernible] i also say to this house we will do our duty to protect all of us from a Nodeal Brexit. At the same time, this house should respect the sovereignty of the scottish people and their right to be able to determine our own future. I note that he noted last night the lack of enthusiasm from scottish conservatives. [laughter] [indiscernible] davidson cant stomach the Prime Minister, why should scotland . My honorable friend is quite right, and i look forward to snp challengers. We will take it to those constituents over the coming weeks and make sure those constituents have the opportunity for a front row seat. Mr. Speaker, much of this debate has been about democracy. It is about the abuse of power by a government seeking to shut down parliament. This house must respect the scottish parliament, and in particular, the mandate that Scottish Government has for a referendum on independence. [cheering] it is scotlands right to do this. Not the right of the Prime Minister or any other of westminster. To tell scotland that our votes do not matter, that we cannot determine when scotland votes. Mr. Speaker, an election is coming. I invite scotland to send a message to westminster is scotlands right to choose. It shows that the snp is set to win a majority of westminster seats in any election. Make no mistake, mr. Speaker. We relish an election. We want to stop brexit for good. We want to stop the tories, to stop this Prime Minister, and most importantly, we want to give the people their choice to decide their own future. However, mr. Speaker, we will not be party to the Prime Ministers game and allow the Prime Minister to use an election to force a Nodeal Brexit through the back door. Simply put, the snp cannot support this motion tonight because we do not support the Prime Minister. [indiscernible] his content for democracy and his governments broken promises to the people of scotland. We cannot trust that he will although this bill to pass and remove the cliff edge. To other opposition parties, tonight we will not give the Prime Minister the opportunity to bring in a no deal through the back door. But we cannot allow a government that has lost its majority, that thatnot command the house, has [indiscernible] to remain in office for one more day longer than is necessary. The Prime Minister is going to shut this parliament down so he can spend four weeks running the clock down. We could instead use that time to run him out of office. Once a no deal has been blocked, mps across this house on the opposition benches should come together to bring down the government. Not on the Prime Ministers terms, but on the right terms. Mr. Speaker, time is of the essence. In the next two days, in order to remove the cliff edge and to remove the shambolic, irresponsible, and confident tory government from office. I think i have an apology to make. That is to brenda from bristol. We need to ask ourselves, what can this parliament now achieve . Can it deliver the bold new agenda that a new Prime Minister wishes to place for this country . Would this Parliament Even approve a bold and ambitious queens speech to put onto statutes in the future . Would it approve a queen speech to put those 20,000 new police on the streets and to strengthen our criminal Justice System . The answer must be no, or it must at least be rather doubtful. There could be an issue of confidence if a queens speech is voted down. So this place is possibly only putting off a fateful day. Mr. Speaker, but we have seen this afternoon is more of the same. While the public simply shakes its head in dismay of what is going on in this place. Mr. Speaker, it is bizarre, isnt mr. Speaker, it is bizarre, isnt it . There are those in this house who will not countenance leaving the European Union without a deal. I will give way. Its very clear that the Prime Minister cant run a general election. Surely if he loses the vote tonight, the Prime Minister should simply follow his convictions and resign. Go. But no, he wont cut and run for the disaster thats coming. He likes the disaster, and he should know that. That intervention that he will be supporting tonight, people should make their decision as well. I will give way. Friend evernorable heard so many people sitting across from us crying out for a general election, the Prime Minister is now giving them that opportunity and they are running scared. They are running scared not just from the Prime Minister, not just from the next general election, but they are running scared from the people of this country who said they wanted to leave the European Union. And it is the people opposite denying them. Does he agree with me that the british people to have a chance to have an early general election that the conservative party will win that election . I thank my honorable friend for that powerful intervention. I could not agree with him more. To get back on track, there are those who will not countenance leaving without a deal. It is quite strange. They are the same people who go to their local market every week and they will walk away from that trade if the price isnt right or the quality isnt right. I ask the leader of the opposition, i have a rusty old heap of a car. It is yours for 15,000 pounds. Im sure he will take it without looking at it any further. But when this house was presented with a Withdrawal Agreement, by the previous administration, i obviously voted against it because i felt it was a lousy, rotten deal. I do not need to put those objections further tonight. But there are others, and i am looking at them, who voted against that deal because of pure party politics. Let me make progress. They claim they wanted a deal. As we know, that Withdrawal Agreement gave the perpetual homage to the eu that many of them now seem to crave. What is now clear is that this house would not agree a deal even if it were goldplated. This house no longer reflects the will of the people who gave that clear message to us to this parliament that we would respect that vote in 2016. They want us to get on with the job. They want us to leave on october 31. They have waited long enough. Mr. Speaker, this parliament serves no further purpose. It is time for a general election. It is time for that peoples vote that many are asking for. It is time to actually stop the critics who say that our Prime Minister is not properly elected. You can put that right by voting tonight for a general election. And i support that wholeheartedly. Thank you, mr. Speaker. And i want to say thank you to the mps in different parts of the house, particularly the honorable members and right honorable members who have worked so hard on the bills that we all passed tonight. It is that cross Party Working putting the Party Interest to one side and putting the National Interest first is what the country expects us to do. And in particular, colleagues on the conservative benches have stuck to their principles and done what they think is right, and should be commended for that. And i have to say, i think the way that they have treated has been shameful. Here, here. Im intrigued that as a result of the house of commons, saying very clearly that we will not come crashing out of the e. U. With no deal, the Prime Ministers response is that it somehow messes up his plan. No, it doesnt. Swinson it is as if it is news to him that the house of commons does not want a no deal exit. Was he not paying attention on the previous occasions that we voted to say there should not be a nodeal exit . Is he seriously saying that the extent of his plan was to try and bully the e. U. And that he could only get a good deal by threatening that we would leave without a deal . Because if that is the extent of his plan, it is not very well thought through. Could you confirm if there was a general election, the liberal democrats will be putting in their manifesto, a pledge to revoke article 50 . Of no surprise to the honorable lady, the liberal democrats have been Crystal Clear on stopping brexit. And for all of our different views on different sides of the house about that, i do not think anyone can accuse us of not being straightforward about where we stand. In terms of the negotiation, the Prime Minister says the terms of the negotiation, the prime will minister says he cant do prepare minister says he cant do this negotiation because we are taking no deal off the table, but we know they are not serious negotiations anyway. I think it is disingenuous and accurate. The Prime Minister has wanted the job that he has for so long, it has been almost painful to watch. He has been prepared to say anything and do anything to get that job. And he said, he has said we will get a great deal. Well, now he has the job. That is the job. Go and get a great deal. But he knows that he will just say whatever came into his head. He knows he cannot get a deal because there is no such thing as a great brexit deal, and he is scared of being found out. I think, i think, mr. Speaker i am going to say what i have to say. The way i think this is best resolved is by putting this issue to the people. A peoples vote, and to decide on the brexit way forward, because i do not believe there is a majority in this country for any specific type of brexit deal. I am not even convinced of the majority in the conservative party for any type of brexit deal. But we can have a general election. [cheers] ms. Swinson and i say to the Prime Minister, such an election should be held in a responsible, calm, orderly way, not with the threat of crashing out with no deal either during the campaign or in the immediate aftermath. Expand article 50 for the purposes of having a general election and bring it on. If he is not prepared to do that, do not be surprised when people are not fooled by his tactics and vote against him. Mr. Speaker, there is one purpose in denying this motion tonight, and that is to ensure the british people have no say whatever over what takes place at the European Council of the 17th of october, isnt it . Here, here thank you very much, mr. Speaker. I think it is very important that in this debate, we are all very reminded of the language we use. And it has been concerning that honorable and right honorable members opposite, including our Prime Minister, has chosen to use the word frightened of those of us who believe the last thing the country needs is a general election. Given everything that happened in the last few years, there are a number of people in this way for whom they could not be accused of being frightened. In fact, it has taken a lot of courage for some people. And if honorable members opposite are familiar with courage, they might want to call to some of those honorable members who they just booted out , decent, long serving, hugely loyal members of the conservative party who, last night and again today, chose to put their constituents and their country first. And the price they have paid is to see the end of their parliamentary career. The house is right, mr. Speaker, to commend each and every one of them for the courage that they took. Mr. Speaker, i have no doubt whatsoever that it is not just the people of broxton, but the people of this country who are thoroughly fed up. That is why ive got the very firm view that the matter of brexit must be brought to a conclusion. There are people in this place who will know in the many cross Party Conversations we have had and i am proud that we have ,orked together across parties putting aside our normal difference in the countrys interest but my view is any extension should not go on until january, maybe february of next year. There is a profound need that we must bring this to a conclusion. That is one of the reasons why way, one moment. I dont believe a general election is the answer at all because it will not solve the brexit crisis. The second part of the bill she just approved actually handed power to the e. U. To dictate whatever extension they wanted. I am so sorry to tell the honorable lady that she has been reading something completely different. It absolutely does not. This bill has been carefully drafted and properly shown to make sure this is in the interest of our country that we take no deal off the table, because that is the best thing for this country. It is about stopping no deal. Does she agree with me that a no deal brexit is no way out of this brexit conundrum . It will follow years and years of difficulties. It is dishonest and not right to say that a no deal brexit will solve the brexit issue. The honorable lady is right. Not only is she right about no deal, she is also right that the Prime Ministers agreement would not have ended the debates about brexit. It was a blindfolded brexit that did not determine our future trading relationship with the European Union. Mr. Speaker, my views on this are wellknown. I believe the only way out is to have now a peaceful vote. But that bill to the british people, and lets get this matter over. I believe the british people have also changed their minds. I think they are now seeing brexit for what it is. I think given the opportunity, they would vote for the best deal, and that is the current deal we have the with the European Union we have with the European Union. We must go back to the british people by way of a peoples vote. Only briefly, because i know we want to get through this, but in response to this, the reality about this tonight is this is a general election. We have had speeches from a number of people on the opposite benches that have had nothing do with the general election or recycling the debate we had earlier. The truth is there is a simple question in front of the opposition parties. Only two days ago, they were crying out for an election. The shadow chancellor said bring it on. We are ready for you. The leader of the opposition, when he was not having his afternoon nap and awake enough to meet the media, said he wanted to have an election. The Scottish Nationalists were adamant they were going to vote for an election. Wait a minute. The honorable gentleman has made a fool of himself already. He should stay put. Im doing him a favor. [laughter] i really am doing him a favor and he may not understand that. The reality right now, mr. Speaker, in this debate, the question therefore is if they dont vote for an election tonight, if they refuse to vote to have that election, then they are running away from what is their democratic responsibility. I say to those, like the honorable lady, my onetime honorable friend, he really does not want to do himself any disfavor anymore. I say to the honorable lady that was up earlier, she talked about a peoples vote. The problem with a peoples vote, if she wants to put it to a referendum as the new leader of the liberal party said, she would never accept the result if wait a minute, if they said they wanted to leave. They would not accept the result. Wait a minute. Let me finish. This is important. Here is the fault line. Without a different parliament, a new referendum will change absolutely nothing if it votes to leave again, because we will come back to this parliament, and all that will happen is they will stop, delay, and try and defeat that motion. The decision tonight is the only decision that can be made in all reality, which is if you want to decide whether the british people were right to vote leave or wrong, put it to them in a general election and let them now make the decision. I see the gentleman opposite shaking his head simply because only days ago, he and his colleague on the front the right honorable gentleman said something about me which is simply not accurate. I asked if i could intervene. He did not allow me, which i accepted his absolute right. I think the records will recall i have always said, the matter goes back to the british people. They voted for the former prime the formeral Prime Ministers deal or some magical unicorn deal. As far as im concerned, that is the end of it. Got to bring it to a conclusion. I say to my honorable friend, if she wants a peoples vote, the peoples vote is in front of us tonight in this debate. It is called a general election. I have never seen a moment when an Opposition Party does not want to take over. This is a bizarre affair when they are running away from actually trying to defeat the government. Lets have that election. No, no. Let us have the election. Let us make that decision. If the right honorable gentleman who leads the labour party right now genuinely believes in democracy, put up or shut up. Mr. Speaker, i very much wish to talk about a general election as the right honorable gentleman before me criticized us for not doing so. I want to, i suppose, speak really plainly and say that tonight, i will vote against a general election. Just like i would vote against pretty much anything the Prime Minister puts in front of me. Because i have i am going to warn, mr. Speaker, that im not cracking on the Old Parliament ary protocols or anything. I fear i may say things that are unparliamentary. Please feel free to alert me to them. I have absolutely no faith in anything that the current Prime Minister says, literally none. I would not trust him. There is literally no distance that i could trust him. I have absolutely no fear. I would hold my seat in election, absolutely none whatsoever. However, the Prime Minister does not the Prime Minister that we have at the moment is playing some bully boy game that probably wont understand any more than i understand parliamentary procedures, and i am absolutely would the honorable gentleman like to make an intervention . Order. Order. Order. The honorable lady said she does not understand parliamentary procedure, but the honorable gentleman has been years. House for 14 if he wishes to contribute, he should catch my eye. He should not disregard the procedures of the house. The reality is is what we have here is a game where we are not being told what the rules are. The Prime Minister could bring a deal to this house. He could tell us what his plans are for Northern Ireland, what his plans are for trade i will give way in one moment. Yesterday i watched conservative colleagues begging him to tell them, begging him yeah. Sure, i regret that. I saw colleagues begging him to say, give us a deal to vote for. The Prime Minister has said, i dont want an election, i dont want an election. This is some game three men in parliament, number 10 downing street have come up with, to try to game the system. The people, my democratic responsibility is to try and do the absolute best for the people in my constituency. At the moment, it is not all that clear. We are all a little confused. I will not use them in a game for the Prime Minister to achieve the ambition that he has only ever had for himself and never for this country. I am not going to use my constituents as collateral damage. I will give way. It is clear one of the things people watching this should be aware of is that we all know and here that they want to cut and run elections. The election they dont want is the 21st of november. That is the election we will take the vote on. I absolutely agree, and i will not personally vote for any election that falls before the 31st of october. I thank my honorable friend for giving way. I also will not be voting for a general election today. I do not want in any way for no deal in this country because it will not only harm my constituents, it will harm the 22,000 e. U. Nationals who are living in my constituency. We have in this country the home secretary saying that the freedom of movement will end at midnight on the 31st of october, which means i could not agree with my honorable lady more. There are thousands of e. U. Migrants in my constituency. And lots of them have absolutely no idea what the situation will be for them. I have to represent those people as much as i represent the people who would be allowed to vote in a general election or in a referendum. Thank you to the honorable lady for giving way. Isnt it true that many of her colleagues do not want a general election because they are of theed as we leader of the opposition becoming Prime Minister . Make no bones about the fact that i am not able to be completely critical when i think things are wrong both in my party and your sorry, the governing party. It is just a shame that quite a lot of people in front of me who know what happened over the last two days are wrong are too cowardly to say things in here, in public what they are all saying in the tea rooms. You know what has happened over here. It is as if we were kicking out harriet harman. That is what it feels like. It is an abomination the way your party has behaved. You give sympathy to me about the problems we have in the labour party, and you just sat by silently while your colleagues have been mocked. Giving way, very well. Yes, indeed. I thank the honorable lady for giving way. The point she made about the fact that the party on that side has treated its very loyal members of parliament, whatever else is said, i think it is unheard of in parliamentary history that those who voted against the party will have it suspended. Those are bully boy tactics. I am going to round out my comments. I agree entirely. I am going to speak for brenda in bristol, although there are plenty of brendas in birmingham. I will speak to brenda in bristol, and the reason i dont think we should have a general election and the reason i wont because i think, actually, we should not go on conference recess. We should not be prolonging parliament. We are currently in a national crisis. This is not a game. This is not some toy that we can play with. The British Public thinks we should i am not going to give way anymore. I apologize. I have given way plenty of times. The British Public, if you were to go out into the street and ask them, they think we should be in here doing our jobs. They think we are away in here too often anyway. Im appalled by the regulation, and let call it shutting down the parliament because i hate the word prorogation and the people outside probably dont understand what we are talking about half the time. The shutting down of parliament has essentially killed the bill that i have worked on for 2. 5 years, something that people in this house have deeply held feelings on. Im meant to believe the prime because is giving this he has a vision for the people in the country. He has a vision that comes to him every night, and it is his own face. I will vote against an election until the end of october, until this is sorted, because the British Public want me here working for them, and that is what i will do. Nigel evans. Mr. Evans no doubt her constituents do want her working here and representing her, and she talked about this being a national crisis, and it is a national crisis, but it is a crisis of trust. It is a crisis of trust in politicians. It is a crisis of trust in democracy as well. It was this house that decided to give the British Public the referendum in 2016. I know the expectation was the British Public would not vote to leave the European Union. But when they listened to all the arguments, they decided they wished to leave. Following that, we had a general election. The labour party and the conservative party both stood on similar platform on brexit, and that was that we were going to deliver the brexit people voted for. I remember the ballot paper. It said, do you want to remain or or leave the European Union . It was a basic, binary question. The fact is that 17. 4 Million People in this country decided they wished to leave the European Union, and the margin was about 1. 4 million. The expectation because of that pamphlet that David Cameron issued, got got sent to all of the households in the united kingdom, and on the back of it, it said, we will deliver what the british people have voted for. That was in 2016. Today we are september 2019. We shouldve left march 29. But we did not. And then we should have left on february 12, but we didnt. The thenPrime Minister said i cannot contemplate a date beyond june 30 of us leaving, and we didnt. Now it is october 31. We just have given a third reading to a bill that would extend that by another three months. Unless, of course, the European Union decided they wanted greater than three months, because that is something we will have to accept. Yes, i will give way. I mean, he can have his beliefs, but he cannot have his own facts. The bill that we passed tonight does absolutely nothing unless the Prime Minister fails to come back from the European Council with a deal. And if he comes back with a deal, we then vote on it on the 19th. If the house votes for the deal, we leave the European Union with the deal. If that deal does not pass this house, then this house has to vote on no deal. And if the house doesnt agree with no deal, that is when we go for the extension. Those are the facts of what we have done. It does nothing to the negotiations of the Prime Minister. That is a complete fallacy. What is happening here is that this government is being run by nigel farage, and that is what is going on here. The fact is what this house did today, quite clearly, was to weaken the negotiating position of the Prime Minister. And we all know that the European Union listen carefully, and in fact they have a direct line from mps in this parliament. They have daily contact with them sometimes right over there. We know what they are saying. They are saying, dont give in to the british Prime Minister because we can resist brexit. I am not sure that is going to happen. We know the british Prime Minister is already in discussion with people like Angela Merkel and various others within the European Union to ensure the problems that existed in the old deal are removed. But by the bill passed tonight, it gives the European Union no incentive whatsoever to come to the negotiating table and to have a proper negotiation. I have just come to at least the honest party as well as the Scottish Nationalists all saying they do not wish to leave the European Union. In fact, when we had that referendum and the people voted to leave, i wondered which parts of liberal democrat is actually democrat. They clearly are not interested in what the british people voted for in 2016. Second vote, but what we are offering tonight is a general election, and that can be a second vote. People will look at the policies of the labour party and of my party under its current leader, and they will decide who of the two Prime Ministers or the leader of the opposition will go to brussels and then have that negotiation on october 17. Part of the problem, mr. Speaker, and we all know it, is that during the 2016 referendum, three quarters of this chamber voted to remain in the European Union. They do not to leave the European Union. And they will do everything they possibly can to frustrate us from leaving the European Union. Yes, of course i will. I think you would be more accurate and kinder to put a full stop and a pause before saying those who voted one way have been voting the same way during the debate on leaving the European Union. I voted three times to leave the European Union. I wish the same thing could be said about some of those zealots on my side. The fact is we now have a Prime Minister who believes in the mission, who wants to negotiate honestly with the European Union, and be able to deliver the brexit people really voted for, which is to leave the Customs Union, leave the Single Market, not pay vast sums of money to European Union as we currently do, to control our own immigration and not to be discipled by the european courts, and certainly not to have a backstop that keeps us in the European Union without our permission of ever having to leave. As i said, three quarters of this parliament voted to remain in the European Union. And the last majority of those still do not wish us to leave. The fact is this. The british people have voted to leave the European Union. If this parliament decides that we are not going to leave the European Union, the british people ought to have the opportunity to change its parliament, and they can do that tonight. Caroline lucas. Thank you, mr. Speaker. This attempt to dissolve parliament is a desperate and ugly, cynical move. I am delighted that tonight it has been made very clear by all of the opposition parties that we are not falling for it. The Prime Minister can own his own horrendous mess. He is trying to smuggle out the no deal brexit during an election campaign. That is what makes it so vital. No election happens before the extension of article 50, before it is agreed and implemented. I noticed the Prime Minister himself stuck it off. He cant be bothered to listen to the debate on something as important as a general election. There are numerous reasons why many of us want to get rid of this cruel and callous government. And believe me, i am one of those who absolutely wants to do that. This is a government which has not only not doing anywhere near enough to tackle the climate crisis, they are exacerbating it with fracking, fossil fuel subsidies, and so on. It is also a government that has the arrogance to claim that the socalled bumps in the road, the no deal brexit will be bumps in the road. How dare they . They might be bumps in the road to some who have the luxury to be insulated from the impact of that disastrous Nodeal Brexit, but for most of our constituents, a Nodeal Brexit felt real disaster and it is not bumps in the road. The mere fact that they could use that phrase shows how out of touch they are with their own constituents. A general election on the Prime Ministers terms right now is a trap. It will not resolve the brexit crisis. Elections are very rarely on one issue alone and first up is a notoriously bad at reflecting the true views of the public in the seats that are won. If we must break the brexit deadlocks in parliament, then the people must lead the way. The Prime Minister has to have a commitment to the will of the people. Why is he not prepared to listen to what the people want now, specifically if brexit goes back to them in a second referendum peoples vote . That is how we resolve brexit, not by dodging and obfuscating. One more important point, which is about how people of our country have been let down by successive governments. The status quo is intolerable. For huge numbers of people in our country. Government structures are derelict. The social contract is broken, the power game is rigged. For 17. 4 Million People who gave the establishment such a welldeserved kicking in 2016, who are right and reasonable to be furious. Because we need a powerful commitment now, not even to try and go back to the way things were before 2016. But that means taxing democratic failure as well as economic failure. It means redistributing power as well as wealth. If the government was genuine about being on the side of the people, they would be honest enough to own the complete chaos they have managed to create. They would put country before party and back a citizens conviction revitalize our democracy and explore proposals like a written constitution, a fair Voting System so peoples views are heard. Have a democracy that puts people they would also finally provide a categorical assurance that they will respect this house and the democracy we do have and not seek to avoid it in any way and not try to avoid implementing the bill that we have just voted on tonight. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I think honorable and right honorable member respects the passion and bravery of the honorable lady in the pavilion. From brighton pavilion. Lets recognize the irony that she is calling for a revitalization of democracy at the same time she is voting against renewing the representative mandate of this house. I would just invite this house to consider i am going to be very brief. I will just invite this house and the irony extends to those crying for a peoples vote who will now vote against the people having a vote about the future of this house. The British Public have watched this house of commons decline into an almost Zombie Parliament. A parliament is incapable of deciding anything. And a parliament which still which is still dominated by remain thinking and remain attitudes even though the british people clearly voted to leave in the referendum. Yesterday, mr. Speaker, i spoke about the problem of us having created a conflicting representative and direct mandate. The legitimacy of this house, it was unquestionably as a house of representatives, but we qualified that as we introduced the concept of referendums into our constitution. The representative mandate is unalterably qualified by the fact that we have had a referendum and said we would implement the result of that referendum, and this house has failed to do so. The question we have to ask ourselves is how is this going to be resolved . It is not going to resolve by continuing to put off decisions. And yet the bill, which so many of the remain supporting members of this house are so pleased with, does no more than invite the European Union to put off the decisions. What is going to be gained by putting off the decisions again . And what is going to be what kind of respect will this house gain by putting off the decisions at the same time as avoiding the accountability of the general election and what would give to our electors and make us accountable for what we are responsible for . I give way to the honorable lady. The opposition benches are looking at a government that has lost its majority, cannot get its business through, but is offering the chance of a general election which would be about more than just brexit. There are other things that matter to my constituents. And that they would still want to renew a mandate and give a government a mandate on those things and that with a government without the ability to deliver, needs to have a general election. I would have thought anybody opposite would have said that. I share agreement with much of what my honorable friend says. But then, i return to this question, how are you going to be resolved . How is it going to be resolved . Supposing the opposition is successful and the bill goes through and the Prime Ministers obliged to seek and accept an extension, and we get an extension to say the 31st of january or whatever date the european decides, i will not give way. What will happen after that . There is a definition of madness which is to repeat the same thing again and again and again and expect a different outcome. The longer this goes on, the more members of parliament in this house will fear holding a general election because out there, the faith in the established Political Parties i am not giving way. The voters faith in the establishment parties is not being improved by what is going on. It is being undermined. The last thing i wanted was the whole of british politics to be realigned around the question of brexit, but that is what will happen the longer we put off this decision. I want like so many of my colleagues in this house to move on to the questions beyond brexit. But that requires us to respect the decision that has been taken. It requires respecting the fact there is a government in office to negotiate as it sees fit. Or it requires those who do not have confidence to put down a notion of confidence and resolve that question. This brings me again, mr. Speaker, to the fixture in parliaments act. The resolution we are debating this evening arises from this act. This has turned out to be a recipe for this paralysis. This paralysis would never have arisen but for the fixed Terms Parliament act. I big your pardon, i hear the honorable gentleman from the northeast of england. I forget his constituency. North durham. It,g, you voted for accusing me. I certainly did not vote for it. And i remember, and i put on record in this house, i remember walking through the lobby with remarkably few people against the second reading of that vote. That bill. I said dont worry, this house will rue the day that it passed this piece of legislation. And we should now be ruing the day. Because that piece of legislation has put this house in the position where it can endlessly wound a government that can avoid killing it. And we now have if the leader of the opposition has so much contempt for the way this government is conducting its affairs and this government no longer has a majority, why dont they put down a motion of confidence . It is because there is fear in this house about facing the consequences of a general election because of the way this house has conducted the whole brexit affair for the last three years. And when i ask how is this going to be resolved, i can tell you this. Putting it off again and again is not going to make the political outcome of the eventual general election any easier for a great many colleagues in this house. And my right honorable friend the Prime Minister in his style is showing leadership and courage at last. He is trying to resolve this issue. Leave and remain were the words on the ballot paper. There was not any reference to a deal or no deal. There was no reference to a deal or no deal. But the Prime Minister of the day made it quite clear that we would leave the European Union. And this house has conspired again and again to delay that happening. Happening. People in their constituencies, people particularly in remain voting constituencies, should ask themselves what mandate that have for putting off this decision again and again. And it is democracy in this it is democracy in our country that is paying the price. It is the rise of far more extremist parties that will be the result, that will be the result if this house carries on putting off the decision. Thank you mr. Speaker. I am relatively new to this place, but when i was elected a member of parliament, one of the few things i had to get used to was being addressed as honorable lady and when addressed by male colleagues as honorable gentleman. It seems really strange and arcane, but recently i have been considering what it means to be honorable. It is indeed appropriate to consider what makes a person truly honorable. It is a pity the Prime Minister is not in his place. With the Prime Minister be able to confirm the people of this country consider the governments recent behavior to be honorable . It is clear many people outside westminster think not. Furthermore i have been reflecting on my years as a teacher and considering how hard i worked, as do all teaching professionals, to instill the right values throughout school, such as respect, honesty and integrity. I will make progress. Integrity, i used to explain to younger children, was doing the right thing even when someone isnt watching. We are watching the Prime Minister. I fear there is an attempt to get away with no deal, no mandate and trying to gag parliament while we are watching. What are the horrors going on behind closed doors . Could the Prime Minister tell me, he believes his cabinet requires to run our country, that has the integrity required to run our country, especially when some are lying flat out along the front bench . I remember sometime back being invited to a meeting of one of the government ministers to discuss a local constituency matter. He said the chamber is just theater. And the real work goes on in meetings like this. That stayed with me, mr. Speaker, it really did. As i know, this place is not theater to me. And when i speak, it is from the heart. And i speak for my people in the valley. And those that are suffering under this government, cruel and callous. Yes, i want a general election so that we have a government which acts with both honor and integrity, and respect for business in this chamber. However, i want that election on the oppositions terms. And when there is no possible chance of a no deal brexit. The history books will show that this current government acted with no integrity, made us the laughingstock of the world. Our country deserves far better. John baron. Speaker, i stand briefly to raise one simple point. And it is an Inconvenient Truth for many in this chamber. And that is the overwhelming majority of members here tonight voted to trigger article 50. What article 50 said is that we would leave the e. U. By the 29th of march with or without a deal. And yet, we have now seen to seen two extensions to that deadline. And to many outside this place, it is evident proof that there are too many mps in this place who will clasp onto any straw that is passing in order to delay and frustrate the e. U. Referendum result. And that is wrong. It is very wrong indeed. Not only does it make for a lack of trust, but actually it is reinforcing a skepticism in our politics, mr. Speaker, which is not healthy at all. And we have had straws i will finish this point. We have had straws such as the people need another vote, or we need to support this ridiculous motion which quite literally anybody who was negotiating will understand, if you signal to the other side of the table you are not prepared to walk away, it makes for a worse deal. That is a fact. But not to many members here who will clasp at any straw to try to try and at any straw to try and frustrate brexit. I will give you one other example, mr. Speaker, of how brexit is being frustrated in this place. Because there is a near hysteria about no deal. Despite the fact that actually, the u. K. , we trade with the majority of the worlds gdp, many countries outside, five of the e. U. s on top 10 trade partners trade on the basis of wto, no deal. And since project fear in 2015 2016 failed, what we have had since is record low unemployment. Record manufacturing output and record investment. And record and record investment. In fact last year we had more inward investment than france and germany put together. All with the full knowledge that we could be leaving on no deal on wto terms. Despite all that, we have had members in this place, we have had members in this place who too many remain mps who have clasped at the straws in order to frustrate brexit and disregard the e. U. Referendum result. That must now end. People have lost their patience with this place. The time has come to put action instead of words. I will give way to the honorable gentleman over there who stood first. Thank you, mr. Speaker. My simple point was this, i voted to trigger article 50. That then Prime Minister called a general election. This is about what kind of deal i would get. The Prime Minister lost that election effectively by losing. 0 odd seats actually that is not a very fair point for a simple reason. There was a labour manifesto in that general election. And the conservative manifesto promised to deliver brexit. And all we have seen since is utter delay and confusion caused largely by remain mps will not honor that referendum result. At the end of the day, at the end of oh go on, i will give way. The honorable gentleman keeps saying that this is a remain parliament with remain mps. He keeps throwing that around. The house of Commons Library confirmed that in excess of 575 mps in this house voted for brexit and leave. How does he say they are remain mps when they are voting to remain in the European Union . Leave the European Union . For the very simple reason, because the house has consistently voted not to honor the triggering of article 50. We kept kicking it into the long grass. When he voted and i voted to trigger article 50, it was a very simple short bill. It says we will leave by the 29th of march with or without a deal. You have had your chance, you have had your chance. With or without a deal. But what if what too many members have done in this place is continue to kick the can down the road, not once, not twice but now three times courtesy of this bill. Oer the bill proceeding on the or the bill proceeding on the business tonight. It is absolutely ridiculous. People are fed up with it. I think a lot of remain mps have to look themselves in the mirror and say actually, all i want to do, own up to the fact, stop brexit. The people out there have had enough. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I am absolutely desperate to have a general election. I want to see a government that actually holds the privatization of the National Health service. Which stops the wealth of this country from being squirreled away in tax havens in the caribbean. I want to see a government that cares about the people of this country and not just the very wealthy. But, but that is not why the Prime Minister is calling for a general election. The Prime Minister is calling for a general election so that we can have a labor government. The Prime Minister is calling for a general election so that when and if we were to vote for it, it would be in sole control of what happened in this country and there would be no parliament here to hold him to account when we leave with a no deal brexit. Now in my constituency of ipswich, more than 50 of the voters who voted in the referendum voted to leave. It wasnt very much more than 50 , but it was more than 50 . I would not vote for a straight vote to revoke article 50 because i think that would be wrong. After there has been a referendum, and people have voted, albeit by a narrow margin, to leave the European Union, i think it would be entirely wrong for this house to then simply go against those wishes. I want no, i am sorry, i am sorry. I want to see a viable deal that would not destroy the economy of this country being agreed by this parliament so that when we have a second vote, when we have a peoples vote for a second referendum or what you want to call it, which i think we have to have to bring the country back together again, i want a viable choice. I dont believe that a no deal brexit is a viable choice. I think the no deal brexit is a suicide note. And if anybody on the opposite benches thinks that as passengers in a speeding car, speeding towards a cliff edge, we are going to take the option of jumping out just before you reach the cliff edge, you have another thing coming. Yes, we will have a general election. You will not survive for very much longer because you dont have a majority. We are not going to have the general election while there is the danger of a no deal brexit. Thank you very much indeed, mr. Speaker. I want to say i find this a surreal debate in a Zombie Parliament. I tried pinching myself to make sure that i am awake. I was speaking to the member of harlow. One of my colleagues saying, please make it go away. All i can say for the people who organize a coup generally dont put that coup to the people in the form of a vote. We want a peoples vote. It is called a general election. The government is trying to get its agenda through. Because of the nature of this parliament, it has not succeeded. Therefore we need an election to ask the people what they are for rather than simply their representatives to endlessly vote what they are against. I want an election because i want a government that delivers franklybrexit and then gets on and governs. The Scottish Islands did this. I want something similar for the isle of wight. I will talk about it to the Prime Minister today. He is keen to give it to us. I wanted to cover the nhs. Extra 10 Million Pounds in revenue. I want it to cover local governments. I want to cover housing. We cant get that because for six months we have not had a domestic agenda because we have cally obsessednia with brexit. I dont know what the parties opposite want, mr. Speaker. Three times they have been offered a brexit deal. Three times they have refused. Tonight they are being offered a general election and tonight they are refusing. They cling to a Zombie Parliament for fear of what will happen when they go to the people. We need a new parliament, mr. Speaker, because we need a government with a mandate and a parliament that votes for something positive. From now on, a collection of Opposition Mps should be known , frankly, mr. Speaker, as a shamble, because we offer leadership. What they offer, god knows. Thank you, mr. Speaker. What the Prime Minister has put to us is clearly a poisoned chalice. He is like the schoolroom clown who thinks that he can offer something to us, dancing around, blabbering from the dispatch box, but we know who he is. He is a man that has been twice sacked for lying. He clearly is a person that we cannot trust. And we therefore order. Order. The honorable gentleman is referring to parts of a members career. I dont think he is making any allegation. I certainly hope he isnt. If you will let me finish. I hope he is not making allegations about the conduct of a member in this chamber. And he isnt. And therefore he is not out of order. He is not out of order. I know the rules. I know how to interpret. I dont need any guidance. I am very clear about that. What i say to the honorable gentleman is there is much to be said for moderation in the use of parliamentary language. As somebody who likes the honorable gentleman, i would urge him to be a little more courteous. I will correct myself and say he was allegedly sacked for lying twice. And the public it shall be an early parliamentary general election. Say aye . Aye to the contrary, no. No clear the lobby. From there, members of the house of commons voted behind closed doors. The vote was announced followed by reaction from the Prime Minister. Order. Order. The ayes to the right, 298. The nose to the left, 56. The left, 56. The ayes to the right, to 98. To the left, 56. The house will be aware that the motion house not obtained the majority required under the fixed Term Parliament act 2011. Well done. Yes. Indeed. Point of order. I know that the leader of the opposition once again in a slightly symbolic way 48 hours ago, he was meeting the chancellor to let the people vote. Now hes saying stop the election and stop the people from voting. There is only one solution. I think he has become the first leader of the opposition in the democratic history of our country to refuse the invitation to an election. I could only speculate as to the hesitation. D his is, imous conclusion afraid is, he does not think he will win. I urged his colleagues to he remains with the unsustainability of this position overnight and in the course of the next few days. Overseas this week, Vice President pence is expected to meet with Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a stop in london. At the white house on wednesday, President Trump was asked about relations with the Prime Minister and his handling of brexit while speaking to reporters in the oval office. The situation in london with Boris Johnson . Andoris is a friend of mine hes going at it, theres no question about it. I watched him this morning. He is in there fighting. He knows how to win. Boris knows how to win. Dont worry about him, hes going to be ok. Networke 1979, a small with an unusual name rolled out a big idea, let viewers make up their own minds. Cspan opened the doors to washington policymaking, bringing unfiltered congress and beyond. A lot has changed in 40 years, but today, that idea is more relevant than ever. On television and online, cspan the door to your government so you can make up your own mind. Brought to you by your cable and satellite provider. Announcer a look at live coverage for thursday. On cspan at 12 30 p. M. Eastern, a top u. S. Air force officer joins a panel of military contractors and scholars to talk about future technologies that could be used to monitor modernize the military. Later in the day, joint chiefs general James Dunford discusses u. S. Strategy. On cspan two on 8 30 a. M. 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Special representatives announced a reward of up to 50 million for information to help disrupt the Financial Operations of irans is long Islamic Revolutionary guard