Transcripts For BBCNEWS Victoria Derbyshire 20170419

Iamjust i am just feeling an overwhelming sense of trade, ill only 20 years old and i am tired of the process. Sense of trade, ill only 20 years old and i am tired of the processlj just old and i am tired of the process. just feel it is important to make a decision, lets see where we go from there and have some form of stability. I am really excited about the election, i look forward to any form of more democracy but i dont feel theres that much on the table with voting for so i will be demanding a lot more from politicians of they want to get my vote. What about you . Wherever you are in the uk, get in touch with us throughout the programme if youre tweeting use the Hashtag Victorialive it looks like theresa mays plans to hold a General Election onjune 8th will be voted for by mps today. The Prime Minister, whos repeatedly ruled out am early election, says she needs a fresh mandate, to strengthen her hand during Brexit Negotiations. This morning, were At Westminster, with an audience of around 20 voters hello, good morning, thank you very much for coming here and giving up yourtime, im sure much for coming here and giving up your time, im sure you have much more important things to do, so we are very grateful. And various politicians will be popping in throughout the programme plus Our Political Guru norman smith is here. We will talk to him in a second. Voters, who wants a General Election on 8th ofjune . Most of you. Do you think you are representative of the wider uk . Possibly not. I am serena, a journalist as well. I think there isa a journalist as well. I think there is a degree of voter fatigue. You wa nted is a degree of voter fatigue. You wanted an election. Ifill excited their escape to be one, in the period before she gave an announcement yesterday i was rooting for it, lets get out there, but the stamp on brexit or not if we want to, lets make our voices heard but ido to, lets make our voices heard but i do think generally people across the country who are not so interested in politics might be thinking, oh my god, here we go again. I think theresa may might suffer with a lower than expected turnout, actually. That interesting. Who else things there might bea interesting. Who else things there might be a lower than expected turnout, maybe because of Election Fatigue . I think less people will vote this time around because less people are feeling confident about the whole process. They dont know who to vote for. People are just not going to come and vote, rather than voting for someone they dont believe in dont understand. Do you wa nt believe in dont understand. Do you want a General Election or not . I personally do. I run a business, thatis personally do. I run a business, that is my dayjob and i know the leadership is important. See you dont want instability during a Election Campaign . Won i think it is a great idea to have an elected Prime Minister. If she is re elected what will she bring you . Won she will have a mandate and more firepower behind her to make her sta ble firepower behind her to make her stable brexit. She will have another journeys share new manifesto so i think it is a great opportunity for her to lay out her cards. What promises of David Camerons would you be ditching if you were theresa may . I dont know yet and i look forward to what she has to say. Who else is excited about the General Election . I am reese, an snp voter. A university student. I am excited in the sense that if theresa may gets re elected, then it shows if the yes and the re elected in high enough voters, does scotland want a referendum . In may 2015, the snp won 56 out of 59 suits seats. Can the snp better that . If it does, will it be opponents of Nicola Sturgeon . Snp better that . If it does, will it be opponents of Nicola Sturgeon7m my constituency it is poised that the conservatives might take that because of labours massive defeat, i think the conservatives and the Liberal Democrats will have a good chance of taking some snp seats. Right. What about the fact that theresa may changed her mind, does that bother anybody . theresa may changed her mind, does that bother anybody . I think it is pollock problematic because when a politician says they wont do something you wouldnt hope they would. It does show some kind of leadership. She is kind of monopolising the fact that other parties are not showing as much strength in leadership and it has kind of shaken up the status quo. Politics is daily life and you have to change your mind sometimes, it is something you have to do. Even last month, her spokesman saying there will be no quick election. You have to seize the opportunity. Bots of use. Why did she change her mind . Lots of different views. I have just chaired a meeting i havejust chaired a meeting of i have just chaired a meeting of the cabinet where we agreed that the government should call a General Election to be held on the 8th of june. Im not going to be calling a Snap Election. Ive been very clear that i think we need that period of time, that stability to be able to deal with the issues that the country is facing and to have that election in 2020. Since i became Prime Minister, i have said there should be no election until 2020, but now i have concluded that the only way to guarantee certainty and stability for the years ahead is to hold the selection. It is not so much the ironman lady as the The Iron Lady as the ioane lady. much the ironman lady as the The Iron Lady as the ioane lady. I have got a iron lady as the ioane lady. I have gota plan, she iron lady as the ioane lady. I have got a plan, she doesnt have a clue. We will not allow scotlands interests to be steam rollered. We will not allow scotlands interests to be steamrollered. At this moment of enormous national significance, there should be unity here in westminster, but instead there is division. We recognise the decision is to leave the European Union. If the people of this country think they are going to be cheated. Parliament alone is sovereign. We will reject any attempt to undo the referendum result. A choice is emerging here. But we dont trust the government. We do know that it is a dogs brexit. We want a red, white and blue brexit. The eyes to the right 331. There shall be a meaningful vote in scotland. They are in chaos, disarray. If we dont hold a General Election now, their political gameplaying will continue. General election, youre joking, gameplaying will continue. General election, yourejoking, not gameplaying will continue. General election, youre joking, not another one the gods sake, honestly, i cant stand this. There is too much politics going on at the moment. Let me bring inJonathan Ashworth, a member ofJeremy Corbyns top speaks for the labour party on health matters. Former would be Prime Minister and key leave campaigner michael gove. And you know norman smith, Our Political Guru. Mr gove, why is it in the interest of the country as opposed to the Conservative Party and conservative government to hold a General Election the summer . government to hold a General Election the summer . I think we need stability. So have a General Election . Are you joking . You are saying that with a straight face yes. Nicola sturgeon and the Liberal Democrats and the guys over there in the House Of Lords. They havent managed it so far. You have decent if not thumping majorities for the brexit bill in both the commons and lords in the end. Absolutely full stop so what is the problem . We have a new piece of legislation, the great repeal bill, which all of said they they are going to deliver thing to make difficult. 0ne they they are going to deliver thing to make difficult. One of the ways we can do that is by going to the people and saying, look, there are some individuals trying to sabotage the result of the referendum, trying to frustrate the Prime Minister, give her that mandate with a ma nifesto, give her that mandate with a manifesto, a commitment to press ahead with the change you voted for last year. How much has she been swayed . By the poll ratings . last year. How much has she been swayed . By the poll ratings . I do note. I havent spoken to her. I think the critical thing is mickey sure we have a stronger government. How much do you think she was swayed by this lead . Any politician will look at poll ratings, yes, that the critical decision theresa may is in the National Interest. I worked with her, indeed i ran against to be Prime Minister, and one of the things about the reason is that she ta kes things about the reason is that she takes time before she comes to a conclusion about about theresa may. She has decided, as she said relu cta ntly, may. She has decided, as she said reluctantly, is to have the General Election is the best thing to do so that she and her team can input about the country wanted. Voters like straight talkers, you know that, you know that, and they thought she was one when she repeatedly said there will be no early General Election. How will they trust her again . When the facts change, you change mine. What has changed . Nicola sturgeon has made it clear she is going to use the snp. And that was a surprise . It was the case that Nicola Sturgeon and the snp had said they would not need to be another Scottish Referendum for a generation, she clearly regards for yea rs generation, she clearly regards for years as a generation, she clearly regards for years as a the paw years as a generation. 0ne years as a the paw years as a generation. One of the things we will see that this General Election is the snp knocked back. But which fa cts is the snp knocked back. But which facts have changed . The decision by Nicola Sturgeon and the snp to say we wa nt Nicola Sturgeon and the snp to say we want a second referendum, the fa ct we want a second referendum, the fact they said that they would do Everything Possible to bring that forward earlier, the fact that the Liberal Democrats said they will fight Tooth And Nail and the conservatives do not have a majority in the House Of Lords. You knew that, that is not a fact that has changed. What has changed is the Liberal Democrats and others using every trick in the book to frustrate the democratic will of the people. They could easily have said look, we understand the referendum result, were not going to frustrate it. On the night of the referendum, Paddy Ashdown said when the british people have spoken you respect their will, thatis have spoken you respect their will, that is democracy. Now tim farron has decided no. Tim farron, a leader of nine mps. And 100 peers in the House Of Lords, one of the good things about it, funny place, is that if you have an Election Promise ina that if you have an Election Promise in a manifesto, the House Of Lords have to back down. At the moment they feel they can play merry hell with the brexit and the referendum. But in the end they voted for the brexit bill. They also made it clear that while they were going to accept that, the real battle would begin over the great repeal bill and other legislation. The fact that the House Of Commons, having voted so decisively for us to leave, the House Of Lords and others said we have got that out of the way, now we are going to fight a guerrilla campaign. That is a changed political dynamic and one to which the Prime Minister has responded anything in the right way. Ultimately the people will decide whether or not they think the Prime Minister is right, and i think when we see theresa may returned with an increased majority, with a strengthened hand and with the confidence of the country behind her, that means we can get on with the calm orderly and successful brexit for which people voted. Jonathan ashworth from the labour party, even if Prime Minister theresa may is seen as a Prime Minister who breaks promises, do you think she will win this General Election . I never ever take voters for granted. Michael is a good fellow, but Conservative Mps are going around saying it will be a great thumping majority for theresa may, it sounds a bit arrogant. Voters dont like to be taken for granted and voters dont like to be taken for granted and i have been involved in many elections campaign, both behind the scenes and as a candidate, and i never predict them, because this is a seven week campaign, anything can happen. Because this is a seven week campaign, anything can happenm Jeremy Corbyn the best person to lead britain . Yes, he is the Labour Party Government and i believe a Labour Government would be better forgotten. He would be better than to loser may . Yes, because he would bea to loser may . Yes, because he would be a labour Prime Minister, and we need a Labour Government to get the nhs off its knees, reversing the cuts that many primary schools are going to have imposed across them across the country. And get people working again where wages are stagnating. They led government will tackle these issues that is why i am a labour party mp, and a labour candidate in this election and i will be campaigning hard across the country for labour victories. If mrs may does win, and we are not predicting anything, i am saying if, canjeremy predicting anything, i am saying if, can Jeremy Corbyn predicting anything, i am saying if, canJeremy Corbyn stay on as Labour Leader . Politicians never answer these hypothetical questions. We are campaigning hard for every single vote, and i am not going to take for granted or pre empt the voters in any way. I am not asking you to. You saw the bar, if you are saying if the raise a wins. 0k, saw the bar, if you are saying if the raise a wins. Ok, if saw the bar, if you are saying if the raise a wins. 0k, ifJeremy Corbyn wins, will labour get behind him finally . We will have a Labour Government that will be a labour parliament. If mrs may wins, can Jeremy Corbyn stay on . My focus is working hard for a Labour Victory across the country. We will see where we are on Election Night but i dont think that will happen. I think the labour party will have a strong message, talking about the Free School Meals policy, talking about increasing carers allowance for many people who care for elderly people. Increasing the living wage to £10 an hour. We will be talking about these issues in the campaign. And you havent mentioned brexit. The number one issue for the uk population apparently . Actually the nhs is pretty high up. In the Observer Mori polling the nhs had ove rta ke n Observer Mori polling the nhs had overtaken brexit. But theresa mays campaign is all going to be about brexit, she doesnt get to decide what it will be about. What is labours Brexit Vision . We have got brexit. I campaign for remain. We are not frustrating, we voted for the relevant legislation. What is your Brexit Vision . We dont want a brexit deal that means a race to the bottom where peoples rights at work are dilutive, where approach to International Trade and attracting investment is to become a sort of Bargain Basement economy with low levels of Corporation Tax. That kind of approach to Corporation Tax i dont believe is in the interest of Public Service is. Where will theresa may pick up these new seats if she wants to increase the conservatives Working Majority . He is right, you should never take any he is right, you should never take a ny vote he is right, you should never take any vote for granted but it is the case that across the country you see many people who voted leave in the referendum, whatever their previous allegiance, who want a strong Prime Minister, and other people who do not regard themselves as this or that tribally who also want a strong leader and in a General Election where leadership will be important theresa may is well placed to attract support from a range of people who may have never voted conservative before. You want to put numbers on how increased the conservative majority will be . By jonathan, i dont have the capacity to see into the future. You expected to see into the future. You expected to go up . I hope it will and the potential is there and im convinced when people have the opportunity to compare theresa may with Jeremy Corbyn and reflect on who they would like to have in no 10 it is bound to be the case that more people will vote for theresa may. And you will have heard the theory that she wants to wina have heard the theory that she wants to win a bigger majority than David Cameron achieved in 2015 in may. In order to also strengthen her own hand with ha rd line order to also strengthen her own hand with hard line backbench brexit ear Conservative Mps, perhaps like yourself, and that would allow her to deliver a softer brexit. She has got the big calls on Brexit Risoul find my view is the Prime Minister is the person who is there at the negotiating table, who has the heavy responsibility ofjudging what is best in the National Interest and as far as best in the National Interest and as faras im best in the National Interest and as far as im concerned the bigger majority and stronger her hand the better. Im not going to second guess the Prime Minister on that because she won an election as Conservative Party leader on incrementing brexit and all of my conservative colleagues would say this, certainly those that voted for brexit, would say she has played a blinder so far. Come a little nearer because i want you to talk to the voters who are here from across the uk. We are grateful for your voters who are here from across the uk. We are gratefulfor your time. Michael gove, Jonathan Ashworth, tell them what you think of an election in six or seven weeks time. Introduce yourself. My name is harry, iam time. Introduce yourself. My name is harry, i am a student and a Liberal Democrat voter. I have to say, i think an election in six or seven weeks time is brilliant because it allows us to change the our country is going in. Listening to your interview, mr gove, iam is going in. Listening to your interview, mr gove, i am astounded that you say the Liberal Democrats are trying to wreck the will of the people. It was your campaign who campaigned for parliamentary sovereignty in the Eu Referendum and it was our amendment in the House Of Lords and our attempt in the House Of Commons to make sure the final vote on the deal for brexit is in parliament. That is something you campaign for. It is not breaking the will of the people to seek to guarantee the rights of eu citizens who work in our nhs, in our schools, and contribute to our society. It is not wrecking the will of the people to try and guarantee their rights during brexit and labour voted against that as well. Lam against that as well. I am richard and i want to take issue with what has been said. The lib dems are acting as if they did during the tuition fee debate, going into this election saying vote lib dem and we will overturn brexit. There is no way the lib dems are in any capacity to overturn for brexit. We dont have a lib dem representative at the moment, as you can see. We will talk to one of them later. Introduce yourself. My name is nick, i am a long standing Labour Supporter from surrey. We live in an elective democracy. What is your name . Nick. Do you think labour should vote for the selection in the commons . I was going to take issue with michael gove on this point. Do you want your party to vote for a General Election . Yes i do. Sorry, you are going to take issue with somebody i am in a position where i feel horribly betrayed by the political classes around brexit, not just here but nationally and internationally. And to say that this election has been cold for anything other than political expediency is clearly not honest and Thatis Expediency is clearly not honest and that is a betrayal on a level. I understand it and see the necessity to make the dance. But it feels like it is disingenuous. What would be wrong with theresa may being honest and saying, you know what, we have a Good Opportunity to increase our majority. Lets do it because it will help with Brexit Negotiations . She has been honest, ive worked with theresa may and disagree with her on some issues but she is a deeply moral and ethical person and will have come to this conclusion because she thought it was in the National Interest to ensure a strong government has the it requires, as a ma nifesto government has the it requires, as a manifesto endorsed by the public, to press ahead with her plans. Hello. You made an interesting comment earlier about democratic energy. That seems to me a bit of political speak from yes, minister. It is not about democratic energy, people are tired, it is more just an inconvenient truth, a fact of necessity. We are just fed up with the boundary is always changing, the goalposts always moving, wonder it is this and the next day it is that. I understand a week is a long time in politics. I understand that. I just find it is a bit disingenuous to present it as this amazing opportunity which everybody is really energised. We are tired but understand it needs to happen. Lets get it done and see what goes on from there. Can i pick up on your question about whether or not labour should be backing the move to cool a General Election . Dont you think it would be better for the labour party to continue to get itself together . The last few weeks have seen some decent Policy Announcements for the first time that i has a long term Labour Supporter can remember. It might give you time to get a different leader who does not poll so different leader who does not poll so terribly with the country as mr Corbyn Currently is. Isnt it your responsibility to be an effective opposition and oppose the government . Answer her question. I am answering the question. If we think this government is doing terrible things, running down the nhs and Cutting School budgets and the economy is not working, we have a responsibility to scrutinise the government and take our message to the country and trying to defeat them ina the country and trying to defeat them in a General Election. That his wife. You could do that in 2020 thatis wife. You could do that in 2020 that is why. The Prime Minister has asked parliament to pass the legislation to allow her to have a General Election. You dont have to agree with the Prime Minister. Given that we think this government is doing dreadful things to many of the communities that we represent we have a responsibility to try and get this conservative government out of power. Governments have done this in the past. Harold wilson was elected in 64 and went to the country in 1966. What i think is a problem here is theresa may, mike harold wilson, has said for the last six months she would not have a General Election and now changed her mind like harold wilson. It begs the question, can you trust theresa mays word . am an entrepreneurand can you trust theresa mays word . am an entrepreneur and one of the things about the business of disruption is it annoys a lot of people and also tends to clean things up. While it may feel painful for some people who would like to see the labour party, as you just mentioned, have time to get themselves together, ultimately sometimes pressure causes people to sort themselves out, tidy up their shop and clean up their house. Perhaps in actual fact this is an opportunity for the opposition to get together and recognise Jeremy Corbyn isnt the sort of leader most people would like and perhaps actually find it is a great thing that we will have a great opposition because i am not a Labour Supporter. It is your chance to dump him after the selection. Jeremy corbyn is the Leader Of The Labour Party and i wa nt Leader Of The Labour Party and i want a Labour Government, we have 500,000 members in the labour party who have been asked to form a judgment on Jeremy Corbyn who have been asked to form a judgment onJeremy Corbyn two years ina row judgment onJeremy Corbyn two years in a row and have said they want them to be candidate for Prime Minister. My message is for anyone watching, join as campaigning in communities across the country because we really need all of those 500 members knocking on doors and delivering leaflets and taking on what will be a well financed tory campaign. Can i ask generally when it comes to the manifestos of all the Political Parties in the next few weeks, when theresa may stands up few weeks, when theresa may stands up and makes promises about whatever it may be, reducing immigration to the tens of thousands, for example, will you believe her . the tens of thousands, for example, will you believe her . I wont believe any of the parties, to be honest. Is that fair . It is fair because to be honest there are lots of times when students have been screwed over, by the lib dems in particular, with the tuition fees, they said they wouldnt and they did. I know you can say politicians cant always predict the future and how things will turn out but that was a really big promise they made and they basically betrayed us on that. Specifically on this question because she has changed her mind on the General Election. The tory party and the labour party about so many things they say in their manifesto they say they will do and they will protect you but they dont. My parents are letting agents and you said you would protect them when they voted for you in 2015 and now you have put their livelihood at risk because you have not done what you said you would and changed your mind. My name is sarah and i am a teacher. Hello, sarah. The current government never said they would cut £3 billion from School Budgets when they came to power. I want to know what other party is going to do about education . We are facing irreparable damage, children are coming to school and sitting with their coats on to save money on the Heating Bills because schools dont have enough money. Headteachers are beside themselves and parents are beside themselves and parents are beside themselves. I do recognise him. Ithink beside themselves. I do recognise him. I think this will be a referendum on education and funding it properly and also on the nhs, it isa it properly and also on the nhs, it is a chance to save the nhs and save education. Would you like to respond . Absolutely and i do not underestimate for a moment how challenging it is in some particular schools and for some particular heads and teachers because money is tight and has been in the past but Public Services everywhere are facing that as a result of what happened with the financial crash in 2008 and the consequences. 0ne happened with the financial crash in 2008 and the consequences. One of the things i have argued for consistently is to make sure we concentrate Education Funding on the very poorest. With the help of the Liberal Democrats to be fair we introduced a Pupil Premium, £2. 5 billion additional cash to help the poorest children do well. One of the things about education is that, yes, there are going to be challenges in Funding Terms but it is also the case thanks to people like you that our Education System is better than ever before, there are more children in good and outstanding schools than ever before, 1. 8 million extra children in those good and outstanding schools as a result, not so much of the changes that ministers like me have made, but as a result of the fact we have the best generation of teachers ever in our schools. The truth is that teacher retention, the number of people who stay in the classroom, is the same as it has been over the course of the last ten years and we are Recruiting Loss of talented people. On the Pupil Premium you will know that certain heads are using the Pupil Premium to plug funding gaps because they are short of money. I absolutely get the fact that we do need to listen to those on the front line about the Funding Situation and justine greening, the education secretary, is thinking ha rd education secretary, is thinking hard about how to make sure we get the right deal. The one thing i would say about education is we have come on Leaps And Bounds over the course of the last ten years, particularly but not exclusively in london. There is more to do in some communities where the gap between rich and poor is too great. 0ne Communities where the gap between rich and poor is too great. One of the things all us can agree on is whether it was under labour or my colleague who is a Liberal Democrat, Orjustine Greening now, there has been consensus about some of the things needed to change in education and the good thing is we have good teachers making a difference. Your old friend David Cameron made various promises in the last ma nifesto. Various promises in the last manifesto. What are his promises from 2015 would you like to dump . dont think i would dump any of them. We need more detail on what we can do now we have left the European Union. Triple lock on the pensions . You wouldnt get rid of that . personally wouldnt but im not responsible for welfare policy. Personally i wouldnt but i am prepared to listen to any argument. What we should do is concentrate on policies to make sure we extend homeownership and House Building because we need more Social Housing for rent, we should do more to improve technical education, that has been one area, on my time as education secretary, we should have done more. We need to have a country that works for everyone meaning people who have been locked out of the academic opportunity and out of the academic opportunity and out of the Housing Market need to have those opportunities and that is what i have the manifesto will concentrate on. Final four from Jonathan Ashworth for the labour party . This election will be about the future of the nhs and primary schools, as the teacher outlined eloquently, and the feature of the economy, notjust brexit. Ok, and theresa may has said it is notjust going to be about brexit as well. We have had eloquently conservative spokespeople on the media such as michael saying it is all about brexit thank you, gentlemen, thank you for the voters participation. Cani you for the voters participation. Can i speak to norman over here. You are still attached to a microphone so dont wander off yet. Norman, what will happen in the commons today . Today we get the vote on whether there should be an election. There will be an election because labour have agreed to vote for it, the Liberal Democrats will vote for it and the snp will abstain. The brutal truth is that they dare not vote against it because if they did vote against it because if they did vote against it it would look like they are frightened, they didnt wa nt to they are frightened, they didnt want to give the electorate a choice and it would just seem incomprehensible when you have both labour and the Liberal Democrats passionately opposed to what theresa may is trying to do to turn up the prospect of a General Election. While there are plenty of labour mps looking over the cliff and thinking oh my god, they cannot run away from this. They know they have to go for the election and they will be an overwhelming vote to have thejune the 8th election. What kind of campaign do you think this will be . Im afraid i think it will be a Brexit Campaign. I think thats partly to do with the fact mrs may wa nted partly to do with the fact mrs may wanted to be a Brexit Campaign and partly because she wants to be the brexit candidate. But if we are honest brexit is bigger than everything, it is the biggest gargantuan generational decision any of us will take in our life and it shapes absolutely everything. The chips potentially how much money we have, what sort of society we are going to be, it is colossal. 0f course there are very important fundamental issues about the future of social care, the nhs, Public Services, massive, massive issues. But i just services, massive, massive issues. But ijust think services, massive, massive issues. But i just think they are sort of encompassed by the enormity of brexit and the timescale too. The fa ct brexit and the timescale too. The fact that we know we are going to leave in a couple of years time. That focuses everything massively. I think the real difficulty for the other parties is how they break out of the brexit stranglehold. How do they get a hearing for some of their policies which do seem popular. Some of the policies Jeremy Corbyn policies which do seem popular. Some of the policiesJeremy Corbyn has been articulating in recent weeks about Free School Meals, using vat from private schools etc. Those seem genuinely popular. Whether he will get a hearing for them or whether he will be crowded out by the enormity and noise of the Brexit Debate is the real dangerfor them, and noise of the Brexit Debate is the real danger for them, i and noise of the Brexit Debate is the real dangerfor them, i suspect. Thank you, norman, thank you for coming on the programme. What is the number one issue for you as a group of voters, hopefully vaguely representative of the uk, although far too many of you are excited about having a General Election in six weeks time for my liking. What is the main issue for you . Brexit. Brexit. The nhs. Brexit. Brexit. Tell me why you think brexit is the issue when we had a referendum on brexit last year when the majority said lets leave. s si s i think brexit can be slightly overdone, you get too involved in it, people might think what is the point of having it, getting worked up, do you understand what i mean . There are so much publicity about it and so much of the papers, people might get fed up with it after a while. Yeah, but it is your view. We will talk more after the news and sport coming up right now. What time is it . Just look at big ben, it is 25 to ten, which means we are slightly late for the news headlines. Brendan rogers Brendan Rogers brendan the Prime Minister has denied claims of political opportunism and insisted that its in the National Interest to hold a Snap Election injune. Mps are expected to approve the Prime Ministers plan when they vote this afternoon. Speaking this morning, mrs may said going to the country now rather than 2020 meant the government would be able to focus on Brexit Negotiations for the next couple of few years. When i became Prime Minister last july, ifelt the most important thing was stability for the country. Weve had the referendum which had come out for the resort in terms of voting to leave the eu which had not been expected. Obviously David Cameron had resigned, i had taken over as Prime Minister. Ifelt it was important to have a period of stability and to ensure that the british people could have confidence. So getting through that process of the early work of preparation for and then triggering article 50 was very clear. It became clear the extent to which the Opposition Parties in westminster we re Opposition Parties in westminster were intent on frustrating the brexit process. Brexit is notjust about wanting to leave, it is about getting the right deal for europe. When we have been told by the Liberal Democrats that they want to, the snp, the scottish nationalists, saying they would vote against us, legislating to leave the European Union, Ifelt Legislating to leave the European Union, i felt it was legislating to leave the European Union, ifelt it was important legislating to leave the European Union, i felt it was important that the country is united. You are blaming the opposition for your change of mind. You have changed my 0fcom you are now saying exactly the opposite and it is only a matter of weeks ago that you said in scotland now is not the time, you said. All of our energies should be focused on the European Union. Everything you just ascribe you knew when you said that. We are now going to be up to doi that. We are now going to be up to do i believe that this election is strengthen our position in terms of our negotiations with the European Union. Why . I think people have a unity of purpose. The public want us to deliver on leaving the European Union and then want us to build that stronger union, it gives us that opportunity for stability and certainty. Labour mps have been told they will be automatically re selected as candidates to fight the General Election in their current constituencies. Jeremy corbyn told a Meeting Of Labour Mps last night that he didnt under estimate the challenge ahead, but welcomed the chance to give british voters an alternative government. Prince william has revealed that the shock of his mothers death is still with him, 20 years after Princess Diana was killed. The duke of cambridge made the comments in a bbc documentary which follows a group of runners with Mental Health problems who are training to run the London Marathon the shock is the biggest thing. I still feel 20 years later, about my mother, i still have shock within me. 20 years later, people think shock cannot last that long but it does. You never get over it. Its such an unbelievably big moment in your life that it never leaves you, you just learn to deal with it. President trump has signed an Executive Order designed to curb abuses of a long standing Visa Programme which he says will encourage companies to Buy American And Hire american. Mr trump said widespread abuse of the Immigration System was allowing us workers to be replaced by people brought in from other countries to fill the same job for sometimes less Pgy The Former American President , george bush senior, is in hospital for the second time this year. His spokesman said he had a mild case of pneumonia but was in good spirits and was going to be fine. The 92 year old was treated in Hospital Injanuary for more than two weeks for the same illness. Police have named a man they want to speak to about a suspected acid attack in an east london nightclub. Arthur collins is wanted for questioning after a corrosive liquid was sprayed during an argument in the early hours of monday morning. 20 people were left injured. An asteroid as big as The Rock Of Gibraltar will hurtle past earth today. This is an image of 2014j0 25. Nasa say it will get uncomfortably close to earth, but it wont make any impact. Its the largest asteroid to come this near us since 2004 but itll still be about a million miles away. Thats a summary of the latest bbc news more at 10. 00. Heres some sport now with will. Le i ceste rs leicesters Incredible Champions Leaguejourney is over leicesters Incredible Champions League journey is over after their Quarterfinal Defeat against Atletico Madrid last night, trailing 1 0 from the first leg, sounding as head of the first leg, sounding as head of the spaniards in front. Jamie Vardy Saul Niguez headed the spaniard in front, jamie vardy equalised but they lose 2 1. Back to Business As Usualfor they lose 2 1. Back to Business As Usual for Craig Shakespeares site. Cristiano ronaldo scored a hat trick to ta ke Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick to take a Champions League tally to 100 goals as holders will madrid is past ten man Bayern Munich in extra time for them to reach the semifinals. Elsewhere, Warren Gatland names is British And Irish Lions squad at midday today. Englands captain Dylan Hartley set to miss out. Welshman Sam Warburton expected to be confirmed as captain with the Shock Inclusion said to be jamie roberts. Adam peaty booked his place at the 2017 World British Championship is with victory at the british championships in sheffield. He took the british 100 Metres Brushstroke Title Last Night and gave his medal away to a young fan in the crowd. Brushstroke. For a much looking forward to getting in touch. There was likely to bea getting in touch. There was likely to be a General Election on the 8th ofjune, we have the wait for a vote. According to Our Political Guru, norman smith, a majority will vote to have a General Election in a few weeks time. Damian green is here, the work and pensions secretary. You have known theresa may the years and years, why is she undermining her reputation as a woman of her word . She isnt, she said very openly that she changed her mind, she did not want to have an open early General Election but it became apparent that the negotiations for brexit required, it would make britains position stronger and would enable us to get a better deal if she had a new strong mandate to ensure that the british people had spoken and when we go into those negotiations with the other european countries, she has the strongest possible mandate to lead us into those. Why are you assuming you are going to win . to lead us into those. Why are you assuming you are going to win . I am not assuming. She would not be calling an election if she thought she was not going to win. We are confident, but everyone vote counts. Elections and referendums have thrown up some unexpected results of the past, so we will be fighting for every vote because every vote will give a Stronger Leadership after the election, which will be better for britain in those Brexit Negotiations. You have known her since university, i think. Is this the most spectacular u turn you have ever seen her mate . It is the biggest decision any Prime Minister can have to make. She has explained why she reluctantly changed her mind. But as you terms go, all the time you have known her, as is the biggest one . This is the biggest decision anyone could ever take. If you aspire to be Prime Minister, the biggest decision you can take is to hold a General Election. And she could have done that in 2020 as she said numerous times. It shows she is strong, she is capable of changing her mind when the facts change. That is what she has done. It shows that she is a leader who is prepared to ta ke she is a leader who is prepared to take difficult, tough and strong decisions in the interest of the country because it will clearly be good for britain to have a leader with a strong mandate. We have a small majority in the House Of Commons, we hope we have a bigger majority after the election and that will make us as a country stronger in those Brexit Negotiations. Who should people vote for in this General Election if they voted remain last year . They should vote conservative. I voted remain last year. Nobody campaigned harder than idid. The year. Nobody campaigned harder than i did. The patriotic duty now is to make sure that the british people are spoken, we are going to leave the European Union. What really matters now is that we get the best deal possible so we have the Close Partnership with the rest of europe from the outside that the Prime Minister has set out in her speeches. Thank you very much for yourtime, speeches. Thank you very much for your time, thank you per waiting, we are grateful for your patience, damian green, the work and pensions secretary. For those who voted remain, who speaks for you now . The Liberal Democrats. They are the only party, the only Major National party, the only Major National party, who is standing up for people who voted remain, who want to keep us in the Single Market, who want to guarantee the rights of eu citizens of this country. While 76 of labour mps of this country. While 76 of labour m ps voted of this country. While 76 of labour mps voted for a hard brexit, it is only the Liberal Democrats who are keeping that vision. No one is representing us, no one is doing us justice. I agree, representing us, no one is doing us justice. Iagree, there is clear blue water between the Liberal Democrats and labour and the tory party but no one is really representing us. It isjust in a myers of ambiguity around where we are, there is no real clarity the difference. We are leaving, so lets move on and choose people who can make is make good decisions. No political expedience got us here, it wont carry us out of there and that is what we are being represented by. Tory politician saying the same old line about strong leadership and she has changed her mind. That is political expedience that gave us brexit in the first place. It is an absolute shocker. A my as matter of ambiguity, i like it. In the middle of this miasma of ambiguity, i am going to introduce a more guests. Lining up very formally. It is not an id parade. Not guilty if you wouldnt mind introducing yourself to our voters. Tom brake, Liberal Democrat member of parliament, the Foreign Affairs spokesman and chief whip with the Liberal Democrats. Stephen kane, labourmp. Whip with the Liberal Democrats. Stephen kane, labour mp. Caroline lucas, co leader of the green party. Iain duncan Iain Duncan Smith. Iain duncan smith. Peter little, deputy leader of ukip. A slight technical issue, a lot of you, and one microphone. Please invade each others body space if you dont mind. For those who voted remain, tom brake, you are the Great White Hopein tom brake, you are the Great White Hope in this election. Is this the start of the lib dem comeback . I hope so, the Prime Minister chose to fight this on the ground the Liberal Democrats want to fight it on. She will pursue a higher brexit and we think that is the wrong approach and that is the key focus of this campaign. However, for us it will not be the exclusive focus because i think the second issue people are really worried about at the moment is the future of the National Health service and the underfunded, threats to hospitals and waiting times going up so its not just and waiting times going up so its notjust going to be about brexit. We keep using soft and hard brexit, what do you mean about hard brexit . Hard brexit would take us out of the Single Market, out of the Customs Union and puts at Risk Millions of jobs in britain but in the livelihoods of millions of people at risk. All right, kinnock, of labour, what is one of the reasons mrs may has been able to cool this election because of the weakness of your party . This is an exercise in opportunism. Nothing to do with their weakness of labour . Ran merrily because mrs may couldnt handle the factionalism in her party, she has 30 or 40 pro remain tory mps she didnt feel she could keep the discipline on and that is why once again we see a conservative leader putting party before country. We saw it with David Cameron who cold a referendum that he didnt want, took the European Union by accident, and a total failure of leadership again from the conservatives. We were told many times they would not be a Snap Election and now because she is Opportunity Stick she sees an Opportunity Stick she sees an opportunity to discipline her party she is opportunistic. In this turbulent time after the brexit referendum. Is steven connect right after dominic in that assessment . will not agree with stephen over that, the reality is it is right to hold this election now. It is about her own fortunes rather than the future of the country. Hang on, were just about to embark on a huge negotiation with the European Union and a huge bill going through domestically which will be incredibly complex. It is right for her to ask the country if this is the leadership you want. You made the leadership you want. You made the decision to lead dominic grieve, who do you want to take you through that Process Domestic Leander nationally . It would be theresa may, the Prime Minister, herjob, people are saying get on with it. Nothing much will happen in the next month and a half because france is having their election. Not now because we are having an election france is having their own election and they will be no discussions. Terrible language i apologise there is a lwa ys language i apologise there is always one, i do apologise. Why is it all right for theresa may to say in Nicola Sturgeon in scotland now is not the time for a second independence referendum but a p pa re ntly independence referendum but apparently it is the to have a General Election . We want to get through brexit and after brexit they can discuss whether scotland stays in the uk in a referendum. The reason was to concentrate on Brexit Negotiations. We will concentrate on Brexit Negotiations. This is the key. Hold on a second, let me have a chance to speak. The reality for theresa is she wasnt elected as Prime Minister. We have had a huge vote over brexit, the public decided to leave and it is right, with the accusations thrown at her by the liberals and labour and the lords said you did have a mandate to push this through, it is right to have an election to say if you want this leadership and what ive set out already as my plan and you vote for that then i will have a strong position when i negotiate with the European Union and a strong position here to tell the lords to get on with it. By the way this hard and soft brexit is total nonsense. We are ina soft brexit is total nonsense. We are in a negotiation with the European Union and they have made it clear to us we are not staying in the Single Market so we have to negotiate a new trade deal. The idea you can certainly say, i tell you what, we want to stay in the Single Market so we can, they dont want us to and have already said we werent so we are not going to do it so lets grow up on this one. so we are not going to do it so lets grow up on this one. I am hearing some disagreement, are you being immature on this, Iain Duncan Smith says grow up. Being immature on this, Iain Duncansmith says grow up. There was nothing about the Single Market, Customs Union and Environmental Protection in the manifesto. We are coming out of the eu but there is no clear destination which is the reason why it is right to have an election. Theresa may might be being opportunistic but the only way to fight against extreme form of brexit she is pursuing for which she doesnt have a mandate and also alternatives for the incredibly damaging social policies she is pursuing. We will have 5 million children facing poverty, and food parcels being given out and that is a shame and dstv right people want to have an alternative. It is right. Peter whittle, good to have an alternative. It is right. Peterwhittle, good morning. It is either about theresa may or Jeremy Corbyn, not paul nuttall of ukip. I would agree with what has been said, this has hugely been a cynical way of doing it. It is all about winning the tory party first and the interests of the tory party over the country. But having said that it over the country. But having said thatitis over the country. But having said that it is happening so we are excited to be giving people the chance to vote for us. Who would you prefer, theresa may orJeremy Corbyn . I dont play that game at all. It is not a game, it is either theresa may orJeremy Corbyn, so which one . You dont have a preference . You dont mind . Not given that preference, absolutely not. That is the realistic choice, its not about paul nuttall of ukip. What it is about as my party needs to put the agenda for Political Action as discussion in this country and it still is doing that and we are going to be doing that during this Election Campaign, talking not just about brexit and the fact that for example the tory government has said virtually nothing about its plans for migration, one of the biggest reasons people voted to leave the eu, we had even heard Migration Levels might go on at these levels for ten years. In other words there is no assurances on that forced up we will see what happens in the conservative manifesto, the promise to reduce migration down to the tens of thousands. Is this election about brexit or a second independence vote for scotland or ever issues, all of those . Good points have been made in the sense that the Eu Referendum was about David Cameron trying to get the tory awkward squad into shape and this General Election about theresa may trying to get the tory awkward squad into shape. Parliamentary scrutiny isa into shape. Parliamentary scrutiny is a good thing and people from different Political Parties can put in different good ideas. We are about to go through the biggest upheaval people will ever go through, it will impact the environment, rights and opportunities for young people and through that process you should have a strong sense of parliament to scrutiny and theresa may is terrified of that, she wont even debate with anybody, never mind give anybody that say in parliament. This is about a Tory Civil War rather than any sense of democratic process. The snp did so well in the General Election last time the mayfest lead back a bit you would expect opponents to say, support for a second independence vote is waning. You would be extraordinary to say winning 95 of the seats is the only way to win a General Election. Matas see how the tories get on with that. Wheeze provide strong opposition and a voice for Scotla Nd Strong Opposition and a voice for Scotland In Westminster and we have provided a strong voice for scotland and that is what we will campaign on. and that is what we will campaign on. We provide strong opposition and a voice for scotland. Thank you all for joining and a voice for scotland. Thank you all forjoining us. We had a representative from ukip, the snp, the greens, the conservatives, the lib dems and from labour. And what times it now . It is coming up to 9 55am so we will bring you the latest news and sport at 10am. We have a selection of voters here, thank you forjoining us this morning. We also have, do come in. What we call pundits. I hope you dont mind me describing is that. Anushka asthana, dont mind me describing is that. Anushka astha na, Political Editor of the guardian, jo anne nadler, political author and chief Political Correspondent at the brussels based European Affairs Weekly Newspaper politico. Why has she called the selection in your view . politico. Why has she called the selection in your view . I think two reasons, first of all there is hugely dumb are clearly a huge poll lead she can take advantage of and get the big majority. Why does she wa nt get the big majority. Why does she want that . She has a lot of legislation to get through, notjust the great repeal bill but a whole load of other pieces of legislation linked to brexit, and frankly she doesnt want to be in a position where she is struggling to get any of that through and where she has to play games both with the remainer is on her backbenchers but also with the hardline brexiteers. What do you think . She needs a majority. She has 17, isnt that enough . Not when you have 60 on the backbenches who are organised on a Whatsapp Group telling each other we need to keep her feet to the fire on brexit so she must keep them on side and on the other side she has the Pro Europeans who are small in number but can still cause damage, 510 of number but can still cause damage, 5 10 of those. Number but can still cause damage, 510 of those. What is your view . She needs political legitimacy and accountability and without a mandate from the public it is difficult for her to argue she has that. She is also conservative leader who wasnt voted for by the Conservative Party which is relatively unusual in modern times. I think shes doing the right thing here. Ok, in brussels, your newspaper, thats where you report from, is an increased majority if she gets it going to help her in the Brexit Negotiations . I dont think it will help her with the european partners, it will help domestic league. In brussels they are aware of that and quite happy about it because theresa may is seen as somebody they can deal with, they can work with her, they like her, she is seen as a hard negotiator but a grown up. They are more concerned about boris and eurosceptics on her right flank. Borisjohnson, the eurosceptics on her right flank. Boris johnson, the foreign secretary. What sort of campaign will it be . She made clear she wa nted will it be . She made clear she wanted it to be about leadership and that will be about contrast in herself to Jeremy Corbyn. They will do what they did in 2015 which was effective, they will say it will be a i party tory government or a coalition in whichJeremy Corbyn will be propped up by the snp. During the 2015 election that message was the single most powerful message was the single most powerful message on doorsteps. A lot of that, iam told, message on doorsteps. A lot of that, i am told, they dont want to get too personal about Jeremy Corbyn i am told, they dont want to get too personal aboutJeremy Corbyn but im sure they have it in their back pocket. If Lynton Crosby will be involved again, the arch tory strategist, he doesnt know he knows how to run a negative campaign. What kind of campaign do you think it will be . It will be dominated by brexit. Will it be down and dirty or will it be a clean fight . I think and dirty or will it be a clean fight . I think theresa may will hold herself above the fray and want to be talking about domestic issues as well is about brexit. She does have an agenda of her own and we heard a bit about that when she was first elected but it has somewhat disappeared with all the talk about brexit over the last ten months. She will want to keep it very much on the issues. Whether other People Choose to make it about personality it will be hard to resist that for some of them, i suspect. Is it going to bea some of them, i suspect. Is it going to be a bit ofa some of them, i suspect. Is it going to be a bit of a rerun of the Referendum Vote last year . There will be an element of that but like Anushka Asthana said it will be a 2015 rerun but probably on steroids, there is no way this is not getting down and dirty. They have a list of thingsJeremy Corbyn down and dirty. They have a list of things Jeremy Corbyn has said down and dirty. They have a list of thingsJeremy Corbyn has said over his 30 years in here from being friends with hamas to his support for getting rid of the nuclear deterrent. These will be trotted out endlessly over the next six weeks. They have employed so Lynton Crosby who was effective in 2015, less in the london mayoral contest. What difference will that make . Talking about being above the fray. I will pause you there because we are going to it out for our viewers on bbc two. That is where you will see the World Snooker championship in a moment. I apologise for cutting you off mid flow. If you want to carry on watching our programme, switch to the bbc news channel where coming up in the next half an hour we will hear much more from our audience of voters and from you, wherever you are in the country get in touch, if you are tweeting news victoria live. Cool start to the day, so this poster art, it has into friday the Weather Front starts to work into scotland, northern ireland, bringing outbreaks of rain, over the hills, introducing cold air. While you have sunny spells in the south, with that lighter winds and temperatures may be reaching 17 or 18. The cold front will work southwards into the weekend and temperatures will drop once again. More updates later on the bbc news channel but now back to victoria. Were At Westminster where mps are expected to vote this afternoon to back theresa mays call for a Snap General Election injune. Division in westminster will risk our ability to make a strong brexit and it will risk damage and instability to the country, so we need a General Election, and we need one now. With us this morning an audience of 20 or so voters whove told us exactly what they think of the Snap Election. Its just a bit disingenuous to present it as this amazing opportunity, which everyone is fully energised by. We are tired but we just understand it needs to happen. Lopes get it done and see what happens. Pressure causes people to sort themselves out, and tidy up their shop and clean out their house, so maybe this is an opportunity for the opposition to get themselves together. No one is representing us, it is a miasma of ambiguity around it, there is no real clarity around the difference. Over the next hour well look in particular at what the eleciton could mean for scotland and for labour and, as always, really keen to hear from you if youre tweeting use the Hashtag Victorialive we havent read any of your comments so far, but i promise we will when i have found my phone lets bring you the latest bbc news withjoanna. Morning. The Prime Minister has denied claims of political opportunism and insisted that its in the National Interest to hold a Snap Election injune. Mps are expected to approve the Prime Ministers plan when they vote this afternoon. Speaking this morning, mrs may said going to the country mrs may said going to the country now, rather than in 2020, meant the government would be able to focus on Brexit Negotiations for the next couple of few years. Every election is a risk. No politician wants to go into an election just for the sake of having an election. I have taken this decision because i genuinely believe it is in the National Interest. You described me earlier as someone who likes to roll up my sleeves and get on with the job. I do, but i also want to take the right decisions, and the right decisions for the uk in the long term. Labour mps have been told they will be automatically re selected as candidates to fight the General Election in their current constituencies. Jeremy corbyn told a Meeting Of Labour Mps last night that he didnt under estimate the challenge ahead, but welcomed the chance to give british voters an alternative government. Prince william has revealed that the shock of his mothers death is still with him, 20 years after Princess Diana was killed. The duke of cambridge made the comments in a bbc documentary which follows a group of runners with Mental Health problems who are training to run the London Marathon the shock is the biggest thing. I still feel 20 years later, about my mother, i still have shock within me. 20 years later, people think shock cannot last that long but it does. You never get over it. Its such an unbelievably big moment in your life that it never leaves you, you just learn to deal with it. President trump has signed an Executive Order designed to curb abuses of a long standing Visa Programme which he says will encourage companies to Buy American And Hire american. Mr trump said widespread abuse of the Immigration System was allowing us workers to be replaced by people brought in from other countries to fill the same job for sometimes less Pgy Police Have named a man they want to speak to about a suspected acid attack in an east london nightclub. Arthur collins is wanted for questioning after a corrosive liquid was sprayed during an argument in the early hours of monday morning. 20 people were left injured. An asteroid as big as The Rock Of Gibraltar will hurtle past earth today. This is an image of 2014j0 25. Nasa say it will get uncomfortably close to earth, but it wont make any impact. Its the largest asteroid to come this near us since 2004 but itll still be about a million miles away. Thats a summary of the latest bbc news more at 10. 00. Heres some sport now with will. Le i ceste rs leicesters manager Craig Shakespeare has challenged the club to reach the Champions League again after their Quarterfinal Defeat to Atletico Madrid last night. The premier League Champions were the last arriving english team in the competition. But it was an uphill task. Saul nigez headed the spanish side in front. Jamie vardy equalised for the premier League Champions it was the spanish side who progressed to the semifinals with a 21 progressed to the semifinals with a 2 1 aggregate win. Progressed to the semifinals with a 21 aggregate win. They are very disappointed in there but ultimately i have said to them they can be proud of what they have achieved. As a Football Club we can be proud of how we have conducted ourselves and how we have conducted ourselves and how we have gone about it. But they should want more of this because ultimately all players want to play at the highest level, and the Champions League is the highest level, but we have to get back to winning ways in the Premier League now. For Craig Shakespeare and le i ceste rs now. For Craig Shakespeare and leicesters players, it is back to Business As Usual after an amazing european journey that saw them beat Clu B European Journey that saw them beat club brugge, porto, Fc Copenhagen and sevilla. We tried our best. We needed to get three goals and indian runner could only get one but a big effort from the boys and was a good game. We score that one, i had a feeling that we were going to do it. Maybe a couple of chances after that going, and maybe a couple of chances after that going, and i feel like maybe a couple of chances after that going, and ifeel like we maybe a couple of chances after that going, and i feel like we would maybe a couple of chances after that going, and ifeel like we would have done it. We gave our alter that game. We have lost the game over two legs but the lads were terrific tonight and deserved more. We were disappointed to go out of the competition, it has been a great journey but it is over now and we have to focus on the league. Warren gatland names his British And Irish Lions squad at midday today for this summers tour of new zealand. Welshman Sam Warburton is set to be confirmed as lions captain for the second time with wales Centre Jamie Roberts expected to be a Shock Inclusion. England captain Dylan Hartley is set to miss out. Welshman Sam Warburton is set to be confirmed as lions captain for the second time with wales Centre Jamie Roberts expected to be a Shock Inclusion. Lets go back to victoria At Westminster. Poli good morning, hello, it is wednesday morning, we are At Westminster, it is bright and sunny and hot, in my winterjacket. Last timei and hot, in my winterjacket. Last time i was here on college green, we froze, so we thought we would wrap up froze, so we thought we would wrap up today. Obviously we are talking about a General Election, likely to be on the 8th ofjune. Today mps in the commons will vote on whether they want that General Election to ta ke they want that General Election to take place. According to Our Political Guru, norman smith, the majority will back the call of theresa may. If this election is to be a referendum on brexit in much of the uk, then in scotland it will be dominated by arguments over whether there should be another referendum on Scottish Independence. You will have heard what Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday. Snp leader Nicola Sturgeon claims theresa may has made a huge political miscalculation in calling a Snap Election but is she right, and what could this election mean for scotlands future . We can speak now to alistair carmichael, Liberal Democrat for 0rkney and shetland the lib dems lets speak to lorna gordon in edinburgh. It is interesting you say most mps are likely to back that vote today. Not the snp. The snp mps met last night to discuss their position and they are likely to abstain, we are told, in the vote today. Remember the snp are the dominant force in scottish politics, they have the rump of the seats with a won 56 seats in the last General Election, all but three of scotlands constituencies. Their big challenge this time around is to repeat that phenomenal success. You can see they are positioning already, the snp saying they are the party to stand up for scotland. Alex salmond, Theirformer Party to stand up for scotland. Alex salmond, their former leader, arguing this is all about opposing what he calls the hard right agenda of the conservatives. Yes, they will argue that a strong showing would reinforce their calls for a second independence referendum. That referendum also a topic of, session among the unionist parties. Theresa may in an article in the scotsman this morning explicitly dealing with what she sees as a challenge and saying this is a chance to stand up for the United Kingdom. Saying it would send a vote for the conservatives, a clear message of opposition to what she calls the sn peoples bank divisive plans for a second independence vote. It is a General Election, some domestic issues may be in play, maybe a bit about brexit as well but inevitably here in scotland it will all be about the independence issue, independent union, going forward. Thank you very much. Let me introduce you to various guests. We can speak now to alistair carmichael, Liberal Democrat for 0rkney and shetland the lib dems only mp in scotland who was scotland secretary in the Coalition Government. That seems an awfully long time ago now. A lot has happened. distinctly remember it fondly. Ian murray, labour mp for Edinburgh South labours only mp in scotland who was Shadow Scotland Secretary until last year. Hannah bardell snp mp for livingston, whos also the snps business spokesperson. And craig williams, conservative mp who sits on the Scottish Affairs committee. Mrs may says now is not the time for a second independence vote, because asa a second independence vote, because as a country we need to concentrate on the Brexit Negotiations, so why is at the time for a General Election . She set out very clearly yesterday about the need for strong leadership for the whole of britain. She doesnt need a General Election for that . Why not . I agree with the second in the vote, i agree that we had one, it was a once in a Generation Opportunity and that has been an awfully small generation. But a General Election is not a distraction . It will give theresa may that strong mandate. As a welsh mpi may that strong mandate. As a welsh mp i believe strongly in that union andi mp i believe strongly in that union and i think that will feature very strongly. Is that logical to you, as an snp mp . Absolutely not. We are having this imposed upon us, as we did with brexit. Scotland voted to remain overwhelmingly. We have also said this is not the time for a Scottish Independence referendum. We have said once been over details of brexit, when people can make a reasoned and sensible choice, which to be quite frank i cannot at the moment. Michael gove was on the programme earlier, you did not have any clear answers as to why the Prime Minister has changed her mind, it is blatant opportunism. She has seena weak it is blatant opportunism. She has seen a weak labour party, seen the polls, and decided now is the time to go for it. A third of scotlands nationalist voters backed leave. What is the snps Vision Brexit . We set our vision out very clearly. It was about scotland having access to the Single Market, having that membership, having a very strong voice in europe but still remaining in the uk and theresa may was unwilling to give that decent consideration. This is a party that had no plan going into brexit and it has no plan if there is no deal. She just seems to change her mind with the weather. How can she be trusted to lead this country . How can she be trusted . I think she will set out her stall, she will be trusted because she is going to the country to say to them, trust me, give us a verdict. She cannot be fairer than to go to the whole of the United Kingdom to say give me the mandate to deliver this. That is how she will be trusted. It is an incredible mood for a Prime Minister with a majority, although a small Working Majority, although a small Working Majority, to go to the country and you say it is time for that refresh mandate. Yes, you believe in my strong leadership for britain and come back with that trust. An incredible u turn. Come back with that trust. An incredible uturn. Yes, there is no way of doubt get, two weeks ago the Prime Minister was very clear that we we re Prime Minister was very clear that we were going to try and deliver the 2020, get brexit delivered, get that good dealfor britain 2020, get brexit delivered, get that good deal for britain and 2020, get brexit delivered, get that good dealfor britain and now 2020, get brexit delivered, get that good deal for britain and now she 2020, get brexit delivered, get that good dealfor britain and now she is very clearly come out, fronted it herself, and said i have gone walking in wales, brilliant that is, taken a sneaky look at the polls, why dont you just be honest about this anyone who knows where she was walking, snowdonia in wales, knows that she will not have been looking at her phone. She is Running Scared from the police. You cant be Running Scared and calling a General Election. From the investigation into 30 members of your parliament. The conservatives have always made it clear they will let the legal side of things take its due cause. Let me bring in ian murray and alistair carmichael. Labour in scotla nd alistair carmichael. Labour in scotland defending a Single Westminster seat, yours. Yes, but i think what youll have seen in the la st 24 think what youll have seen in the last 24 hours as you have a First Minister in scotland and a Prime Minister in scotland and a Prime Minister at minister in scotland and a Prime Ministerat uk minister in scotland and a Prime Minister at uk level whose First Priority is to put Party Politics above the country. That is all about their ideology of making sure they put the party first. What is your vision for brexit . To make sure we can have close accents. Hannah did not same bishop of the eu, she said membership close to the Single Market. We have a First Minister fighting for independence and a Prime Ministerfighting fighting for independence and a Prime Minister fighting to sort out her own party while rome burns. They should both be ashamed of themselves. We need the country to be sorted out in terms of brexit. It should be the number one primary to priority including the Prime Minister. She has gone for a General Election that she promised she was not doing. She was already working on it, she has lied to the british public. It is a piece of colossal opportunism on the part of theresa may. Only theresa may can answer if it was a lie, i may. Only theresa may can answer if it was a lie, lam may. Only theresa may can answer if it was a lie, i am saying it is opportunism. I dont think there is anything more that needs to be said about that. She was telling us for months this was the wrong thing to do, now it is notjust the right thing to do, it is absolutely essential. But this is all yesterdays story. What we need to be talking about now is the issues in this election. In scotland, yes, the determination of the snp to break up the uk and have a second referendum will be at the heart of the debate, lets not get that. Kid that. Hannah is right in saying it is important that we remain part of the Single Market that is the European Union but at the same time it is so important that we should come out of the Single Market that is the United Kingdom. 15 of scotlands exported goods go to the Single Market in the European Union. Over two thirds go to the Single Market that is the United Kingdom. 0k. Polling suggests, we take for the caveats about it, and perhaps this General Election is an opportunity for the pollsters to redeem their election a little, polling suggests a third of british people dont know who tim farron is. Do you want to tell audience . He is the new thing in british politics. The new thing . He is a remarkably fresh voice, somebody who has tremendous energy, genuinely committed liberal, and once he has the exposure that he will get as a leader ina the exposure that he will get as a leader in a general Election Campaign, you will find if you get the pollsters to ask that question again and it will be a very different story. I think tim will be a fantastic advocate for liberal values in this election. Lets talk to voters, in terms of the fact that this is an opportunity for Nicola Sturgeon to really ramp up, to make this General Election actually about a referendum on a second independence vote. Iama i am a strong believer in countries having the right to decide their own future but the snp is not scotland, they had a poll on this before and poll after poll shows the scottish people firstly would not vote for independence and dont actually want a second referendum at this point andi a second referendum at this point and i think its the wrong thing to be talking about at the moment, we need to get brexit sorted out and get a good dealfor the country need to get brexit sorted out and get a good deal for the country and then talk about that later down the line if you wanted. My name is rhys roberts and i am an snp voter and i am scottish and its 50 50. There is am scottish and its 50 50. There is a 5050 am scottish and its 50 50. There is a 50 50 split of do we want Scottish Independence or not . Do you want a second vote . I believe there should bea second vote . I believe there should be a second referendum but we need to have an understanding of what brexit is and where the snp go on from because there is no understanding and when you have the Scottish Secretary treating scotland like a principality rather than a country that is when you start belittling a nation and sort of saying you will go with what we say whereas scotland is a country, scotland democratically voted for the snp, britain may have democratically voted for brexit and we a cce pt democratically voted for brexit and we accept that but democratically scotland voted for the snp and the democratic vote of scotland should be listened to. Say that again, sorry. Scotland democratically voted no to independence and they wanted to remain in the uk. Di wu just ignore Election Results until they give us the result we want . Do you think a General Election hastens a second independence vote in scotland . I think we could see the snp losing some seats and that will prove it is not wanted. I think we will have to wait and see what happens. If you drop back from your 56 out of 59 seats which is what happened in may 2015, if you drop back from that your opponents will suggest, look, the evidence shows that support for independence or a second vote is waning. With respect i think, to the lady, and her point, it is misguided because we stood in 2016 in the scottish elections on a Manifesto Commitment which said, if there is a Material Change in circumstances and scotland is taken out of the European Union against its will, which it now is being then there is grounds for a second referendum. The Scottish Parliament has now voted by a majority to hold a second referendum. How many mandates do we need . We stood on a Manifesto Commitment in the General Election in 2015 to come to westminster and stand up for the people of scotland against the tory government and that is the Manifesto Commitment we will continue to pursue. This General Election will be about scotlands voice At Westminster and standing up against the tories which scotland has an voted for. To be clear about the question of mandates, hannah and her colleagues stood on a platform that said there would be a referendum if there was a Material Change in circumstances. They lost their majority in the Scottish Parliament. The greens who voted for that in the Scottish Parliament said that they would only support a second referendum if there was a petition with1 million referendum if there was a petition with 1 million signatures on referendum if there was a petition with1 million signatures on it. Suddenly that is forgotten about. Lets talk about Manifesto Commitments, no tuition fees, s close to the Single Market as we can get and 50 top rate of tax, ditched in the manifesto. What about labours manifestos . Not ditched from the manifestos. People always go back to the manifesto when it suits democracy, it only works when it suits the answer you want. The scottish people voted no, 85 of people turned up 55 40 52 years ago and people have voted in this country in 2015 for the government we have at the moment 55 45. It is damaging my constituents livelihoods and i will protect them. Lib dems did introduce tuition fees when they promised not to. Thank you for your time. Welcome to the programme. Were live from westminster as you can see. Were discussing the fact this country will have a General Election in a few weeks time. Was theresa may right to call the election now . Which parties will gain and which will lose out . He refers to the situation of some workers who might have some Job Insecurity and potentially unscrupulous bosses. When i launched my Leadership Campaign i said that politics is not a game. Let everybody put forward their proposals for brexit and their programmes for government. We want to put a case out there to the people of britain of a society that cares for all, an economy that works for all and a brexit that works for all. We lost the election, i believe, because we didnt offer a clear enough alternative. I thought for a moment the Prime Minister was going to say brexit means brexit again. Im sure she will tell us one day what it actually means. Do you think it is wrong to demonise immigrants, the young, the poor, foreigners, brussels, the english, the scots . Join us. This is a big issue. In recent political history. It is clear the Prime Ministers announcement today is one all about the narrow interests of her own party, not the interests of her own party, not the interests of her own party, not the interests of the country. People will learn what ukip is about. There is only 5000 majority. It is 10 25am. The Snap General Election is squeeky bum time for some mps who scrapped through at the last election in 2015 by just a few votes. We have gathered three of them here. Amanda solloway, conservative mp for derby north, who has the second smallest majority of all mps in england. The smallest majority in england, actually. 27 was gower, wales. You beat your opponent in second place by 41 votes. Chris matheson, labour mp for the City Of Chester who has the most marginal labour seat in the whole country with a majority of 93 votes. River tuckerfor ealing with a majority of 93 votes. River tucker for ealing central and acton, a majority of 274. Are you cross with theresa may for calling a General Election . Not the slightest, It Isa General Election . Not the slightest, it is a good thing to do. You might be out of a job in a few weeks. it is a good thing to do. You might be out of a job in a few weeks. I am philosophical. I have done lots for the constituency. Just think what you could have done in anotherfew yea rs. You could have done in anotherfew years. I hope to have another five yea rs. Years. I hope to have another five years. I hope to have another five years. I know we were talking earlier that ive done absolutely everything. I dont have any staff in london, everything is in the constituency and i am out there as often as i can, loss of focus on Mental Health, education, and im standing here now thinking ive done the very best i can do and i think the very best i can do and i think the country will benefit from having a General Election, so here we go, the fight is on. Chris matheson. Before we talk about your thin majority, with the vote this afternoon and what are you going to do . I will not vote in favour, it has nothing to do with squeaky bum time, this is an naked political opportunity from theresa may. Only four or five years ago she voted for the fixed term parliaments act to embed herself with the lib dems in the Coalition Government. You will vote against . The first time she gets she is looking tojunket, its purely about the interests of the Conservative Party. You will vote against it . I will vote against it ori against it . I will vote against it or i will abstain. What is the point in abstaining if you really believe it . They need two thirds of the majority, you might convince me to vote against. Im asking why you are not if you are so opposed which you clearly are. I am and it is about the naked political interests of the Conservative Party and they are putting their interests ahead of those of the country. Are you going to be out of a job in a few weeks time . No, because we have a Strong Campaign in chesterand time . No, because we have a Strong Campaign in chester and the people in chester know how hard ive worked for them and they know the failings of the tories, every school in chester is looking to cut teachers and increase class sizes because of the education cuts. We have 80 or 90 people who cant go anywhere from the hospital because the social care syste m the hospital because the social care system is collapsing, we have people in chester, adults with children who cant get a new home because they cant get a new home because they cant afford the rent or to buy a house. The system isnt working for married people, people in chester know that and thats why i think i will win. Will you put Jeremy Corbyn on your election literature . will win. Will you put Jeremy Corbyn on your election literature . I might well do but i will put the issue is about school cuts, hospital cuts, the failure of the social care system, and a lot of my own achievements in the constituency as well, whether it is delivering broadband, fighting to get better railand broadband, fighting to get better rail and road connections. Ive done a lot in chester and have lots of positive things to tell my electors as well. Rupa huq, majority of 274, Labour Leaderfor ealing as well. Rupa huq, majority of 274, Labour Leader for ealing and acton central. Who came second . Nobody remembers that, do they . You must be worried. If i looked remembers that, do they . You must be worried. Ifi looked at remembers that, do they . You must be worried. If i looked at the majority of who won last time i wouldnt have bothered standing at all. We won the seat and london is different, i have the most marginal labour seat in london but our trends were up on the mayoral results last year, we are a massive leak remain area, i voted against triggering article 50 and i will stand on my record. You feel you are in tune with your constituents . Yes. It has been the greatest honour of my life to represent the streets where i grew up represent the streets where i grew up and represent the streets where i grew up and i still live in ealing and i wa nt up and i still live in ealing and i want to carry on doing what ive been doing. All of the polls indicate it will be a conservative majority. In that case we need people to oppose their disastrous plans for the nhs which has been cut to ribbons in my area and the hard brexit which nobody voted for. Byron davies has joined us. Brexit which nobody voted for. Byron davies hasjoined us. Good morning. I wasnt expecting you but im delighted to see you. Irene davies, elected conservative mp for gaelic two years ago, we talked about him a few moments ago byron davies. He got 27 more votes than his nearest rival and you have the smallest majority of any single mp. How worried are you . I am not worried but also not overconfident. I think ona but also not overconfident. I think on a local basis i have performed quite well in the last two years. Quite well . There is only 27 votes in it, you will have to do better, would you . As i said i have performed quite well and the electorate are happy with what ive done and we have a strong leader going to the country for unity and im quite confident that i will decrease might majority. Are you delighted as your conservative colleague is Amanda Solloway with another small majority, that theresa may is calling a General Election . think we need it and we have a labour party saying that perhaps they would support the agreement at they would support the agreement at the end with the European Union and the end with the European Union and the House Of Lords saying they will not agree and the lib dems want to grind parliament to a halt so i think she has to. As you know both the commons and lords voted for the brexit bill in the end with a really decent majority is. There is no one standing in the way of Brexit Negotiations, if you are honest. Politics is dynamic and never has been more dynamic than it is now is, so who knows . You think piers and some colleagues in the commons would go against the will of the people . I cannot answer for them but there is a lwa ys cannot answer for them but there is always the possibility piers. Cannot answer for them but there is always the possibility piers. To those voters, and some of them are here today, who are a bit tired of elections, what do you say to them . This is a great opportunity. Ifeel buoyed by this. What would you say to voters who are fatigued by elections, brexit last year, the General Election before, and the Scottish Referendum vote . General election before, and the Scottish Referendum vote . General Election before, and the Scottish Referendum vote . I have been listening to some constituents on my local radio saying they are looking forward to this as an opportunity. It will verify the fact the conservative government is doing the conservative government is doing the right thing and we have an opportunity for the whole country to do that. What do you say are people who are fatigued of elections . Even more fatigued in wales, council elections, and assembly election, european elections, General Elections, but this is democracy at work and i am afraid we have to support this one. Thank you to all of you. Good luck on all the best. Lets hear from our of you. Good luck on all the best. Lets hearfrom our audience. I am aware that some will havent spoken, so please let me in the eye, claire, if you want to Say Something, if you are looking forward to the selection or if you are a bit fed up with how you have to cast your vote. or if you are a bit fed up with how you have to cast your vote. I find it profoundly depressing when people say they have voter fatigue. All around the world there are people in syria, in turkey, dying to have the rights that we do. It makes me so sad, it really does, to hear this sort of thing. We are so lucky here andl sort of thing. We are so lucky here and i think we are also pretty lucky with mrs may, because i think she has absolutely stepped forward. Of course it is opportunistic, a lot of labour mps whingeing about it but there would have done the same thing. We are in the situation, the people voted for brexit, lets get over it, get on with it and give her a decent period to be able to get in there and negotiate the thing properly. We have the jobs of the future generations at stake here. We have to clarify that europeans who are settled here with their families, we have to clarify their own position. If mrs may gets an increased majority, it will make it easierfor her to do increased majority, it will make it easier for her to do the Brexit Negotiations . Inevitably there will be lots of hillocks along the road, of course, but we are where we are. Please give her a chance tojust get on with it. Ifi may please give her a chance tojust get on with it. If i may say Chris Matheson gave us a really great example of why semenuk people are disillusioned with voting. He stood there and gave us why so many people are disillusioned. When asked how he was going to vote, he said he would abstain. That isjust something i find very unpalatable. That is not leadership, someone standing here and the something, and then saying he will abstain. At least than up for what you believe in. It is more than just taking advantage of rights that we have treating them as unimportant. In the kind of Political Climate we are in, a number of positions were not clarified in the first place. You dont want to have election upon election because it becomes meaningless, that is why you have term times and a space between elections. That is incredibly important now to clarify what every consequence means. What is brexit . It is not just leaving consequence means. What is brexit . It is notjust leaving the European Union, this is the effect it will have on local services, on immigration, make that clear and let people make the decisions. Did we not have those arguments a year ago . Now, because we dont go out brexit now and we it was not a depth argument, it was very partisan. Two factions against each other and it didnt work. Very partisan, the brexit referendum, it is going to be partisan in the next few weeks. Yes, because brexit is such a bind reissue and one of those issues that goes beyond politics, it crosses all parties and is almost more about identity than politics. It is a gut, visceral issue that people feel extraordinarily passionate about and i dont think that will go away. It will always be one of those defining issues was that the other thing that strikes me is we are moving into a different era, politically, where the old tribal blocks, they have been breaking down for a long time but they are really breaking down now, and part of it is you see it with donald trump in america, people are voting by different dynamics and i think are voting by different dynamics and ithinka are voting by different dynamics and i think a lot of it is to do with a sense of place, a sense of culture, history, who we are. So you mean we are now more likely to be remain or leave than labour, tory, lib dem, snp vostok absolutely. The other thing that has totally changed everything is we live in an age where social media totally changed the terms of political debate. Without social mediators questionable whether Jeremy Corbyn ever would have become leader, because lets be honest, he had most of the mainstream newspapers hitting him every day and yet he still won quite comfortable. I think social media has changed a lot of the way the dialogue of politics and the way people converse. You can say there are good things and bad things about it, there is fake news, but then it is democratic and empowering people. All of that is fundamentally changing politics, so where we are isa changing politics, so where we are is a much more volatile, uncertain, unpredictable sort of politics, so for everyone kind of thinking labour has no chance in this election, i would just suggest lets be a little bit cautious about this, because people like me have been getting it wrong time and time again, got it wrong time and time again, got it wrong with David Cameron getting the majority, the brexit referendum, Jeremy Corbyn, theresa may, we really have to go into this with some humility. We live in extraordinary uncertain but quite exciting times. Thank you, norman. See you soon. Lets bring you the latest news. The Prime Minister has denied claims of political opportunism and insisted that its in the National Interest to hold a Snap Election injune. Mps are expected to approve the Prime Ministers plan when they vote this afternoon. Labour mps have been told they will be automatically re selected as candidates to fight the General Election in their current constituencies. Jeremy corbyn told a Meeting Of Labour Mps last night that he didnt under estimate the challenge ahead, but welcomed the chance to give british voters an alternative government. Prince william has revealed that the shock of his mothers death is still with him, 20 years after Princess Diana was killed. The duke of cambridge made the comments in a bbc documentary which follows a group of runners with Mental Health problems who are training to run the London Marathon. Police have named a man they want to speak to about a suspected acid attack in an east london nightclub. Arthur collins is wanted for questioning after a corrosive liquid was sprayed during an argument in the early hours of monday morning. 20 people were left injured. That is a summary of the latest news. Now some sport. Wales flanker Sam Warburton will captain the fish and irish lions this summer in their tour. He is only the Second Player after martinjohnson to tour. He is only the Second Player after Martin Johnson to captain tour. He is only the Second Player after martinjohnson to captain the lions and two tours. Head coach Warren Gatland will announce that full squad at midday today. Le i ceste rs full squad at midday today. Leicesters Incredible Champions Leaguejourney is over leicesters Incredible Champions League journey is over after their Quarterfinal Defeat against Atletico Madrid last night. Saul niguez headed the spanish side in front. Jamie vardy equalised but it was not enough and it is back to Business As Usualfor enough and it is back to Business As Usual for Craig Shakespeare fozz backside. Cristiano ronaldo scored a hat trick to take his Champions League tally to 100 goals as holders real madrid eased past 10 man Bayern Munich in extra time to reach the semi finals. Back to westminster and victoria. So with a General Election like to be on the 8th ofjune, just six or seven weeks away, it is a time for possibly political comebacks. You will remember sir vince cable, Liberal Democrat, former cabinet mr, who plans to stand again, is that correct . Yes, all of you see there are the formalities of adoption, but i would like to throw my hat into the ring. I worry the country is going in the wrong direction, with brexit and particularly very hard version the Prime Minister favours, soi version the Prime Minister favours, so i want to win back a seat i held her 18 years. And mary macleod, former conservative mp, lost your seatin former conservative mp, lost your seat in 2015, and you also fancy a seat in 2015, and you also fancy a seat i held her 18 years. And mary macleod, former conservative mp, lost your seat in 2015, and you also fancier, . Absolutely. It was an honour and privilege being a member of parliament for five years the bre ntford of parliament for five years the brentford isaiah burse and chiswick andl brentford isaiah burse and chiswick and i want to continue the work i was doing and try to make isleworth. I will be putting my cell forward for selection. It was only a couple of years ago that they kicked you both out. What makes you think you both out. What makes you think you want it back . People want to get rid of the uncertainty that exists right now. Why if they voted you backin right now. Why if they voted you back in with that means certainty . Because we have a plan that can deliver real stability to the country. What we have in theresa may asa country. What we have in theresa may as a Prime Minister, and hopefully will she will get that backing to lead the country with strength, we need someone that can pull all of this together following the brexit vote and the referendum, where we can get rid of the uncertainty that exists and allows theresa may as Prime Minister to lead with strength and have the parliamentary backing to deliver for the country, and we need that, in terms of the negotiations we are getting into. Serious times. What are the lib dems offering . We have been consistent and principled on the issue of europe, the only party that has been. The reason part theresa may has changed radically, the labour party had been all over the place, we think britain should be in europe, we have opposed the way that brexit has been handled, so on that issue very much so. But it wont just be that. In twickenham, which i represented, there are other issues bubbling up around cuts in schools, which go way beyond what is fiscally necessary. Bits of environmental issues, heathrow airport. There was a lot to fight over. We mention this earlier, quite a lot of people dont know who your leader is, the Liberal Democrat leader. Tim farron has done a very good job over the last year. It always happens, i remember when Charles Kennedy first came in as leader, became immensely popular but at the beginning never knew who he was, Paddy Ashdown have the same problem. It requires a General Election to have the necessary protection but he has done very well and he will do well. Mrs may said the country was coming together but westminster wasnt. Is she right, is the country coming together . westminster wasnt. Is she right, is the country coming together . I think so. When we live that some of the polls today saying 68 of the electorate of people in this country wa nt electorate of people in this country want a General Election right now, soi want a General Election right now, so i think that speaks for itself. They also want debate and argument and opposition and scrutiny. That will always happen. When she said thAt Westminster wasnt coming together, it seemed to be as if she was criticising the normal rough and tumble of politics in a parliamentary democracy. No, what it is we need to have the ability to make decisions, push them through parliament. With no opposition, debate or scrutiny . You will never anticipate what the result of an election. That shows the strong, sta ble election. That shows the strong, stable leadership we have in theresa may. That is a Bold Decision to go to the country. She believes it is right for the country, it is right for the country, the time is right and lets get together and pull the country together to deliver for we needin country together to deliver for we need in the future. Rider nephew have seen the front page of the papers today, the daily mail suggesting the use a is crushing the saboteurs. Anyone who is a remainer, is that how you feel, vince cable . That is deeply concerning when you get that level of argument, it makes us sound like turkey or russia, and actually button is a healthy democracy. We want proper debate. We are very democracy. We want proper debate. We are very much up for that. When i hear that daily mail language about saboteurs, it is very worrying and authoritarian, and i sincerely hope theresa may doesnt share that view. I dont think it is her. Thank you both. Mary macleod and sir vince cable, thank you, and thank you for your patience. We appreciate it. Now, by any measure, labour have had a challenging few years. They havent won a General Election since 2005 and the election ofJeremy Corbyn a lifelong socialist who had never before held a senior position in the party has taken them into uncharted waters. Theyre divided over brexit and have held two leadership elections in two years. So. Can they win . And how should they go about it . One of those who backed mr corbyn from the start is ken loach i will introduce them in just a second that we have some labour voters here. Identify yourselves. What does jeremy voters here. Identify yourselves. What doesJeremy Corbyn have to do to really punched through in this election . Resign. Seriously . Ithink thatis election . Resign. Seriously . Ithink that is the only hope for the party. Maybe they should consider bringing in tony blair with the campaign. I heard the lib dems are quite keen to get them campaigning alongside them. Despite iraq and the past flaws, he is one of the few people who has actually spoken sense about how labour can take brexit and take it forward. Who else said resign . My advise tojeremy forward. Who else said resign . My advise to Jeremy Corbyn would be to follow the example of george lansbury, Labour Leader in the 19305, lansbury, Labour Leader in the 1930s, who resigned a month before the General Election because he knew that his hard line pacifism would not go down with the electorate. Clement attlee led us into that election and brought us eventually the greatest Labour Government we have ever had. So you want a leadership election or a caretaker leader . Who would that be . Tom watson. The Current Deputy you would haveis watson. The Current Deputy you would have is the leader. What about you, nick . Won i want to put an end to it once and all. For this election, i think you have to say that corbyn has to go. I dont think it will happen until after the election in all honesty. Then we will have to wait and see what emerges. I dont think there is anything corbyn can do now, i think the die was cast with brexit and his failure to lead decisively at that point. From then forward , decisively at that point. From then forward, he is doomed and we have to pay the price for that. What about some of the policiesJeremy Corbyn has been talking about in the last few weeks, some of which are really popular . Nhs, health and education are his key areas but the labour party is not leading in terms of immigration and has not got any cut through policies on immigration, no cut through policies on housing. Both the tories and them are saying the same things, they are dancing around the same issues. There is no clear blue water as far as i can make out between them. Ken loach, good morning. Good morning. Celebrated film maker, welcome. You blame labours previous leaders and mps who opposed Jeremy Corbyn for the pa rtys who opposed Jeremy Corbyn for the partys track position in the polls. That is right. What labour has suffered is a leader who has been elected massively by the party who stands on the right side of politics throughout his career. He stands to stop the nhs being privatised, to invest in work, which is what people need above everything else. They dont need zero hours contracts, they dont need casual agency work. They dont need low wages. They need real work and labour under corbyn will invest in that. People need houses and if you care about the destruction of our society, if you really care, destruction of our society, if you really ca re, you destruction of our society, if you really care, you will get behind the labour party under this leadership are labour party under this leadership a re closet labour party under this leadership are closet is the only leadership. If you want tom watson you wont get that. If you want tony blair you will get another illegal war if you are not careful. The only party that stands for the interests of the people, really stands for them, is the labour party underJeremy Corbyn, he is a man of principle and integrity and dont let them tell you otherwise. I will introduce Jonathan Ashworth again, a member of Jeremy Corbyns top team and Rachel Godfrey wood from momentum from momentum, a labour Grassroots Campaign group. Passionate plea from ken loach, youve got to get behind Jeremy Corbyn. Two leadership elections, one with a massive mandate from the party members. Its a democratic vote, we should get behind him. He is a person with principles. I think he has got an excellent position on immigration. I think he is anti racist, i think he is for letting the children. What about Ken Livingstone . Is for letting the children. What about Ken Livingstone . He is for letting the children in calais over here under the letting the children in calais over here underthe dumps letting the children in calais over here under the dumps amendment. Lot of that comes down to grandstanding and standing on burning platforms around key issues like children refugees. There are other issues that are going to take the country forward. I understand issues of principle which is great but leadership is about compromise, its about an amalgamation of ideas and enabling this country to go forward and Jeremy Corbyn has let us down time and time again on that, as the Parliamentary Labour Party knows. There not much they can do about it and not much any of us can do about it. The destruction of your society, go ahead and vote tory because that is what happening. Where are your libraries, parks, work, houses, what about the privatised nhs . Think what you will vote for if you let this lot continue. I didnt hear what you said about voting. The labour party doesnt give clear leadership on brexit i will vote Liberal Democrat. Thats not funny. Tories by another name, im afraid. Think what they did in the coalition. A labour voter. Im not dismissing him. It sounded like it. No, they supported the Austerity Programme and the coalition and put in place what is happening now so if you vote for them that is what you will get again. We have no choice we have no choice you can hear disgruntled labour voters who would love to vote labour voters who would love to vote labour and you have heard from just one but we have heard it, disillusioned labour voters might vote lib dem in this election, what would you say to them . vote lib dem in this election, what would you say to them . I would plead with you not to vote for the liberal party. The liberals went into coalition with the conservatives, tim farron the liberal leader has refused to rule that out at the next election and when they went into coalition with the conservatives they trebled tuition fees when they said they wouldnt, they put vat when they said they wouldnt, they supported a whole host of cuts to Public Services when they said they wouldnt. One final point if i may. You might be disappointed with me but i voted for yvette cooper, i thought it was time the labour party had a female leader but she didnt win. Im behind the labour party because a Labour Government is better than a tory government ruining the nhs and Cutting Schools and creating zero hours contracts with wages stagnating. The Jeremy Corbyn do better when it comes to leadership on brexit . corbyn do better when it comes to leadership on brexit . I thinkJeremy Corbyn is a fantastic leader. Could he do better on brexit . His position on brexit is clear, we read Democratic Party and campaigned for the remainder as did lots of Labour Party Members but labour is the only party trying to do something with brexit to the benefit of the majority of people. What is his policy on immigration which is something that nick raised . Labour has a Migration Impact Fund which would support areas which are receiving the majority of migrants. If you look at brexit, public procurement, labour are looking for ways to force public procurement to drive up standards in the public sector. No other parties are doing that because the tories just see brexit as an opportunity to turn this country even more into basically a tax haven for their friends and the liberals are just looking for short term political opportunism which is the only form of politics they understand. You dont believe the Liberal Democrats when they say they will fight hard to maintain access to the Single Market . Why would anyone believe the Liberal Democrats . These are people who went into government saying they would oppose tuition fees and they renege on that promise within a very small amount of time . The issue of tuition fees need still be addressed once and for all. This is really important. It was a mistake of hours but our leader didnt vote for them, our leader wasnt in Coalition Government and we apologise to. Labour when they introduced them never apologised and when they increased them dont apologise and the conservative government increasing them again, not apologising. Yes, we made a mistake but when the call came we stepped up and governed in the National Interest while labour are standing by and will let a conservative majority in by their inept leadership. You are laughing at this. The National Interest is not introducing austerity, not enforcing a low wage economy, not market eyes in the nhs and selling it to private companies. The liberals were part of the destruction of the nhs and this is critical, you left whole areas of the country desolate with no work. The old industry gone and nothing put in its place. The liberals were pa rt put in its place. The liberals were part of that with the tories. Labour would invest with the National Investment bank to revitalise those areas of the country with real work, real apprenticeships, areas of the country with real work, realapprenticeships, realjobs areas of the country with real work, real apprenticeships, realjobs to follow, producing real goods that people need. There is a whole area of investment that can be made and needs to be made and please, labour voters, dont turn your back on that, it is too important. The future of our young people, and ive got grandchildren, the future of our young people depends on good jobs. Its only the labour party that will invest under corbyn. The others wont. The others wont. Dont turn your back on the young people. You need to get a Labour Government that will do that. This is why theresa may is having an election because the left are attacking each other. Who is left . Who is far left . Who is centrist . We need to band together, if we want to stop the conservatives, labour, the Liberal Democrats, the greens and snp must band together and make a strong left voice, not attacking your audience but making a strong left voice. This is why 18 and 24 year olds should be approached by labour and the left and safe vote, your votes matter, we shouldnt have a member of the panel saying they will abstain from voting because they feel its not right. We should be appealed to and give us a voice and stop arguing and bickering between each other. A quick final word. This is notjust a Party Political game, it is a fundamental question over who governs britain. We live in a society with the highest levels of concentration of wealth since the 1930s meaning the richest people have been able to distort the rest of the political system. If you look at hmrc. Distort the rest of the political system. If you look at hmrc. Will labour tax the rich more if it wins . Labour tax the rich more if it wins . Labour will force those people into transparency over their tax collection and use it to clamp down on tax evasion and avoidance, and taxed down on impunity in the society. I will have to pause there. Thank you forjoining us. Thank you for having a good debate here today. In the last few minutes of the programme i want to hearfrom you what your message is to the politicians over the next few weeks. What sort of campaign do you want to see and hear . Defend education, stop cuts to schools and protect the nhs. Sta rt cuts to schools and protect the nhs. Start listening to young people, we are telling you we are not happy and disenfranchised and you are ignoring us and not listening to us. You need to take the public and brexit vote seriously. Our demand for democracy and more freedom needs to be answered and it currently is not being answered by any politicians standing for election right now. wa nt standing for election right now. want you to introduce ourselves. My name is even and im an a level student. You are going to vote for the first time injune . Student. You are going to vote for the first time in june . Yes, and i am registered. This is my first vote, i am registered. This is my first vote, lam am registered. This is my first vote, i am in sixth form now and Jeremy Corbyn is my local mp so i will vote for him. Hello, im registered to vote, this will be my second General Election, i scraped into the last one by a few weeks and i will vote tory. What do you think about the fact there is an election just two years after the last one . was quite surprised. After theresa may said multiple times she would not hold an election until 2020, it was shocked to hear her announce we would have on this soon and i was worried about the fact i have to make up my mind in seven weeks about who to vote you have no idea . No, i do, butjust being thrown into it is quite surprising but it will be nice to have a voice when i didnt have won the last time round. How do you feel . Im happy because the 16 and 17 year olds who didnt have a vote la st 17 year olds who didnt have a vote last time have an opportunity to Say Something which is important because it is our future. I like the fact we can vote this time around. Your message to politicians as we head into this general Election Campaign . I think it was the right decision firstly because theresa may needs to strengthen her negotiating hand in the eu but focus on the big issues, brexit, housing, education, the things that matter that have been neglected for a while. Because we are leaving the eu a lot of policy areas will open up and we can legislate on those as well. We have literally seconds so let me hear from you. How much do you think you will get the truth in this general Election Campaign . They have not told the truth much does find the whole context of brexit, so where the general public stands, where the politicians stand is up in the air so it is scary. Will be get facts in this campaign . I hope so, Everyone Needs the facts and information, if they are going to vote they need to know what they are voting for, surely. Well, we will see. Thank you for giving surely. Well, we will see. Thank you forgiving upa surely. Well, we will see. Thank you for giving up a whole morning. Good to meet you. Thank you for your company. Back tomorrow at 9am. Hello, good morning. Most of us will have a dry day today but the amount of sunshine you see from place to place is going to vary a lot. Underneath this area of High Pressure much of central and eastern england, southern england, southern wales will enjoy sunshine, for the north west of the uk we have cloudy weather and in between these zones across the midlands some areas of high cloud, glorious start of the day in the birmingham area thanks to the weather watcher k for sending that sunrise. We keep the sun shone across southern and eastern areas of england, a bit of fair weather cloud bubbling up. The cloudy as to whether is across the north west of the country and the cloud is thick enough for an occasional spit of rain across parts of the isle of man, cumbria and dumfries and galloway, otherwise basically a dry kind of data. Overnight tonight cloudy weather sinking southwards so not as cold as it was last night in the chilly parts of east anglia. The cloud is big enough for the occasional spit of rain in wales and Northern England but many having a dry night, could be cold enough for frost in the countryside in south east england. That is your latest weather. Youre watching bbc news. Im simon mccoy, live At Westminster. Later today mps are expected to vote to approve the Prime Ministers plans to hold an election next month. Theresa may denies claims of political opportunism and insists an election will bring stability and certainty during the period of the brexit process. I believe that this is the way that we can ensure we get clarity and stability into the future, we get the strong leadership we need for the strong leadership we need for the United Kingdom going beyond brexit. The Prime Minister confirms she Wont Take Part in Television Debates ahead of this election. Labour says thats the wrong decision and they hope she changes her mind. Im hoping that the Prime Minister changes her mind about this issue of head to head televised debates. She is refusing at the moment, but i think that would be critically important to have in this Election Campaign. Ukip donor arron banks says he will stand in clacton at the General Election, against the partys former sole mp,