Transcripts For BBCNEWS Tuesday In Parliament 20240714 : vim

Transcripts For BBCNEWS Tuesday In Parliament 20240714

Now on bbc news, tuesday in parliament. Hello and welcome to tuesday in parliament. As the commons votes to liberalize abortion and extend same sex marriage to Northern Ireland, if devolution is not restored. Isnt it time that we have to stop making women, having to tell their stories, and be re traumatized, just so they can get basic human rights . Mps ask why are the victims of Human Trafficking being locked up . Immigration detention is a racist practise. And the policy being used are racist and discriminate against certain groups. And an environmental legend warns of trouble ahead. If the World Climate change goes on as it is, we are going to be facing huge problems with immigration. All that to come and more, but first. Mps have voted to require the government to liberalize abortion, and extend same sex marriage to Northern Ireland, if devolution is not restored by october the 21st. The commons was debating a bill aimed at keeping Northern Ireland running in the absence of a devolved government. Power sharing at stormont collapsed more than two years ago. Mps then backed amendments on same sex marriage and abortion. I am a passionate defender of the devolved settlement, and devolutionist, i think it has been, despite the ups and downs we have had, a force for Northern Ireland, my priority and what i want to see is that the assembly back up and functioning in the stormont. He said his amendment recognised that same sex marriage was a devolved matter. At the minute, the assembly, and the executive exist in the ether, or as a concept, not in reality. So if they cannot make this law, we will make it here, because as i have said, right delayed are rights denied. We will make the law here, and when the assemblies back up and the power remains to change it. His proposal does drive coach and horses through the principle of devolution, and the mps are prepared to accept it, than this house can legislate and ask a devolved legislature to overturn it, so that is an interesting and novel concept. Surely he must accept, the work that he has done before the honourable work that the member did when he was in the shadow office, that this usurps the role completely and totally of Northern Ireland assembly, it does drive the coach and horses through the issues that the honourable gentleman has said. There is not sufficient time between now and the 215t of october to establish a new executive that will be able to function these matters by that date. Surely he recognises that. I thank the honourable member for what he has said, and i will answer him directly. Far from usurping the role of the assembly, i am acting on a mandate, given by the assembly when it voted in favour of equal marriage. That was vetoed by his party, using a petition of concern to block it. The conservative, tim lorton, backed the extension of same sex marriage. This is a matter of equal opportunities for people across the United Kingdom. I believe in the union, and therefore i believe that the opportunities should be open to every citizen of every part of the United Kingdom. Opinion was also sharply divided on a proposal to open up access to abortion for women in Northern Ireland. This is not the time nor the place to be making such changes, which are of course completely unconstitutional. Bearing in mind that devolution has ensured that abortion is an issue, which Northern Ireland, and its own assembly, has had authority to make decisions on for almost 100 years. Stella creasys amendment requires the government to extend the circumstances in which abortion can be performed. That is why in november this year, a mother of a child, and she was a child, she was a 15 Year Old Girl in an abusive relationship, who bought Abortion Pills online for her daughter, faces a jail sentence. Dealing with the effect of this anachronistic ancient law on Northern Ireland in and of itself, because already in england and wales, already my constituents are exempted from that piece of legislation. It does not mean a free for all. Weve said this many times, and it has cause distress, to say there are people in Northern Ireland, that if you are raped and acess a abortion, that you could be facing a biggerjail sentence. I have corresponded with them, on the matter, because of the concern you have raised right there. The ps and i have confirmed that no woman has been sent to prison in terms of abortion or any offence. Isnt it time that we have to stop making women having to tell their stories and be re traumatized just so they can get basic human rights . Labour and conservative mps were given a free vote, and not told to vote on party lines. But the minister warned everyone about potential technical issues. The changes that would need to occur before the first same sex couple could legally marry in Northern Ireland are probably not achievable just as a practical matter by october. There are many policy questions to be worked through, which have not yet been properly considered for the Northern Ireland specific context, which may require a different response to england, wales, and scotland. But the commons backed the introduction of same sex marriage by 383 votes to 73, and also voted to extend abortion rights in Northern Ireland by 332 votes to 99. Both decisions could be overturned by a future assembly in stormont. Now they werent the only votes on the Northern Ireland bill. Later, mps defeated the government in backing a move designed to prevent the new Prime Minister suspending parliament to allow britain to leave the eu without a deal, and without consulting mps. Boris johnson, the favourite to succeed theresa may, has refused to rule out proroguing parliament, as its known, to deliver brexit. And there was no doubt who the tory mp behind the move to block no deal had in mind. I have listened with astonishment to a number of references from people who may be holding a high office in the nearfuture, one of whom appears to think that proroguing parliament, to achieve brexit is an acceptable form of activity for the leader of the executive, when in fact, its a constitutional enormity, and a gross undermining of democracy. Dominic grieves plan would be to force the government, by law, to update mps through the autumn on the progress of political talks in Northern Ireland. And the commons would have to be sitting for that to happen. But the government opposed the idea of regular updates. Just simply that the requirement for a regular fortnight reporting throughout the autumn subject to a vote on each occasion, is an excessive and unnecessary level of procedure. And i would also note that the requirement for fortnightly reports and motions would attach to many of the other reporting obligations on the other different topics, which have been attached to this bill, which the honourable, various honourable colleagues are seeking to add to this clause, and therefore the amount of parliamentary time we would be booking up throughout september and on into the autumn should the executive in stormont not have been created, and would start to mount. When it came to the vote, mps backed the grieve amendment, defeating the government by 294 votes to 293. A defeat by one. You are watching tuesday in parliament with me. And do not forget that if you miss a daily round up of events here at westminster, you can catch up via the bbc iplayer, and find out why the Daily Telegraph calls the Bbc Parliament tvs geekiest channel. Sir David Attenborough has warned that failing to tackle Climate Change will bring great social unrest and increased pressure from immigration. The broadcaster told mps on the Business Committee that dealing with environmental problems will require changes to peoples lifestyles. He said the cost of air travel should rise but also argued there were huge opportunities for benefiting from new innovations. He compared the changing public mood on the environment with the changing attitudes that had ended slavery in the 19th century. There was a time in the 19th century when it was perfectly acceptable for civilized human beings to think that it was morally acceptable to actually own another human being as a slave. And somehow or another, in the space of about 20 or 30 years, the Public Perception of that totally transformed. By the middle of the 19th century, it was becoming intolerable. That was a huge change in the Public Perception and the Public Perception of moralities. And i suspect that we are right now in the beginning of a big change. Young people particularly are the stimulus that is ringing that about, in which people, and members of the public are understanding to chuck plastic into the ocean as an insult. Do people understand the Lifestyle Changes that they need to make, lets take air travel for example. Aerospace is a big and important industry in the uk and we are expanding our airports. Do you think people are willing and ready to reduce the number of flights they make, for example, in order to achieve the changes that we are arguing for . They wont, i cannot believe they would just be happy to say oh, i do not care, i am just going ahead. There is a way of course where those in power of course influence how many of those people take it and that is economically. You adjust the price to to the various restrictions that you have. You would argue that air travel should become more expensive, sir david . I think that one way of reducing these things is the cost of what it is that the air travel costs in real terms, in terms of the environment. And if you cost that you would see that the tickets are extraordinarily cheap. If the World Climate change continues going on as it is, we would be facing huge problems with immigration. Large parts of africa will become even less inhabitable than they are now. And there is going to be major upsets in the balance between our National Boundaries and what President Trump is doing about mexico, and indeed what the rest of europe is doing about people coming from africa now. Those kind of problems are going to grow exorbitantly and we are going to have to decide what we are going to do about it. And i do not pretend to know the answer to that. Do you think the uk is still showing world leadership when it comes to tackling Climate Change . Do i think. That the uk is still showing world leadership when it comes to tackling Climate Change . I think our record has been pretty good. And actually, it has historical roots. And so it should have because who started the problem . This country. It was the Industrial Revolution that started here and what was the Industrial Revolution . The Industrial Revolution was based on burning coal in the late 18th and early 19th century. And we, as it were started the problems and if we are now taking a lead in solving the problems, that is only as right and responsible of us to do. I think what we are trying to ascertain from you is are you optimistic that we are going to be able to crack this problem of Climate Change . You know, i have no idea what the future holds. I see no future in being pessimistic because that leads you to say to hell with it, why should i care . And i believe that way disaster lies. So i feel obligation is the only way you can get up in the morning is to believe that actually we can do something about it and i suppose i think we can. Whether that is optimistic or not, i do not know and whether in fact it produces results or not, i do not know, but that is the only way it can operate is that i can get up in the morning and that something has got to be done and i will do my best in the morning to bring that about. Look at all these young people here at demanding that. Laughter. I am sure they have come for us as well. It is their world that we are planning, theirfutures are in our hands and thing is, if they do not inspire us to do that, i do not know what will. When i went to schools in my constituency and i asked them if they could be Prime Minister for the day, what one thing what they want to do, and the answer comes back time and time again on issues of our environment and Climate Change, whether it is stop polluting the oceans with plastic, or reducing the number of cars in the local area because of the terrible effects of air pollution. Ijust wonder whether i could just use the audience for a moment and just ask, who here thinks that Climate Change is enough of a priority and who thinks that government should go further . Who thinks it is enough of a priority today . And who thinks government should go further . And push further and faster on this . I think the vast majority say we should go further and i think that is a lesson for all the politicians around this table and i hope we will reflect that in the report they will be producing. Rachel reeves. The row over leaked and e mails sent by britains ambassador to the United States shows no sign of abating. On sunday it emerged that Sir Kim Darroch had called President Trumps administration clumsy and inept. The president hit back and stepped up the row with further tweets, accusing theresa may of having made a mass of brexit and calling sir kim a very stupid guy. Mps raised the row in the commons. Could you advise me please how we can indicate our reaction to the grossly offensive attack by the president of the United States on her majestys ambassador and indeed on her majestys Prime Minister . This afternoon he has sent some messages that are amounting to gross discourtesy and i am certain many honourable members will want to indicate that the United Kingdom will not be bullied by anyone, not even the president of the United States. Is there any indication that you had or mr speaker has had that the government will intend to make the statement about the remarks of President Trump and in particular, and in particular, whether it would take reciprocal responsive action to any reduction in our diplomatic activity in the United States by responding in kind towards the Us Ambassador in this country . I thank the honourable gentleman for that point of order and the short answer is no, i have not received any indication but as i said there are ways that these issues can be raised in the house. Dame rosie winston. Now mps have demanded and end to the detention of trafficking victims, with one labelling immigration detention a racist practise. The comments came during a debate in Westminster Hall on the day a group called women for refugee women published its report on the detention of Chinese Women who had been trafficked here into the uk. The labour Mpjess Phillips set out some of its findings. Chinese women who have been trafficked to the uk are routinely being locked up in a Detention Centre often for months on end, instead of offering help and support, the home office is inflicting yet more distress and trauma on these women by subjecting them to indefinite immigration detention. Women for refugee women have looked at the cases of 14 Chinese Women being held to see if there were patents in their treatment by the home office. What they found is that the home office is deliberately refusing to protect these women and is knowingly inflicting further harm and trauma on them. In four of the cases they reviewed, for example, women where detained directly from massage parlors or brothels, so the very situations where they are being directly exploited. She said the women were not getting help or support but were being arrested and detained. Another labour mp interrupted. What is behind many of the problems that she is describing is the way in which two separate responsibilities are sitting uncomfortably within the home office, the responsibility on modern slavery and their agenda for immigration enforcement. Jess phillips quoted other studies suggesting trafficking victims were being routinely detained and she said that had to stop. The Home Office Needs to recognise immigration detention is harmful, costly and completely purposeless. There is nothing quite simply that justifies its continuing use. Immigration cases can be resolved much more humanely and effectively in the community. 2019. 507 admittedly potential victims, i think, of slavery locked up. Not good enough. Not right, and not the sort of country any of us want to live in. And the heart of it is this. And again it goes to what my honourable friend had said, these are victims of crime, not immigration offenders. And until the system gets a hold of that, until the system recognises that, runs its policy according to that, we are going to lock innocent people up. Another labour mp turned to a wider issue of immigrat

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