Does politics have a problem . After that torrid week, conservative Cabinet Minister mark harper, the transport secretary, is here. Labours attack dog, warming up for the election, Jonathan Ashworth joins us too. And privilege was no protection from pain. Charles spencer, brother of princess diana, opens up about the abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of his headmaster. Hed constructed his dream world of having 75 little boys at his beck and call for sadistic thrashings and sexual thrills. Morning, morning, to you, and to my team at the desk labour mp harriet harman, businessman, and dragon, theo paphitis, and samuel kasumu, who worked in number 10 for borisjohnson. Welcome to you all. Lets have a look at whats making the news. Are there plots to replace the beleaguered Prime Minister with the sword wielding Penny Mordaunt . The observer and the telegraph think so. And that paper also picks up the governments new plans for traffic well talk about a bit later. The sunday times leads on grant shapps Aborting A Trip To Ukraine last week because of the threat of a Russian Missile strike. And for the Sunday Mirror and the Sun On Sunday, The Big Story is strictly. The Sunday Mirror bemoans Amanda Abbington pulling out last time round. The Sun On Sunday claims some of those who donned the sequins might complain to the bbc. And look at this yet another fiery volcanic eruption in iceland the fourth since december. Residents of the town of grindavik have been asked to leave the area. The bbc will have more of those pictures through the day. Lets start with the big issue in westminster this week, the question of politics and race. Harriet harman, do you think politics still has a problem with race after your long tenure in westminster . I has a problem with race after your long tenure in westminster . I think it is important long tenure in westminster . I think it is important on long tenure in westminster . I think it is important on all long tenure in westminster . I think it is important on all politicians it is important on all politicians not to be divisive around the issue of race and there should really be a consensus about that. It makes me particularly apprehensive in the run up to an election to see anybody ever try and take advantage of it. But its been a really terrible episode, what has happened to diane abbott, and it has also thrown a big spotlight on the problem of Big Money In Politics. We spotlight on the problem of Big Money In Politics. Money in politics. We will talk about that money in politics. We will talk about that later. Money in politics. We will talk about that later. Samuel, money in politics. We will talk about that later. Samuel, you| money in politics. We will talk. About that later. Samuel, you are working in politics advising boris johnson. Do you think that now in 2024 there is a problem with race in our politics . Ii 2024 there is a problem with race in our politics . Our politics . If you look at the facts, our politics . If you look at the facts. Under our politics . If you look at the facts, under the our politics . If you look at the facts, under the labour our politics . If you look at the facts, under the Labour Partyl our politics . If you look at the i facts, under the labour party we our politics . If you look at the facts, under the labour party we had the ford facts, under the labour party we had the ford review facts, under the labour party we had the ford review which facts, under the labour party we had the ford review which was facts, under the labour party we had the ford review which was pretty the ford review which was pretty damning the ford review which was pretty damning about the ford review which was pretty damning about racism the ford review which was pretty damning about racism and the ford review which was pretty damning about racism and racist| damning about racism and Racist Incidents damning about racism and Racist Incidents in damning about racism and Racist Incidents in labour. Damning about racism and Racist Incidents in labour. We damning about racism and Racist Incidents in labour. We have damning about racism and racist| incidents in labour. We have had damning about racism and Racist Incidents in labour. We have had the Istamoohohia Incidents in labour. We have had the Islamophobia Review incidents in labour. We have had the Islamophobia Review into incidents in labour. We have had the Islamophobia Review into the Islamophobia Review into the conservative Islamophobia Review into the conservative party, Islamophobia Review into the conservative party, so Islamophobia Review into the conservative party, so the i Islamophobia Review into the i conservative party, so the facts present conservative party, so the facts present a conservative party, so the facts present a damning conservative party, so the facts present a damning picture conservative party, so the facts present a damning picture so i conservative party, so the facts present a damning picture so clearly there present a damning picture so clearly there is present a damning picture so clearly there is a present a damning picture so clearly there is a challenge present a damning picture so clearly there is a challenge that present a damning picture so clearly there is a challenge that needs present a damning picture so clearly there is a challenge that needs to i there is a challenge that needs to be dealt there is a challenge that needs to be dealt with there is a challenge that needs to be dealt with. Its there is a challenge that needs to be dealt with. Be dealt with. Its interesting because some be dealt with. Its interesting because some people be dealt with. Its interesting because some people might| be dealt with. Its interesting i because some people might say be dealt with. Its interesting because some people might say there is a real irony because at the moment we had Vaughan Gething is elected first black First Minister of wales. The Prime Minister is a proud British Asian hindu. Do you think in yourtime proud British Asian hindu. Do you think in your time watching politics it has got worse or are we just seeing more of something that was there already . I seeing more of something that was there already . There already . I think as a nation we are evolving there already . I think as a nation we are evolving and there already . I think as a nation we are evolving and the there already . I think as a nation we are evolving and the fact there already . I think as a nation we are evolving and the fact we l there already . I think as a nation we are evolving and the fact we have leaders we are evolving and the fact we have leaders from we are evolving and the fact we have leaders from minority we are evolving and the fact we have leaders from minority ethnic leaders from minority ethnic backgrounds leaders from minority ethnic backgrounds is leaders from minority ethnic backgrounds is both leaders from minority ethnic backgrounds is both remarkable and unremarkable, backgrounds is both remarkable and unremarkable, which backgrounds is both remarkable and unremarkable, which is backgrounds is both remarkable and unremarkable, which is a backgrounds is both remarkable and unremarkable, which is a good backgrounds is both remarkable andl unremarkable, which is a good thing. But our unremarkable, which is a good thing. But our politicians unremarkable, which is a good thing. But our politicians are unremarkable, which is a good thing. But our politicians are struggling but our politicians are struggling to deal but our politicians are struggling to deal with but our politicians are struggling to deal with this but our politicians are struggling to deal with this evolution but our politicians are struggling to deal with this evolution of but our politicians are struggling to deal with this evolution of our nation to deal with this evolution of our nation they to deal with this evolution of our nation. They are to deal with this evolution of our nation. They are struggling to deal with this evolution of our nation. They are struggling to i nation. They are struggling to articulate nation. They are struggling to articulate a nation. They are struggling to articulate a moral nation. They are struggling to articulate a moral high nation. They are struggling to| articulate a moral high ground nation. They are struggling to articulate a moral high ground when there articulate a moral high ground when there are articulate a moral high ground when there are challenges. Articulate a moral high ground when there are challenges. So articulate a moral high ground when there are challenges. So the there are challenges. So the challenge there are challenges. So the challenge is there are challenges. So the challenge is there there are challenges. So the challenge is there and there are challenges. So the challenge is there and we i there are challenges. So thel challenge is there and we are there are challenges. So the i challenge is there and we are not dealing challenge is there and we are not dealing with challenge is there and we are not dealing with it challenge is there and we are not dealing with it as challenge is there and we are not dealing with it as much challenge is there and we are not dealing with it as much as challenge is there and we are not dealing with it as much as we i dealing with it as much as we should dealing with it as much as we should. ~. ,. Dealing with it as much as we should. ~. ,. ~ dealing with it as much as we should. ~. ~. , should. What you think watching on from the world should. What you think watching on from the world of should. What you think watching on from the world of business, should. What you think watching on from the world of business, tbeo . | from the world of business, tbeo . You squirm. I very rarely agree with what you squirm. I very rarely agree with what diane you squirm. I very rarely agree with what diane abbott says, but for frank what diane abbott says, but for frank hester to say what he said, i have frank hester to say what he said, i have heard frank hester to say what he said, i have heard it described as racist, but i have heard it described as racist, but i actually think it is criminal. Its appalling. If he is a tory party its appalling. If he is a Tory Party Memberthen he its appalling. If he is a Tory Party Member then he should be thrown party member then he should be thrown out of the party. I havent heard thrown out of the party. I havent heard it thrown out of the party. I havent heard it he thrown out of the party. I havent heard if he has been or not. And it really. Heard if he has been or not. And it really. We heard if he has been or not. And it really, we talk about politicians at the too really, we talk about politicians at the top end. Absolutely right, a fish rots the top end. Absolutely right, a fish rots from the top. If we have this divisive fish rots from the top. If we have this divisive politics we are living through this divisive politics we are living through at this divisive politics we are living through at the moment, unfortunately thats the through at the moment, unfortunately thats the outcome. Thats the outcome. Plenty to get stuck into with thats the outcome. Plenty to get stuck into with mark thats the outcome. Plenty to get stuck into with mark harper. Thats the outcome. Plenty to get i stuck into with mark harper. Thank you to the three of you for now. Youd probably never heard of frank hester before this week. But its been hard to avoid his name over the past few days after he was alleged to have said that veteran mp diane abbott made him want to hate all black women and should be shot. He later apologised for what he called rude comments. Plenty of others, including plenty of you, saw the Remarks Straightaway as racist, but it took an age in political terms for rishi sunak to agree. At a rally on friday night in hackney, diane abbott told the crowd to stand firm against racism. This was in her london constituency, where she was speaking. And this is about the way that black women are disrespected. Crowd murmurs agreement. Decade on decade. The conservative Cabinet Minister and transport secretary, mark harper, is here. Thank you forjoining us this morning. Did you straightaway think these alleged comments were racist . Yes, look, the Prime Minister made it very clear at Prime Ministers questions on wednesday that they were racist. It questions on wednesday that they were racist. ~ questions on wednesday that they were racist were racist. It took him some time to do that were racist. It took him some time to do that. Did were racist. It took him some time to do that. Did you were racist. It took him some time to do that. Did you think were racist. It took him some time to do that. Did you think straight l to do that. Did you think straight they were racist . You to do that. Did you think straight they were racist . To do that. Did you think straight they were racist . You said it took an ace in they were racist . You said it took an age in political they were racist . You said it took an age in political terms they were racist . You said it took an age in political terms but they were racist . You said it took an age in political terms but it i an age in political terms but it didnt take long at all, the Prime Minister said it on wednesday and his spokesperson was clear the day before that they were racist comments and unacceptable. And frank hester apologised for those comments. Hester apologised for those Comments Hester apologised for those comments. �. , comments. That isnt what happened initiall , it comments. That isnt what happened initially. It did comments. That isnt what happened initially, it did take comments. That isnt what happened initially, it did take some comments. That isnt what happened initially, it did take some time comments. That isnt what happened initially, it did take some time for. Initially, it did take some time for Downing Street to say these comments were racist. They were rather dancing around the issue. In fact, until your cabinet colleague Kemi Badenoch said online that these were clearly racist, that was not what Downing Street was saying on the record. �. ,. ,. , record. Im sure people wanted to make sure record. Im sure people wanted to make sure and record. Im sure people wanted to make sure and check record. Im sure people wanted to make sure and check the record. Im sure people wanted to make sure and check the facts. I record. Im sure people wanted to | make sure and check the facts. The Newspaper Reports Things and you want to check the facts are correct. Then i think the Prime Minister was very clear about it, that they were racist comments, they were unacceptable and wrong, and he made that very clear, his spokesman made it very clear, and he made it very clear in the House Of Commons on wednesday. I heard him and he was robust and clear. You wednesday. I heard him and he was robust and clear. Robust and clear. You know some of our robust and clear. You know some of your colleagues robust and clear. You know some of your colleagues thought robust and clear. You know some of your colleagues thought it robust and clear. You know some of your colleagues thought it took robust and clear. You know some of your colleagues thought it took tool your colleagues thought it took too long and there was too much of a delay. Things happen very fast in politics will stop we had a very strong response from many viewers this week, it was clear straightaway. To give you some comments, Clyde Phillips says the alleged statement was to most of the population obviously racist and misogynistic. Another viewer said they were horrible, insensitive and racist. Another viewer, chris battle, said they were clearly racist and sexist. Why did Downing Street not straightaway agree with our viewers upon the description of the comments . We our viewers upon the description of the comments . The comments . We did agree with those. The comments . We did agree with those the the comments . We did agree with those. The prime the comments . We did agree with those. The Prime Minister the comments . We did agree with those. The Prime Minister was i the comments . We did agree with i those. The Prime Minister was clear about it. You do want to check the facts. Just because a newspaper reports something, you want to check your facts. Reports something, you want to check yourfacts. We reports something, you want to check your facts. We were clear about it, they were racist comments. Frank hester has apologised for the comments. And we said we should accept his apology, which we have done. ~. Accept his apology, which we have doner. ,. ,. Accept his apology, which we have done. ,. , done. What is that you check because