Summary

  • Clive Lewis quits shadow cabinet

  • Rebecca Long-Bailey succeeds him

  • Sue Hayman and Christina Rees also promoted

  • Row over ending of child refugee scheme

  1. Objectives are 'perfectly sensible'published at 13:45 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    Brexit Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    John Redwood

    Conservative John Redwood is in "complete agreement" with new clause 2 - Labour's list of objectives for the Brexit negotiations (see entry timed at 1.15pm)

    It is "perfectly sensible", he says.

    The government whips can rest easy, however, as Mr Redwood goes on to say that he will not be voting for the clause.

    He says the objectives in new clause 2 match up with the government's aims as stated in the white paper and that he is happy to accept "the promise of the front bench".

  2. In quotes: Care exchange at PMQspublished at 13:38 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    Apologies for the length, but here is a nearly verbatim version of the key exchanges between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn over Surrey County Council's decision to call off a referendum over a proposed 15% rise in council tax to fund social care. 

    Jeremy Corbyn: David Hodge, the leader of Surrey County Council, planned to have a referendum for a 15% increase in council tax. And at the last minute it was called off. Can the prime minister tell the house whether a special deal was done for Surrey?

    Theresa May: The decision whether to hold a referendum in Surrey is entirely a matter for the local authority in Surrey County Council. But the right honourable gentleman has raised the issue of social care, which we’ve exchanged on across this despatch box before. And as I’ve said before we do need to find a long term solution for social care in this country.

    Jeremy Corbyn: Mr Speaker, my question was whether there had been a special deal done for Surrey. The leader said there had been many conversations had with the government – we now know they have. Because I have been leaked copies of texts sent by the Tory leader David Hodge intended for somebody called Nick, who works for the minister in the DCLG. And these texts read: “I am advised that DCLG officials have been working on a solution and you will be contacting me on a memorandum of understanding.' Will the government now publish this memorandum of understanding and while they’re about it will all councils be offered the same deal?

    Theresa May: As I say all councils have the opportunity to raise a precept to put that funding in to the provision of social care. What the Labour Party fails to understand is that this is not just a question of looking at money, it is a question of spreading best practice, and finding a sustainable solution. I have to say to him, if we look at social care provision across the entire country, the last thing social care providers need is another one of Labour’s bouncing cheques.   

    Jeremy Corbyn: Mr Speaker, I wonder if it’s anything to do with the fact that the chancellor and health secretary both represent Surrey constituencies. But there was a second text from the Surrey County Council leader to Nick and in the second text he says: “The number you indicated, are the numbers that I understand are acceptable for me to accept and for me to call off the “R”. Now, I’ve been reading a bit of John Le Carre and apparently "R" means referendum. It’s very subtle all this.  And he goes on to say in his text to Nick if it is possible for that info to be sent to myself, I can them revert back soonest, really want to kill this off. So how much did the government offer Surrey to kill this off, and is the same sweetheart deal available to every council facing the social care crisis created by her government?

    Theresa May: I've made clear to the right honourable gentleman what has been made available to every council which is the ability to raise the precept.  And I have to say to him, he comes to the despatch box making all sorts of claims, yet again what we get form Labour are alternative facts.  What they really need is an alternative leader.

    Jeremy Corbyn: Mr Speaker, my question was, what deal had been offered to Surrey that got them to call off the referendum and will the same deal be offered to any other council going through a social care crisis? Mr Speaker, hospital wards are overcrowded, a million people aren’t getting the care they need, and family members mostly women are having to give up work to care for loved ones. Every day that the prime minister fails to act, this crisis gets worse. So will she finally come clear and provide local authorities with the funding they need to fund social care properly so that our often elderly and vulnerable people can be treated with the support and dignity they deserve.

    Theresa May: The deal that available to all councils is the one that I have just set out.  But let me just be very clear, because as ever he stands up and constantly asks for more spending, more money, more funding. What he always fails to recognise is that you can only spend money on social care and the National Health Service if you have a strong economy to deliver the wealth that you need. There is a difference between us – when I talk about half a trillion pounds that’s the money we’ll spend on the NHS this Parliament. When Labour talk about half a trillion pounds that’s the money they want to borrow. Conservatives investing in the NHS, Labour bankrupting Britain.

  3. Watch: Owen Smith and Anna Soubry 'as one' on Brexitpublished at 13:34 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    Labour and Conservative MPs want alternative choice to hard Brexit

    BBC News Channel

  4. Why is reducing immigration not an objective? asks IDSpublished at 13:30 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    Brexit Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Iain Duncan Smith

    Conservative and Leave campaigner Iain Duncan Smith asks why reducing immigration has not been included in Labour's objectives.

    Paul Blomfield accuses the MP of "misrepresenting my observations" and argues that the Leave campaign was "strongy supportive of alternative facts".

    Conservative Anna Soubry intervenes to ask if the Labour Party supports the principle of freedom of movement – "yes or no".

    He replies that Labour wants reasonable management of migration

    Labour's Mike Gapes proposes an "easy way" to cut migration - "crash the economy", he says.

  5. Read the Surrey council leader's texts quoted by Corbynpublished at 13:29 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

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  6. Labour sets out Brexit objectivespublished at 13:15 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    Brexit bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Owen Bennett

    Shadow Brexit minister Paul Blomfield says new clause two sets out the objective the government must have while conducting its negotiation.

    These objectives include:

    • Ensuring a stable and sustainable economy
    • Preserving peace in Northern Ireland
    • Maintaining a trade relationship free of tariff and non-tariff barriers
    • Maintaining cooperation with the EU on education, environment protection and crime
    • Protecting existing workers’ rights.

  7. Surrey council leader: There was no deal with governmentpublished at 13:15 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    David Hodge, leader of Surrey County Council, has now issued a statement.

    “Surrey’s decision not to proceed with a 15% council tax increase was ours alone and there has been no deal between Surrey County Council and the government," it reads.

  8. Downing Street: No 'sweetheart' care dealpublished at 13:14 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    No 10 has insisted there was no "sweetheart deal" between the government and Surrey Council to avoid a referendum on council tax rises to pay for care.

    A Downing Street spokesman said it will not "comment on leaks" but there was ongoing "dialogue" between DCLG and all councils including Surrey. 

    There was no extra cash for the council in the most recent settlement, he added, and the decision to call off the referendum was one for the council.

  9. Watch: Political reaction to leaked Surrey funding textspublished at 13:11 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

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  10. Labour calls for care correspondence to be publishedpublished at 13:11 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    The Daily Politics

    The PM did not have answers to the specific points made by Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs and the government is having to scramble to respond, Laura Kuenssberg adds.

    Labour's Andy McDonald says talk of a special deal for Surrey is an outrage and that all the correspondence between the council and ministers over the council's care settlement must be published in full.

    For the Conservatives, Nick Gibb says all the individual settlements with councils will be published in due course. 

  11. Kuenssberg: Care claims could be embarrassing for governmentpublished at 13:07 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    The Daily Politics

    What did Laura Kuenssberg think of PMQs? 

    She says the very clear suggestion that Surrey County Council - an area she points out is full of Tory MPs - was given some sort of "special favour" on social care could be "very embarrassing" for the government. 

    She points out that she does not know the origin of the texts reputed to have been exchanged between the head of Surrey Council and a government aide and therefore it was no "slam dunk".

    But the possibility that a "solid Tory area" could have been given a special deal to avoid a referendum is potentially damaging for the government.

  12. Debate of the EU bill resumespublished at 13:06 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    A clerk removes the mace
    Image caption,

    The mace is removed when the House of Commons sit as a committee of the whole House

    We now come to the main business for the day - the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill.

    For the next five hours MPs will debate amendments concerning the priorities in Brexit negotiations.

    The lead amendment in this group is Labour's new clause two which sets out the objectives the government must have while conducting its negotiation.

    At approximately 6pm, MPs will vote on certain amendments including some which were debated on previous days. 

    This includes Harriet Harman's clause, which seeks to protect the residence rights of those EU citizens who were lawfully resident in the UK on the date of the EU referendum.

    MPs will then debate the bill at its final stage (third reading) a vote on which is expected at roughly 8pm. 

  13. PMQs session ended with question on Middle Eastpublished at 13:04 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    The PMQs session finished with a question is from Sir Eric Pickles on the PM's meeting with Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu. He stressed the importance of economic development and prosperity to the prospects of a lasting piece in the Middle East and called for the resumption of face-to-face talks.

    The PM said the UK still believed in a two-state solution but it was up to Israel and the Palestinians to agree a way forward. 

  14. May praise for Ken Clarke...published at 13:03 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    There were also further questions on transport, education and manufacturing follow before Labour's Angela Eagle returned to the subject of Brexit for a final time at PMQs and asked how the UK hoped to replicate "barrier-free, tariff-free trade" it currently enjoyed with the EU.

    In response, the PM found a moment to praise leading Tory Europhile Ken Clarke - a thorn in her side over the issue of Brexit - for his long service and reiterated her belief that within the two-year timeframe for talks it was possible to agree the terms of exit and also a strong trade agreement. 

  15. Watch: Search is on for 'Nick' in leaked Surrey funding texts?published at 13:01 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    Andrew Neil
    Presenter, The Daily Politics

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  16. Will UK lose £9bn after leaving EU?published at 13:01 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Amongst other questions to mop up from that session of PMQs, Tory Karl McCartney urged the Commons to unite behind the government over Brexit and its ambition for a "truly global Britain".

    Unsurprisingly, the PM agreed with this. 

    But Labour's Owen Smith had a rather different take, asking the PM whether she agreed with the head of the World Trade Organisation that if the UK left the EU without a trade agreement it would cost £9bn in lost trade.

    Mrs May said she believes it is possible to get a comprehensive trade deal in goods and services, "good for the UK and the EU as well". 

  17. Watch: Theresa May on Parliament getting a Brexit deal votepublished at 12:52 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    House of Commons
    Parliament

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  18. Watch: PM on EU nationals' right to stay in UKpublished at 12:51 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    House of Commons
    Parliament

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  19. Energy customers being 'ripped off'published at 12:50 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Before the session finished Caroline Flint asked about anticipated rises in energy prices by the Big Six firms and said customers were being "ripped off" to the tune of £1.4bn.

    The PM said the government would look at markets when there is evidence there is not proper competition and the energy market is one of those. 

  20. Kendall on 'take it or leave it' Brexit dealpublished at 12:48 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2017

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    The PM is asked about knife crime in London by Labour's Dawn Butler and then the questions on Brexit keep on coming.

    James Berry asks for a guarantee that the UK will continue to welcome high-skilled immigrants while Liz Kendall complains that Parliament is being offered a "take it or leave it" deal when it is asked to sanction any Brexit deal.

    The PM says there will be a vote on the final agreement in both Houses of Parliament and this will happen before the European Parliament has its say.