Summary

  • Commons started with questions to the culture secretary followed by the attorney general

  • Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom set out future business

  • Two statements on a parliamentary complaints policy and supported housing

  • Debate on Russian interference in UK politics

  • Peers take part in debates on climate change and ivory trade

  1. Umunna: link between abuse and Brexitpublished at 18:37 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Harassment in public life statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Chuka UmunnaImage source, HoC

    Labour's Chuka Umunna argues that there is "an undoubtedly link" between abuse and Brexit.

    He tells MPs that Nigel Farage has said if Brexit is not delivered "to his satisfaction" he will be "forced to pick up a rifle".

    "That king of language is completely unwelcome," replies the home secretary.

  2. 'Hundreds and hundreds' of abusive emails - MPpublished at 18:35 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Harassment in public life statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Antoinette SandbachImage source, HoC

    Conservative Antoinette Sandbach says she has received "hundreds and hundreds" of abusive emails after she voted against the government last week.

    She says it was "not helped" by some MPs calling for deselections after the rebellion. Choosing her words carefully Antoinette Sandbach says there is a "clear link" between "particular parts of particular political parties linking abuse and deselection".

    She calls for condemnation of such "linkage" and for the right of MPs to "stand here and speak for them [constituents] and to vote with their conscience" to be defended.

    Ms Rudd calls Ms Sandbach an "exceptional member of Parliament" and says that because she votes with her conscience, that is "exactly the kind" of MP that "we should have here".

  3. Rudd: Hate threats are the new normalpublished at 18:26 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Harassment in public life statement

    House of Commons
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    "We need to challenge national newspapers if they do things which incite death threats" says the Labour chair of the Home Affairs Committee Yvette Cooper.

    She is the latest MP to ask the home secretary to condemn the Daily Mail for calling MPs treacherous.

    Amber Rudd says she hopes that all "national newspapers, commentators, internet companies and television" will start to notice that "the language they use needs to reflect" the fact that MPs are talking about hate threats as the new normal.

  4. Rudd: 'large number of threats' over last 10 dayspublished at 18:24 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Harassment in public life statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Nicky MorganImage source, HoC

    Conservative Nicky Morgan says we are all used to robust public debate, but how people see discourse unfolding from parties or the press affects perceptions.

    She adds that it will put people off a career in public life, due to abuse received online or in the press.

    Amber Rudd says MPs must call this out, "the last ten days or so" has seen a large number of threats against colleagues.

    She says colleagues should speak to the police and request help. It is not acceptable to say "this is the life of an MP," she adds.

  5. Harman: 'Call in' the editors of the Mail and Telegraphpublished at 18:22 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Harassment in public life statement

    House of Commons
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    Labour's Harriet Harman wonders if the Home Secretary Amber Rudd is prepared to be "brave" and "call in" the editors of the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph.

    Noting that there are more contentious votes ahead, Harriet Harman says that the safety of MPs is at stake and "so too is our democracy".

  6. Grieve: Stimulus of abuse lies in parts of the mediapublished at 18:17 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Harassment in public life statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative Dominic Grieve was subject to a significant amount of abuse after voting against the government last week.

    He says some of "the vitriolic abuse" comes from people "who are unhinged" but adds that the "stimulus" lies in how parts of the media choose to report politics in a way designed "to intimidate".

    He tells MPs that the Daily Mail threatened him with libel after he criticised their "Enemies of the People" headline.

    He says that if "we collectively stand up to this deeply unpleasant phenomenon, we don't need new legislation."

  7. Cherry: Abuse wears me downpublished at 18:13 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Harassment in public life statement

    House of Commons
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    Joanna CherryImage source, HoC

    The SNP's home affairs spokeswoman Joanna Cherry tells MPs that she was the second most abused MP after Diane Abbott.

    "A daily diet of sexist, homophobic and anti-Catholic abuse wears me down and has had a serious effect on my family," says the MP.

    "This abuse is designed to intimidate us," she says and is "an attack on democracy". She urges the home secretary to take action on the report's recommendations.

    The home secretary tells MPs that the government will look carefully at the recommendations but suggests that she has doubts as to whether additional legislation will be necessary.

  8. How do we get a more responsible press?published at 18:09 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Harassment in public life statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    The Conservative Anna Soubry, faced a barrage of abuse online after voting against the government on the EU Withdrawal Bill last week.

    She draws a link between the front page of the Daily Telegraph which dubbed the Conservative rebels "mutineers" and subsequent threats, including death threats.

    Saying that she's "an old journalist as well as an old barrister", she states that she believes in the freedom of the press but also believes everyone has a responsibility not to incite abuse and death threats.

    "How do we get a more responsible press that understands its role?" she asks.

    Amber Rudd calls the threats Anna Soubry received "truly appalling".

  9. Abbott criticises headline writerspublished at 18:03 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Harassment in public life statement

    House of Commons
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    Diane AbbottImage source, HoC

    Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott tells MPs that "vigorous debate and insults" have been part of political life for centuries.

    She quotes Benjamin Disraeli comparing an opponent's smile to "the silver fittings on a coffin".

    However she argues that this is "a world away" from today's online abuse and calls for social media companies to be compelled to "react quickly to offensive material".

    She also attacks the "headline writers" for describing judges as "enemies" and MPs as "saboteurs".

    Home Secretary Amber Rudd says she agrees "with much of what" Diane Abbott says.

  10. 'Significant proportion' of parliamentary candidates faced abusepublished at 17:55 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Harassment in public life statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    RuddImage source, HoC

    Home Secretary Amber Rudd is updating the House on strategies for tackling the harassment of MPs.

    Ministers announced an inquiry by the Committee on Standards in Public Life in July.

    The committee looked at the nature of the problem of intimidation, and current protections and measures in place for candidates.

    Ms Rudd emphasises it is not a partisan issue and that it affects a range of people in the public eye.

    She says "a significant proportion" of parliamentary candidates suffered abuse in 2017, and the government will respond to the watchdog's findings in due course.

    "We already have robust legislation in place" to address online abuse, she tells MPs, and "we are working to improve the response of enforcement agencies".

  11. Dromey: 200 tower blocks are waiting for sprinklerspublished at 17:54 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Grenfell Tower statement

    House of Commons
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    Labour's Jack Dromey says that although the West Midlands fire service has recommended installing sprinklers, 200 tower blocks are "awaiting action".

    He says the local council will "do their part" but adds that they are "suffering the biggest cuts in local government history" and asks the government to help.

    Sajid Javid notes that Judith Hackitt's interim report stated that no one single measure, including sprinkler installation, was essential.

    He adds that the measures taken depend on the individual building.

  12. Debate on financial exclusion beginspublished at 17:49 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    House of Lords
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    Baroness Tyler of EnfieldImage source, HoL

    The statement on the European Council concludes and the Lib Dem's Baroness Tyler of Enfield now opens the debate on the Committee on Financial Exclusion's report: Tackling Financial Exclusion: A country that works for everyone?, external

    The committee found that a large number of UK citizens lack access to even the most basic financial services and that too many people are forced to rely on high-cost products which are "damaging to financial health".

    The committee has recommended that the Financial Conduct Authority should have a statutory duty to promote financial inclusion.

  13. EU negotiators are 'being unhelpful'published at 17:45 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    European Council statement

    House of Lords
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    Conservative Lord Maude accuses EU negotiators of “being unhelpful” when they say that the UK cannot get a bespoke agreement with the EU.

    He says that every single agreement reached with third countries by the EU has been bespoke.

    "I couldn’t have said it better myself," replies Baroness Evans.

    Another Conservative, Lord Forsyth attacks the opposition's position on Brexit. "They don't know which part of their anatomy differs from the other," he says.

  14. What's the point of leaving the single market, asks Lord Hainpublished at 17:45 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    European Council statement

    House of Lords
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    "What is the point of leaving the single market and customs union if we are going to be exactly aligned with EU regulations?" asks Labour's Lord Hain.

    Baroness Evans, the Leader of the Lords, replies that details of the future UK-EU relationship will be settled in the next stage of negotiations.

  15. Ministers urged to make fire safety advice bindingpublished at 17:44 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Grenfell Tower statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour chair of the Communities and Local Government Committee, Clive Betts, asks the government to ensure, in accordance with Dame Judith Hackitt's recommendations, that the advice of fire and rescue services should be placed on a statutory footing to prevent it being "ignored".

    He urges ministers to "rethink the decision not to provide extra funding" to local authorities for safety work "they say is essential".

    Mr Javid confirms he has accepted her recommendations and advises that where local authorities cannot afford to carry out works "they should talk to us".

  16. Children in bed and breakfasts for six months - MPpublished at 17:35 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Grenfell Tower statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Grenfell Tower is in the constituency of the Labour MP Emma Dent-Coad. She says that according to her calculations there are 200 children who have been in bed and breakfasts for six months, which is illegal.

    Mr Javid acknowledges "there are too many families in emergency accommodation and tells her: "We continue to work with local authorities to address this."

  17. Labour: The buck should stop with ministerspublished at 17:26 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Grenfell Tower statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    HealeyImage source, HoC

    Shadow housing secretary John Healey responds to the statement by Sajid Javid, referring to comments by survivors that "we should not need to bare our wounds to get the action needed".

    He highlights the number of survivors still in temporary accommodation, which he says is "no place for a family at Christmas".

    "It's not good enough to place blame on the local authority" for the failure to rehouse people, he continues, arguing: "The buck should stop with ministers."

    He calls on the government to act on the Hackitt interim report rather than waiting for the final version.

    Mr Javid says he recognises "progress has been painfully slow" but nobody should be "forced" to accept an offer of housing.

  18. Fire regulations 'not fit for purpose'published at 17:20 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    Grenfell Tower statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    JavidImage source, HoC

    Communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid is making a statement on Grenfell Tower and building safety.

    "The scale and the impact of the disaster is unprecedented," he tells the House.

    Earlier this year, the government asked Dame Judith Hackitt to carry out an independent review of building regulations and fire safety.

    The interim report, external has now been published, stating that "the current regulatory system for ensuring fire safety in high-rise and complex buildings is not fit for purpose".

  19. 'Everyone can see' sectoral analyses - Lords leaderpublished at 17:15 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    European Council statement

    House of Lords
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    Baroness Evans of Bowes ParkImage source, HoL

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park is not impressed with the remarks from Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

    She says the UK always wanted a reciprocal agreement on citizens' rights, which would now be turned into law.

    Everyone can see the Brexit sectoral analyses, she adds.

  20. Libs Dems say Brexit costing £340m a weekpublished at 17:09 Greenwich Mean Time 18 December 2017

    European Council statement

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord NewbyImage source, HoL

    Leader of the Lib Dem peers, Lord Newby, says that the government has one agreement to show after nine months. He says the UK was always going to agree to the financial settlement and the idea that citizens' rights wouldn't be agreed was not in contention.

    He says that the Northern Ireland question has been kicked down the road.

    He reckons it is pointless pressing the leader of the Lords for answers on specific questions as "the government has no position".

    Quoting statistics from the Financial Times, he says Brexit is currently costing the government £340m per week.

    He asks if it is time for the UK government to change its course.