Westminster Hall

So far, a majority of the speakers in this Westminster Hall debate have supported the e-petition's motion for a 'stay' option to be given to MPs when the EU-UK deal comes to a parliamentary vote.

This may be because many MPs are watching today's statements and debates in the Commons chamber, which have covered the G7, Grenfell and now the counter-terrorism bill.

But it may also be that Brexiteers - for whom the motion is an attempt to derail the implementation of the referendum result - know that it is unlikely to come to a vote, let alone pass.

This is because the government has already rejected the idea - and has been sticking to its definition of a "meaningful vote" on Brexit.

That definition, its opponents say, amounts to "take it or leave it".

House of Commons
Parliament

The bill strengthens certain laws on counter-terrorism legislation, as well as allowing people at ports and borders to be questioned for national security concerns.

The government says that the bill updates "terrorism offences for the digital age" and "reflects contemporary patterns of radicalisation".

The bill will also allow the police and Crown Prosecution Service to intervene earlier in terror-related investigations, and it strengthens the powers the police have over managing terrorist offenders after their release from prison.

The bill largely does this by updating and amending the Terrorism Acts 2000 and 2006.

Finally, the bill allows the UK to treat a suspect abroad of encouraging terrorism in the UK as if that person had carried out those offences in the UK themselves.

House of Lords
Parliament

Home Office spokesperson Baroness Manzoor concludes the debate on the government's Serious Violence Strategy, highlighting that the department will be focusing on new models of preventative policing.

Referring to criticism of police numbers, she says rises in this type of crime are generally associated with "factors outside police control like drug trends and markets".

She stresses the need for multi-agency co-operation when it comes to steering young people away from crime.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Home Secretary Sajid Javid says that the UK "faces significant threats to our national security", both from terrorism and from international hostile activity.

As home secretary, he says he does "not want to offer false hope" by saying that there will be no more terror acts on his watch, "but what I can do as home secretary" is to look at powers available to the state and "make sure that they have what they need".

The bill is "all about keeping the people of this country safe," he states, saying it will also grant more powers to investigate "hostile state activity".

"It's high time that we harden our defences" against such actions from other countries, he adds.

Westminster Hall

The debate has shifted its focus from MPs' options in a future vote on the Brexit deal to an argument about another referendum.

Several MPs have spoken against the idea, saying the previous referendum was divisive and people were not given adequate information. They say MPs should fulfil their role as people's representatives and make the decision.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Responding to this afternoon's debate on serious violence, Labour spokesman Lord Kennedy of Southwark says "we all want the government to be successful" in tackling this problem.

He says a reduction in police officer numbers has "undoubtedly had an effect" and it's "ridiculous to suggest otherwise".

He agrees with previous speakers that drug dealing has much to do with the growth of violent crime and "the number of people losing their lives is truly tragic".

House of Commons
Parliament

Housing Secretary James Brokenshire says that the government are "focused" on the issue of the remaining households who have not moved.

"There is a firm element of personalisation" for the accommodation that former residents are moving in to, he adds.

Since 2007, buildings regulations have stipulated that all new high rise buildings must have sprinklers, he states, and "no single measure can be seen as a panacea," he adds.

He says he will not "shrink" from his responsibilities in sorting the situation out and offers to work with Mr Healey on outstanding issues.

"We must get this right, and that is what this government intends to do," he finishes.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Shadow housing secretary John Healey says that "we will not forget our special duty as members of Parliament to do right by [the victims], and those who survived them".

Mr Healey contrasts the speech that Mrs May gave immediately after the fire, with the fact that over a half of the residents are still living in hotels temporarily, and private sector buildings may still have dangerous cladding.

"The government's response has not been good enough, it is still not good enough," he says.

Only 39 of 127 households are in permanent new homes, he adds.

He says only 10 buildings around the country have had dangerous cladding removed, and asks for commitments that sprinklers will be retrofitted to tower blocks.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary James Brokenshire says "this will be an extremely painful time for that community" referring to the year anniversary of the fire.

"The initial response was not good enough," he says, adding that the government has given £46m in response to the tragedy. All but five households have now accepted offers of new housing, he adds.

"I remain very concerned about the 43 households who are still living in hotels," he says, adding that his teams are meeting with these former residents.

"This is not where any of us wanted to be a year on from the fire," he says, "the response has been too slow."

Westminster Hall

Anyone in the UK can set up an e-petition on the government’s special website.

If the petition gains 10,000 signatures, the government must provide a written response. If it then reaches 100,000 signatures, it must be considered for debate in the Commons by the Petitions Committee. If they select it, it goes before MPs for a debate.

This is what is happening today. MPs in Westminster Hall (the second hall for the Commons) are looking at a petition regarding the final Brexit vote in Parliament before Britain leaves the EU.

The petition has gained nearly 114,000 signatures.

Westminster Hall

Labour MP Catherine West criticises the "racist" and "abusive" nature of the debate on Brexit, the tone of which she says has "deteriorated" since the referendum.

She says former prime minister David Cameron bears some responsibility for not setting a tone when he called the referendum and for allowing immigration to dominate the subsequent campaign.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary James Brokenshire is giving a statement to the Commons on the Grenfell Tower Fire.

The fire took place nearly a year ago, on 14 June 2017. In previous statements, Labour have criticised the government for a response which the Opposition have called slow in rehousing affected families and members of the community.

An inquiry has recently been hearing from survivors of the fire.

Westminster Hall

Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse argues for extending the principle of the petition.

She says the final decision should not lie with MPs, but with the electorate. She calls for a new referendum on EU membership.

She says the only remaining rationale for Brexit is that it was the "will of the people".

"Why is the government so afraid of what the people think now?" she asks.

Westminster Hall

The debate is started by Liz Twist, Labour MP for Blaydon, who sits on the Petitions Committee.

She reads the motion and says she is glad the petitioner is in the room to watch the debate.

She calls it "either unfortunate or very fortuitous" that the debate is happening on the day before the EU Withdrawal Bill returns to the House of Commons.

Ms Twist says Labour is calling for a "truly meaningful vote" on the final EU-UK Brexit deal, as detailed in Lords amendment 19 to the Withdrawal Bill.

She says the passing of the amendment would give Parliament much better control, but points out that the government is resisting this measure.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Vince Cable asks what the point of the G7 is, considering that China and India are not members, he asks if she would consider recommending closing it down.

Mrs May says that progress has been made on trade, equality and other areas, which means the G7 is relevant.

House of Lords
Parliament

Image source, HoL

Crossbencher and Big Issue founder Lord Bird accuses the government of "always leaving money out" of the picture when discussing crime, and in his view "it all goes back to poverty".

He says "we fail 37% of children at school and we wonder why they who fall into crime".

He argues if we are to look at a typical offender it is someone "who comes from need, often from a broken home, a family uneducated after the Second World War", part of an "underclass of people moving from one generation to another".