Summary

  • It's private members' bill day in the Commons

  • First bill is Stalking Protection Bill - Tory MP Sarah Wollaston's bill

  • MPs also debate Parking Bill

  1. DUP: What happened to Northern Ireland single market decision?published at 12:56 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds says in the December joint report agreed between the UK and the EU, it was agreed that the Northern Irish people would have the final say on any divergence with the United Kingdom single market.

    "Why has the prime minster deleted all reference to that in the withdrawal agreement?" he asks. "Did she push the delete button?"

    Theresa May says he's right about the joint report, with the issue of processes considered within the United Kingdom, with references to parliamentary rules and a "Stormont lock".

    The lock referred to a decision being made by the Northern Ireland Executive and the Northern Ireland Assembly, she says, "something we do not sadly have at the moment".

  2. Tory MP champions getting more women into politicspublished at 12:53 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Maria MillerImage source, hoc

    Conservative MP and Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee Maria Miller says "all of the evidence shows that diversity delivers better decision making", yet over the last 100 years 4,503 men have been elected to the House of Commons, and just 491 women.

    "I'm proud that two of those women became prime minister," she says, but asks the prime minister what more the government can be doing to ensure that "more women join us on our green benches".

    The prime minister says "greater diversity in this place means we get better decisions, it's the same for Parliament as it is for a business."

    Theresa May says being a member of Parliament "is one of the best jobs in the world" and is "a real opportunity to give voice to those who otherwise would not be heard".

    She says she encourages all women to "get started, get elected and make a difference".

  3. Question from former Cabinet ministerpublished at 12:52 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

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  4. Labour MP questions when Domestic Violence Bill will become lawpublished at 12:50 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Angela SmithImage source, hoc

    Labour MP Angela Smith, who lost a vote of no confidence by her local party last week, asks whether MPs are going to get the promised Domestic Violence Bill on the statute book before the end of the parliamentary session.

    Theresa May says "we are committed to transforming the response to domestic violence."

    "We received 3,200 responses to the consultation and the Home Office will be publishing a response later this session."

  5. May acknowledges 'difficult and distressing' Hedges casepublished at 12:49 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Crispin Blunt raises the decision by the UAE to sentence British PhD student Matthew Hedges to life in prison on spying charges.

    This "wholly inconsistent" with the behaviour of a nation with who we have a mutual defence accord, he says.

    Ms May says she realises how "difficult and distressing this is" and the foreign secretary is raising the case with the Emirati authorities at the highest level.

    Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt looks on from the frontbench.

    PMQsImage source, HoC
  6. Which Universal Credit failure does the PM most regret?published at 12:47 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    SNP MP Marion Fellows says the UN is the latest to criticise the government's failure to tackle poverty. She asks which of the fundamental failures of Universal Credit the prime minister most regrets - the failure to fund it properly or the decision to triple the time that those in need must wait?

    The prime minister says changes have been made to Universal Credit to address issues.

    On tackling poverty, she says there are one million fewer people living in absolute poverty now, a record low.

    There are also 300,000 fewer children living in absolute poverty and 637,000 fewer children living in workless households.

    "That's the action of this government and the impact of Universal Credit."

  7. Tory MP questions nature of the backstoppublished at 12:42 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Tory MP George Freeman says "it is clear that the prime minister and Cabinet have laudably tried to reconcile the need for continuity of market access with the freedom to diverge."

    Questioning the role of the backstop, Mr Freeman asks for confirmation that the draft withdrawal agreement "does not contain a trap that if we dare to diverge, we undermine the union".

    Theresa May says "work is being done on alternative arrangements that may need to be used if necessary" and that "the backstop is temporary".

    "We would not be looking to diverge during that period from the regulations, and we would ensure that we kept that free access for goods from Northern Ireland coming into the UK," she says.

    "What is important is that we have a means of ensuring the backstop will only be used temporarily," she adds.

  8. What threats?published at 12:42 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

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  9. PM: We will leave the EU on 29 March 2019published at 12:40 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Esther McVeyImage source, hoc

    Conservative Esther McVey, who resigned last week as work and pensions secretary in protest at the proposed withdrawal agreement, asks for the PM to assure MPs that the UK will be leaving the EU on 29 March 2019, "come what may".

    Mrs May thanks her for her work in government.

    "I can give her that assurance...The United Kingdom will leave the European Union on the 29th of March 2019."

  10. PM 'assures' commitment to retaining close relationship with EUpublished at 12:39 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Nicholas SoamesImage source, hoc

    Conservative MP Nicholas Soames says "as we move to honour the result of the referendum, can the prime minister confirm that it will remain our firmest intention to retain the closest relationship with our friends and allies in the interest of both?"

    Theresa May says she is "happy to give that assurance".

    "We're leaving the EU, we're not leaving Europe," she adds, "alongside a good trading relationship we will pursue a close security and defence partnership that we have had with the EU and across Europe as well."

  11. 'Bog-standard' WTO should be avoided - Tory MPpublished at 12:39 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    James Cartlidge MPImage source, HoC

    Conservative MP James Cartlidge supports the prime minister's Brexit deal and says the "bog-standard" terms of WTO (and an eventuality of no-deal Brexit) should be avoided and that our current access "should be maintained".

    The prime minister responds: "We want to negotiate a trading deal that is on better terms than WTO."

    Find out about the 'no-deal' WTO option here.

  12. PM: We will not exclude Gibraltarpublished at 12:37 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Bob Neill says no people are as proudly and passionately British as the people of Gibraltar. He says he's pleased the PM's deal with the EU gives significant safeguards to them.

    He asks that under no circumstances will she permit the text to be reopened and put those safeguards at risk.

    Mrs May says she's been absolutely steadfast in the government's support for Gibraltar and remains fully committed. She says she's been seeking a deal that works for all in the UK, and that must include the people of Gibraltar.

    The UK will not exclude Gibraltar in future negotiations, she says.

  13. Caroline Lucas calls for 'People's Vote'published at 12:34 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Caroline LucasImage source, hoc

    Green MP Caroline Lucas says "many polls show the vast majority of the people would like no Brexit at all."

    "The will of the people can change, the will of the people has changed," she adds, "the way forward is a 'People's Vote', or does she think democracy ended on 23 June 2016?"

    Theresa May says: "The people were given an option on whether to stay in the EU, the people exercised their right to vote and it was a great example of democracy.

    "The people voted to leave and we should give them that outcome," she says.

  14. PM backs calls for diversity in Parliamentpublished at 12:32 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Conservative MP Robert Halfon calls on the prime minister to encourage more women into from "disadvantaged and working-class backgrounds" to access public life and stand for Parliament.

    The PM says greater numbers of women and people from "a wide variety of backgrounds and experience" will lead to better decisions being made in the House of Commons.

  15. Labour: PM's austerity is over claim 'as credible as her Brexit plan'published at 12:31 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour MP Mike Amesbury brings to the attention of the prime minister the severity of the cuts that schools are facing.

    He says "the prime minister's claim that austerity is over is as credible as her Brexit plan."

    "Will the government get a grip or step aside," he asks.

    Theresa May says "the government is providing extra funding" and that in the North West, "895,000 students are at good or outstanding schools."

  16. PM: Single market and customs union would frustrate the vote of the British peoplepublished at 12:30 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Ian BlackfordImage source, hoc

    SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford says the prime minister met yesterday with Nicola Sturgeon, who made clear that there are other alternatives on Brexit.

    "Was she listening?" he asks.

    "Of course I heard what she said," Theresa May responds. Nicola Sturgeon wants to stay in the single market and stay in the customs union - "that's what we will not do".

    Mr Blackford says at least that option has some support from MPs.

    He turns to the damning UN report released this week, which suggests up to a quarter of people in the UK are living in poverty. Why doesn't she recognise that Brexit will make this worse? he asks.

    He appeals for the prime minister to "for once start to listen", work with others and recognise that staying in the single market and the customs union is the best option.

    Theresa May says this position would "frustrate the vote of the British people in voting for Brexit", as the deal protects jobs. Maybe the SNP should listen to the people of Scotland who voted to remain in the UK, she says.

  17. PMQs - focus turns to Brexit in past few monthspublished at 12:29 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

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  18. Cheers for PM as she accused Labour leader of 'playing party politics'published at 12:26 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    Analysis

    Mark D'Arcy
    Parliamentary Correspondent

    The counter-attack came with Theresa May noting Jeremy Corbyn hadn’t read the deal, and rehearsed some of his statements about Brexit….

    The cheers were a bit louder as she accused him of playing party politics. She promised to act in the national interest.

    You got a sense of how tough the last fortnight had been for the PM when she paused and favoured the Opposition front bench with a kind of weary squint.

  19. Tory MP: £39bn exit fee 'drastically overpaying EU'published at 12:25 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Neil ParishImage source, hoc

    Conservative MP and Defra committee chair Neil Parish says "he accepts what a tough decision" the prime minister has but that the UK is "drastically overpaying the EU" with the proposed £39bn exit fee.

    He asks the prime minister "to renegotiate this deal before bringing it to the House".

    Theresa May says "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed and we remain negotiating on that future framework."

    She says "£39bn is significantly less than the £100bn that the EU were first talking about."

    "The UK is a country that meets the legal obligations we have," she says.

  20. PM: Public 'gave us an instruction' to leave the EUpublished at 12:22 Greenwich Mean Time 21 November 2018

    PMQs

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn describes Theresa May's draft withdrawal agreement as a "failure" and says it will be "rightly rejected" by Parliament.

    Mr Corbyn says if the government can't come up with an alternative "they should make way for those who can".

    The prime minister accuses the Labour leader of playing "party politics" and promising a deal he "can't negotiate".

    "The public gave us an instruction to leave the European Union," she says.