Summary

  • Earlier: Theresa May questioned on Brexit by senior MPs

  • Labour granted urgent question on Brexit legal advice

  • Minister says attorney general will give statement on advice next week

  • Labour MP reveals he is HIV positive during debate on World Aids Day

  • Lords debate school funding and tackling violent crime

  1. UK will take back control of fishing, says PMpublished at 15:56 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

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  2. Labour peer: Bill should pass 'quickly and unamended'published at 15:55 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    Voyeurism (Offences) (No.2) Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness ChakrabartiImage source, HoL

    Liberal peer Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames endorses Lord Pannick's amendment, but says there is a "concern" that if an individual intends to take pictures or recordings under a victim's skirt without knowing, "a victim cannot be alarmed or humiliated by it, and therefore the defendant cannot be deemed guilty".

    Lord Marks says this is "an unnecessary complication and hurdle to overcome".

    He says amendment one would "improve the bill" by "specifically outlawing taking pictures under a skirt or item of clothing for entertainment or financial gain".

    Labour peer Baroness Chakrabarti says this bill is "incredibly important" and for that reason "the bill should pass through this House quickly and unamended".

    Baroness Chakrabarti says she does not want "this very important legislation for women in England and Wales to fall at the wayside by being sent back to the Commons at this present time".

    She says the Commons "is not currently fit" to discuss this legislation, and as the legislation "would be under review" for a set period, more discussion could be had at a later date.

  3. 'Having a laugh' upskirting excuse is 'large loophole' in billpublished at 15:54 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    Voyeurism (Offences) (No.2) Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Lord PannickImage source, HoL

    Crossbench peer Lord Pannick opens the bill's committee stage, saying he "strongly supports this bill which will provide much needed criminal sanctions for awful offences".

    On the issue of upskirting, Lord Pannick says the evidence "is dependent on the proof that an individual has acted for one of two unlawful purposes - obtaining sexual gratification and humiliating, alarming or distressing a victim".

    He says it is "inevitable" that some men who are accused of this offence "will say they did the act not for these purposes, but for the purpose of having a laugh".

    Lord Pannick says "there is nothing remotely funny about this offence for the victim" but there is "a real risk that the defence's case would succeed".

    "This is a loophole so large it would be more appropriate to describe it as a manhole."

    Lord Pannick says his amendment, amendment one, would curtail this loophole by adding that upskirting is a crime if it was done "to invade the privacy of an individual".

  4. Corbyn: deal marks the end of 'failed and miserable negotiations'published at 15:54 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    EU Withdrawal Agreement statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Leader of the Opposition Jeremy Corbyn says "nothing has changed" and says that while the government says rejecting the deal would send the country "back to square one...the truth is we've never got beyond square one".

    He says the deal marks the end of "failed and miserable negotiations" and has resulted in a deal that "leaves us with the worst of all worlds, no say over future rules and no certainty for the future".

    He says silence from the rest of the Cabinet is "telling" because they know the deal will leave the country "worse off", citing research that shows the economy would be 3.9% smaller after the deal.

    He says carrying on with the deal is "national self harm" and calls for a "plan B".

    "There is", he says, "a sensible deal that could win the support of this House" including a customs union and "a strong single market deal" that would protect rights at work.

  5. 'No new line or argument' from PMpublished at 15:48 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    The Spectator's political editor tweets

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  6. Muttering on the Tory backbenches?published at 15:46 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

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  7. May: Without a backstop, there is no dealpublished at 15:46 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    EU Withdrawal Agreement statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Theresa May in the CommonsImage source, HoC

    The prime minister says neither side is "entirely happy" on the arrangements reached. She stresses that the negotiations required "give and take on both sides".

    "There is no deal that comes without a backstop, and without a backstop there is no deal," she says.

    The UK has refused to back down over fishing access for EU fleets, with some continuing to push for a change to that approach. To them, she says "it is not going to happen".

    Theresa May tells MPs - "with absolute certainty" - that there is not a better deal available.

    It is now time to back the deal and "move on to building a brighter future of opportunity and prosperity for all our people." Voting down the deal would, she says, return the country to "square one".

    She also urges MPs to listen to their constituents.

    Quote Message

    There is no deal that comes without a backstop, and without a backstop there is no deal."

    Today's Parliamentary set piece statement is the start of a concerted campaign to sell the deal to the British people, in a bid to win MPs round by demonstrating public support. As it stands, it looks extremely unlikely that the deal will pass through the Commons.

    The news website Buzzfeed says 94 Conservative MPs , externalhave indicated they will vote against the deal, as have the 10 DUP MPs on whom the Conservative Party depends for a majority in the Commons.

    The opposition parties; Labour, the Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and the SNP are also expected to vote against the deal.

  8. Who is in the chamber for the PM's statement?published at 15:41 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

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  9. May's message: 'This is all there is'published at 15:40 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    Selling the prime minister's deal as a grown-up compromise will be harder than talks with the EU.

    Read More
  10. May: Gibraltar government supports government approachpublished at 15:38 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    EU Withdrawal Agreement statement

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Theresa MayImage source, HoC

    Theresa May is now addressing MPs on the EU withdrawal agreement, which was formally agreed by the leaders of the other 27 EU nations at the weekend.

    On Gibraltar, which was a last minute sticking point in the negotiations, she says the government is committed to protecting all parts of the UK and has the support of the Gibraltar government in the approach they have taken.

  11. Williamson 'shocked' at Russian seizure of Ukranian navy shipspublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    Defence questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Asked what options are being considered following Russia's seizure of three Ukranian warships off the coast of Crimea.

    Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson says he's "shocked" and that he plans "direct talks" with his Ukrainian opposite number to see what assistance can be offered. He goes on to suggest that the issue should be "looked at by the United Nations".

  12. UK 'won't necessarily' choose to continue as part of European Defence Fundpublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    Defence Questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Nia GriffithImage source, HoC

    Labour's Nia Griffith says the PM has managed to unite MPs in opposition to her "half baked" Brexit deal.

    Many questions remain, she says, including over the UK's future participation in the European Defence Fund.

    This matters to defence suppliers and companies, she says - they want to ensure full access to grants is maintained.

    Mr Williamson says 90% of collaboration with European countries is not done through the EU, but on bilateral agreements. There's an option to continue as part of the European Defence Fund, but it's not necessarily something the UK is likely do.

  13. Peers debate 'upskirting' billpublished at 15:31 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    Voyeurism (Offences) (No.2) Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Next, peers move on to debate the peers debate Voyeurism (Offences) (No.2) Bill in its committee stage.

    The bill makes certain acts of voyeurism an offence, and will insert two new offences in the Sexual Offences Act 2003 to cover the practice known as ‘upskirting’.

    The new offences would apply in instances when:

    • without consent, an individual operates equipment or records an image beneath a person's clothing to observe their genitalia or buttocks, whether covered or uncovered by underwear garments
    • the offender has a motive of either obtaining sexual gratification or causing humiliation, distress or alarm to the victim.

    The bill would also ensure that the most serious offenders, where the purpose of the offence is for sexual gratification, are placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

  14. Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Bill passes committee stagepublished at 15:30 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Peers now move on to discuss the Prisons (Interference with Wireless Telegraphy) Bill in its committee stage.

    This is a private member's bill which would authorise public communication providers to disrupt the use of unlawful mobile phones in prisons.

    As no amendments have been made, the bill automatically passes its committee stage.

  15. Back my deal or risk more division - Maypublished at 15:30 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    The prime minister will tell MPs people "want us to get on with a deal that honours the referendum".

    Read More
  16. Defence sums 'don't add up'published at 15:29 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    Defence Questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Shadow defence secretary Nia Griffith says the MoD's defence budget means the Equipment Plan is unaffordable, and whilst everyone welcomes the funding for defence announced in the Budget, the sums still don't add up.

    She asks what plans there are to deal with this particular funding shortfall.

    Gavin Williamson says the department is driving savings through efficiency and working in a way that is aware of changing budgets.

    Ms Griffith says "we've known for years" that the equipment plan is unaffordable, whilst the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned tight defence budgets need to be "deferred, descoped or deleted".

    Mr Williamson says the NAO is painting a worst case scenario and the department is focused on driving efficiency.

  17. Peers debate Russian capture of three Ukranian vesselspublished at 15:28 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    PNQ on Russian capture of Ukrainian vessels

    Lord WallaceImage source, HoL

    Lib Dem peer Lord Wallace of Saltaire asks what discussions the government has had with the government of Russia regarding their capture of three Ukrainian naval vessels in the waters off the Crimean Peninsula.

    Foreign Minister Baroness Goldie says the government has not held bilateral talks with the Russian government on this issue, and emergency meetings with Nato will take place today to discuss "Russian's flagrant break of the rules".

    "The UK's position is clear, ships must be allowed free passage in the Sea of Azov," she adds.

    Lord Wallace asks if the government is confident that our allies have the same strong attitudes as the UK does towards Russia's breach of rules and "aggressive use of firearms".

    Baroness Goldie says Russia's actions were "aggressive and against several conventions", and all allies have made clear "our profound disgust at this action".

    Conservative peer Lord Howell says this is part of Russia's aim to "cut Ukraine out of the economy".

    Labour peer Lord West of Spithead calls for "a review" on the UK sending a ship to the Black Sea at this time "which may be unable to look after itself".

    Conservative peer Lord Robathan calls for "greater investment in conventional warfare, given what the Russians have just done".

    Baroness Goldie says "the MOD's actions are carefully reviewed, and any decision to deploy a ship would only be made after this," and that "significant investment is being made in the UK's defence capabilities".

    sea of avozImage source, bbc
  18. Labour: Has Treasury agreed to pay costs of new satellite navigation development?published at 15:22 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    Defence Questions

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Gavin WilliamsonImage source, HoC

    Labour shadow defence minister Wayne David asks about Galileo satellite navigation, external after Brexit, with plans for the UK to develop its own system estimated to cost between £3-5bn.

    He asks if the Treasury has agreed to pay the sum.

    Gavin Williamson says it's typical of Labour to want to hand over money to the EU, only to get nothing in return.

    Galileo was developed in the UK with British money and tech, he says. The UK is capable of delivering that system with international allies, he adds, and there are more international allies around the globe beyond the European Union.

    Galileo: Funding pledge for UK rival to EU sat-nav system - BBC News

  19. Williamson: Nato, not EU 'cornerstone' of UK defence policypublished at 15:20 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour MP Mike Kane asks what discussions have been has with the EU High Representative for ForeignAffairs and Security Policy , externalon the UK's future defence relationship with the EU.

    Mr Williamson says all defence ministers discuss this regularly with EU counterparts.

    Tory MP Marcus Fysh says the withdrawal agreement doesn't given the defence industry an exemption to state aid rules, which would damage the industry. He asks why the UK would sign up to such an agreement.

    Mr Williamson says the government wants to ensure the UK keeps freedom and independence moving forward, which the withdrawal agreement provides whilst also ensuring the defence industry can make the most of other commercial benefits. There are defence schemes the UK hopes to remain an associate member of moving forward.

    The UK was active in ensuring the security of continental Europe long before the creation of the EU, he says. The cornerstone of defence policy is Nato, not the European Union.

  20. Labour peer 'speechless' at lack of progress on gender pay gappublished at 15:16 Greenwich Mean Time 26 November 2018

    Oral Questions

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness WilliamsImage source, HoL

    Labour peer Baroness Prosser asks what plans the government has to require organisations to produce action plans to respond to their gender pay gap reports.

    Equalities Minister Baroness Trafford says she is "delighted" that over 10,000 employers produced gender pay gap data in the first year but "reporting is just the first step".

    "We believe the transparency created by reporting will motivate employers to take action," she says.

    Baroness Prosser says she is "speechless" that "nothing really happens on this topic despite debate".

    She says she "welcomes work that has been done to encourage more women onto public boards, however the gender pay gap is at its most pronounced", and asks if the government has any intentions to introduce schemes which encourages the greater availability of part time work.

    Liberal peer Baroness Burt calls for all employers with more than 50 employees should be made to produce gender pay gap data.

    Baroness Williams says over 300 smaller businesses have disclosed their data already, and progress will be monitored by making businesses disclose updated data every year.