This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen
on .
It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
PMQs: May faces Corbyn after economic Brexit analysis is published - Politics live
Labour says Brexit impact analysis 'ludicrous' because it does not cover deal agreed with EU - Politics live
(35 minutes later)
Anna Soubry, the Conservative pro-European, says the government promised MPs it would produce a modelled analysis of its proposed deal. But that promise has not been met, she says. She says on the basis of that promise she withdrew an amendment to a bill on this issue.
Stride says he does not accept that promises have been broken. The analysis is covers a spectrum of outcomes, because the political declaration is not specific, he says.
Nicky Morgan, the chair of the Commons Treasury committee, starts by complaining that John Bercow has called three Tory backbench men ahead of her, even though the Treasury analysis was demanded by her committee. She says the Bank of England will publish its analysis later. And Philip Hammond will give evidence to her committee next week, she says. She urges MPs to consider all the evidence before coming to a view.
Bercow says he almost always calls every MP who wants to speak in a UQ, unlike other speakers. He says MPs should not worry about when they are called. The three Tories he called ahead of her were the father of the House, and two former cabinet ministers, he says.
David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, asks Stride if he knows of any economic forecast that has got the figures right. Stride accepts such a forecast does not exist.
Hilary Benn, the Labour chair of the Brexit committee, asks what was the point of modelling an plan (Chequers) involving the UK staying effectively in the single market for goods when the EU has rejected this.
Stride says the political declaration makes it clear that the details of the future trade deal are yet to be negotiated.
John Redwood, a Conservative Brexiter, asks Stride if the government will publish figures showing the UK growth rate in the 25 years before it joined the EEC, and since it joined the single market in 1992. That will show how bad the EU has been for the UK.
Stride says he suspects Redwood has seen the figures already.
Ken Clarke, the Tory former chancellor, asks Stride to accept that it is not possible to leave a free trade area and introduce barriers to trade without making the UK poorer. He says it is obvious the UK should stay in the single market and the customs union.
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, says the least that MPs could expect was an oral statement from the Philip Hammond.
He says we are now in the “ludicrous” position of having an economic analysis of plans based on the Chequers proposals, which the government has abandoned.
He asks Stride to confirm that the deal on offer is worse for the UK than Chequers.
He asks what assumptions the Treasury has made about extending the transition.
Mel Stride, a junior Treasury minister, is responding to the UQ.
The economic analysis has been published, he says. He says it is not a forecast.
It looks at five scenarios, he says. He says this analysis shows that the deal on the table is the best deal
Rachel Reeves, the Labour MP and chair of the business committee, raises a point of order. Why is Philip Hammond not hear to answer the UQ, she asks. She says he should be here on a such an urgent issue. He has had lots of time for broadcast interviews, she says.
Rachel Reeves, the Labour MP and chair of the business committee, raises a point of order. Why is Philip Hammond not hear to answer the UQ, she asks. She says he should be here on a such an urgent issue. He has had lots of time for broadcast interviews, she says.
Labour’s Liz Kendall says she has never heard a government say its policy will make people poorer. Is that what May came into politics for?
Labour’s Liz Kendall says she has never heard a government say its policy will make people poorer. Is that what May came into politics for?
May says she does not accept this. The economic analysis shows the economy will continue to grow, she says.
May says she does not accept this. The economic analysis shows the economy will continue to grow, she says.
Peter Bone, the Tory Brexiter, gets one of the final questions at PMQs. He says a Lords committee said the UK could leave the EU without having to pay anything to the EU. But May says the opposite. Who is right?
May says the Lords committee did say that. But there is a different opinion. She says the other view is that the UK will have legal obligations. She thinks the UK should meet its obligations.
PMQ - Snap verdict: God help us all if the five-day debate on Brexit is anything like this. Anyone looking for insight into what will, or will not happen, when the UK leaves the EU from these exchanges will be disappointed. May has had a relatively easy time of it so far, compared to some of her other recent Commons outings. She has had relatively little criticism from Brexiter Tories, and it was Jeremy Corbyn who put her under most pressure, although even these exchanges weren’t particularly decisive because he did not push as hard as he could done on certain issues. His quote from what May said about Blair being under an obligation to publish the Iraq legal advice was effective, although he did not make the obvious point that it is hypocritical for a government committed to letting parliament take back control to be defying the Commons. And he did not fully exploit the huge gap between what Philip Hammond is saying about how Brexit will make the UK poorer and what May is saying about how it won’t (because, she argues, there will be some growth anyway in the future). Hammond is not in the chamber (locked away in a cupboard by No 10 aides?) and the biggest takeway from the session is the split between 10 Downing Street and 11 Downing Street over how to spin the economic analysis report. May had a couple of good retorts to Corbyn, about Labour’s Brexit plan being shorter than her shopping list (which is quite possibly true - Labour has not published anything like a detailed plan for Brexit, and, as an accomplished cook, May’s shopping list may be quite extensive) and about the number of resignations from Corbyn’s front bench. What was also telling was that MPs seem to have given up asking May what she will do if she loses her vote. She has dodged this question so often that any further questions seem superfluous. We will just have to wait until 12 December to find out.
Simon Hoare, a Conservative, asks about rural communities and banking.
May says she recognises that free access to cash is important in rural communities.
The SNP’s Douglas Chapman jokes about how Scots will be dancing in the streets about May’s visit. What lessons has May learned from Brexit to speed things up when Scotland votes for independence?
May says the vote in 2014 settled this.
Theresa Villiers, the Tory former cabinet minister, asks for more funding for the police.
May says the police have been given extra money. But she recognises the importance of this issue.
Tracy Brabin, the Labour MP, asks about a constituent, Matthew, who waived his anonymity to speak about abuse he suffered at the hands of a clergyman. Will May agree to mandatory reporting of abuse in all areas, including in the church?
May says the child abuse inquiry has shown that too many people have suffered from this.
The government looked at mandatory reporting when she was home secretary. She says the evidence was mixed. There was some evidence saying it led to genuine cases being overlooked.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan, a Tory Brexiter, asks May if she agrees that, if her Brexit deal gets voted down, the UK should have a clean Brexit and leave without paying £39bn to the EU.
May defends her deal.
The SNP’s Ian Blackford wishes everyone a happy St Andrew’s Day for Friday.
He says the government analysis says real wages will fall under Brexit. Does May agree this will leave people poorer than the status quo?
May says she does not accept that. It shows this is a strong economy that continues to grow. And the model that best delivers on the referendum result is her plan, she says.
Blackford wonders if May has read the report. It clearly shows people will be poorer. He says May is taking us back to the Thatcher era; she thinks economic damage is a “price worth paying”. He says May is going to Scotland today. People in Scotland voted to remain. They are not prepared to give up their rights.
May says there have been 3.3m jobs created under this government. Employment is at a record high. The Scots voted to stay in the UK and for 13 Tory MPs.
John Lamont, a Scottish Conservative, asks an easy question about small business day.
May says she would like to visit some of the excellent shops Lamont mentioned.
Corbyn says, when May was in opposition in 2003, she said legal advice on the Iraq war should be published. So why won’t she practise what she preached on Brexit?
May says the advice any client receives from a lawyer is privileged. The government will publish a summary.
Corbyn says MPs should see the advice, warts and all. He says 20 ministers have resigned. “This is the most shambolic government in living memory.” She wants MPs to vote on a wishlist. It is clear parliament won’t back her plan. So she should make way for an alternative government.
May says Corbyn has seen 100 resignations. She says John McDonnell told an audience last night he wanted to seize on a referendum and vote remain. That would be a betrayal of the many by the few.
