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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2015/may/26/queens-speech-cameron-juncker-politics-live
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| Commons would be deserted if all liars were sacked, says ex-MP - Politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 9.33am BST09:33 | |
| Cameron to include right-to-buy extension in Queen's speech | |
| The right-to-buy pledge will be included in the Queen’s speech tomorrow, the government has announced. | |
| The extension of Margaret Thatcher’s housing scheme will allow England’s 1.3 million housing association tenants to purchase their homes with the same discounts offered to council tenants. Read our report of that here. | |
| Updated at 9.34am BST | |
| 9.33am BST09:33 | |
| Mark Smith | |
| David Cameron has not only got a new term as prime minister, he’s also got a new waxwork. Well, to be precise, Madame Tussauds have refreshed his existing likeness. | |
| Seems ripe for a caption competition. Post your best efforts below the line, and I’ll highlight the | |
| best | |
| , | |
| funniest | |
| , most suitable for family newspaper at about 12noon. The prize? Eternal liveblog respect and adulation. | |
| Updated at 9.33am BST | |
| 9.20am BST09:20 | |
| Q: How can you bring business pledge to play across all UK? | |
| A: I said if we were elected we wanted to play a positive part in politics of the whole of the UK and we intend to do that. Our MPs will encourage the UK government to become a living wage employer, and we will be very keen to take the philosophy of the business pledge to Westminster and encourage them to use it too. | |
| 9.19am BST09:19 | |
| Q: If business takes place south of the border, in event of future independence referendum, what measures would SNP put in place to ensure this continues? | |
| A: I should be careful what I say in case people think I’m planning a second independence referendum, which I’m not. We have to campaign positively in the referendum we do know that’s approaching – the EU referendum. But we argued last year that an independent Scotland would be part of the European single market. A shared market like that would continue. The world is littered with independent countries that trade very easily with each other. | |
| 9.17am BST09:17 | |
| Q: How can you make Scotland’s ageing population part of the pledge? | |
| A: We have to invest in our workforce, across all ages. We talk about the ageing population as if it’s some kind of burden, but it’s a wonderful thing. People can live longer and can contribute for longer. We have to invest in it. Obviously the ageing population underlines the productivity challenge. We have to invest in our work force to ensure that as it ages we increase productivity. | |
| 9.15am BST09:15 | |
| Sturgeon is currently taking questions. She said it’s not mandatory for businesses to sign up to the Scottish Business Pledge, but you do it to boost your own productivity, your staff performance and your bottom line. | |
| Q: you described the business pledge as a movement/philosophy. How do you get that philosophy out to smaller businesses? | |
| A: Part of doing that is events like this, as well as day to day work we do engaging with businesses. And a growing part of it is coming from small to medium sized businesses themselves, who want to work towards paying the living wage and greater diversity. We’re seeing a self-motivated move towards the kind of thing we’re talking about. | |
| 9.11am BST09:11 | |
| Mark Smith | |
| More on the interview Sir Malcolm Bruce just gave to the Today programme. | |
| In an unusually honest defence of his ex-colleague Alistair Carmichael, the former Lib Dem deputy leader said the House of Commons would be cleared out fast if every MP, cabinet minister and prime minister who told a brazen lie had to quit. | |
| Bruce also accused the SNP of attempting to “extinguish all opposition” in Scotland, adding that Mr Carmichael should stay in his post to avoid seeing the SNP “bully a very good MP out of office for a mistake he has acknowledged and apologised”. | |
| Carmichael, the only Scottish Lib Dem MP, is under pressure to quit after he accepted responsibility for a leaked memo which alleged that Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon wanted David Cameron to win the general election. | |
| Bruce told Mishal Hussein: | |
| I’m acknowledging that if (Mr Carmichael) has said ‘I didn’t know about something I did know in the heated atmosphere of an election campaign’ that was part of the mistake, which he has apologised for. | |
| My point is if you’re suggesting every MP who has never quite told the truth or indeed told a brazen lie, including ministers, including Cabinet ministers, including prime ministers, we’d clear out the House of Commons very fast, I would suggest. | |
| He went on to say: | |
| Lots of people have told lies and you know that to be perfectly true. The point I’m making is we should, of course, hold people to account and if people lie they should take some consequences. | |
| But Alistair has taken consequences. He has apologised. He’s indicated had he been a minister he would resign. He’s forfeited his severance pay. I believe it’s perfectly reasonable for him to be able to say ‘I must now be allowed to get on with the job I was elected to do as the Member of Parliament for Orkney and Shetland’, a part of the country which needs people like Alistair Carmichael. | |
| Updated at 9.17am BST | |
| 9.07am BST09:07 | |
| Nicola Sturgeon urges Scottish businesses to sign up to Scottish Business Pledge | |
| First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has used a speech in Edinburgh to attack the Conservative government’s proposed spending cuts and reiterate the SNP’s support for Britain’s continued membership of the EU. She also unveiled the Scottish Business pledge, which aims to promote “fairness, equality and sustainable economic growth”. Here are the key points of her speech: | |
| There is clearly an opportunity to ensure that Scotland’s priorities are better understood. But there is also a significant challenge in working with a majority Government at Westminster - many of whose policies we disagree with. | |
| We will continue to oppose spending reductions of the scale and speed that the UK government has suggested. These would slow economic recovery and make deficit reduction more difficult - something shown by the impact of the cuts imposed after 2010. | |
| We will propose a “double-lock”, meaning that exit is only possible if all four nations of the UK agree to it - something which would prevent Scotland from being forced out of the EU against our will. | |
| “And during the run up to the referendum, the Scottish government will of course make a strong and positive case for staying in the EU. | |
| There is a large body of credible evidence that shows progressive workplace practices, like workforce engagement, taking an active role in the community and investing in innovation, benefit companies through increased productivity, enhanced employee commitment and improved reputation. | |
| With the living wage at its core, the pledge covers issues such as zero hours contracts, investing in young people, pursuing innovation and internationalisation and progressing diversity. Companies can now make their Scottish Business Pledge to demonstrate their commitment to these values and to delivering them through future plans. | |
| The Scottish Business Pledge should become a badge of pride for Scottish business, sending a clear signal to employees, customers, the supply chain and the wider community that companies have strong growth ambitions and acknowledge their contribution to creating a fairer society. | |
| 8.53am BST08:53 | 8.53am BST08:53 |
| Former Lib Dem deputy leader says lying in public life is widespread | Former Lib Dem deputy leader says lying in public life is widespread |
| Mark Smith | Mark Smith |
| The former deputy leader of the Lib Dems Sir Malcolm Bruce was just interviewed on the Today programme. And it’s being described as a “multiple M-way pile-up”. | The former deputy leader of the Lib Dems Sir Malcolm Bruce was just interviewed on the Today programme. And it’s being described as a “multiple M-way pile-up”. |
| Interviewed by Mishal Hussein, Bruce was talking about the former Scottish secretary Alistair Carmichael, who is facing intense pressure to step down over his leaked memo about Nicola Sturgeon. | Interviewed by Mishal Hussein, Bruce was talking about the former Scottish secretary Alistair Carmichael, who is facing intense pressure to step down over his leaked memo about Nicola Sturgeon. |
| Bruce seemed to suggest Carmichael was merely doing what many public officials do: lie to the country. | Bruce seemed to suggest Carmichael was merely doing what many public officials do: lie to the country. |
| We’ll attempt to source Bruce’s full quotes shortly. But here’s the reaction of the Guardian’s political editor on Twitter: | We’ll attempt to source Bruce’s full quotes shortly. But here’s the reaction of the Guardian’s political editor on Twitter: |
| Interviewer: "You are saying lying in public life is widespread ? Sir Malcolm Bruce former Lib Dem deputy leader responds "No, well, Yes". | Interviewer: "You are saying lying in public life is widespread ? Sir Malcolm Bruce former Lib Dem deputy leader responds "No, well, Yes". |
| Think Sir Malcolm Bruce defence of Alistair Carmichael was something to effect that everyone lies in public life so it is ok to lie. Novel. | Think Sir Malcolm Bruce defence of Alistair Carmichael was something to effect that everyone lies in public life so it is ok to lie. Novel. |
| And from ITV’s Chris Ship: | And from ITV’s Chris Ship: |
| Not sure Malcolm Bruce just gave a good lesson in how to be contrite after an election mauling & a 'mistake' by the only LibDem in Scotland | Not sure Malcolm Bruce just gave a good lesson in how to be contrite after an election mauling & a 'mistake' by the only LibDem in Scotland |
| Politics Home’s Paul Waugh said it was worse than a car crash interview: | Politics Home’s Paul Waugh said it was worse than a car crash interview: |
| This isn't a car crash interview by Malcolm Bruce, it's a multiple m-way way pile-up. Tells @MishalHusainBBC *all* MPs, ministers, PMs lie. | This isn't a car crash interview by Malcolm Bruce, it's a multiple m-way way pile-up. Tells @MishalHusainBBC *all* MPs, ministers, PMs lie. |
| 8.50am BST08:50 | 8.50am BST08:50 |
| Nicola Sturgeon has attacked Westminster spending cuts in her first speech on the economy since the general election. | Nicola Sturgeon has attacked Westminster spending cuts in her first speech on the economy since the general election. |
| Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s Queen’s speech, Sturgeon also reiterated her support for Britain’s continued membership of the European union. | Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s Queen’s speech, Sturgeon also reiterated her support for Britain’s continued membership of the European union. |
| She’s about to unveil the Scottish Business Pledge, which aims to promote “fairness, equality and sustainable economic growth”. | She’s about to unveil the Scottish Business Pledge, which aims to promote “fairness, equality and sustainable economic growth”. |
| I’ll post a summary of her speech once it’s over. You can watch it on BBC News now. | I’ll post a summary of her speech once it’s over. You can watch it on BBC News now. |
| 8.44am BST08:44 | 8.44am BST08:44 |
| Nadia Khomami | Nadia Khomami |
| Good morning and welcome to Tuesday’s politics live blog. I’m stepping in for Andrew today. I’ll be covering the breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. | Good morning and welcome to Tuesday’s politics live blog. I’m stepping in for Andrew today. I’ll be covering the breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. |
| If you’d like to get in touch, I’m on twitter @nadiakhomami and I’ll be reading your comments below the line as well. | If you’d like to get in touch, I’m on twitter @nadiakhomami and I’ll be reading your comments below the line as well. |
| Here are today’s main headlines: | Here are today’s main headlines: |