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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2016/jul/20/germany-uk-brexit-theresa-may-angela-merkel-politics-live
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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
|---|---|
| May faces Corbyn in her first prime minister's questions - live | May faces Corbyn in her first prime minister's questions - live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 1.15pm BST | |
| 13:15 | |
| PMQs - Verdict | |
| PMQs - Verdict: When George Osborne first stood in for David Cameron at PMQs, even though he had spent five years as chancellor, he displayed a palpable nervousness. Everyone who has ever taken PMQs says it is a huge challenge, quite unlike anything else parliamentarians have to do, and Osborne seemed a little worried. The most important takeaway from Theresa May’s performance today was that she sounded confident and assured and prime ministerial (in the sense of up to the job). She was chosen as Tory leader primarily for her competence and today it was on display. | |
| But she was not selected for her comedy skills, and that made her Thatcher moment rather odd. Tory MPs seemed to like it, but it sounded a little too contrived and perhaps May would be better advised to stick to dull and boring (dull and boring is hugely underrated in politics). Her “mine is bigger than yours” dig at Tim Farron (see 12.39pm) also sounded a little crass. | |
| May did not use her first PMQs to announce anything new and in many ways it sounded like business as usual. Perhaps she is more inclined to address questions than David Cameron was, but on the basis of just one performance it is hard to be sure. | |
| The Commons goes into recess at the end of this week and so we will not get another PMQs until September. By that time May’s honeymoon may be over, and the Labour leadership contest will be over. Politics may look very different through then. | |
| 12.44pm BST | 12.44pm BST |
| 12:44 | 12:44 |
| I missed Angus Robertson’s question earlier, because I was writing up m snap verdict, and so here are the questions from the SNP leader at Wesminster. | I missed Angus Robertson’s question earlier, because I was writing up m snap verdict, and so here are the questions from the SNP leader at Wesminster. |
| He started by asking if Theresa May agreed that Scotland could remain part of the EU, and how her talks with Nicola Sturgeon were going. | He started by asking if Theresa May agreed that Scotland could remain part of the EU, and how her talks with Nicola Sturgeon were going. |
| May replied: | May replied: |
| I did discuss the arrangements in relation to negotiations ... I was very pleased that my first trip was to Scotland and that I was able to do that so early in our premiership ... I was also clear with the FM that i think there are some ideas being put forward that are impractical but I am willing to listen to ideas that are brought forward. | I did discuss the arrangements in relation to negotiations ... I was very pleased that my first trip was to Scotland and that I was able to do that so early in our premiership ... I was also clear with the FM that i think there are some ideas being put forward that are impractical but I am willing to listen to ideas that are brought forward. |
| Robertson then mentioned May’s trip to Berlin this afternoon. | Robertson then mentioned May’s trip to Berlin this afternoon. |
| Would the PM thank Chancellor Merkel for the interest of the members of her government and members of the bundestag, their interest in having Scotland remain members of the EU. And will she reassure that we will do everything – everything – to stay in the EU. | Would the PM thank Chancellor Merkel for the interest of the members of her government and members of the bundestag, their interest in having Scotland remain members of the EU. And will she reassure that we will do everything – everything – to stay in the EU. |
| May replied: | May replied: |
| I have to say - because this is a line he has been taking for some time - I do find it a little confusing given that only two years ago the SNP was campaigning for Scotland to leave the UK, which would have meant them leaving the European Union. | I have to say - because this is a line he has been taking for some time - I do find it a little confusing given that only two years ago the SNP was campaigning for Scotland to leave the UK, which would have meant them leaving the European Union. |
| 12.39pm BST | 12.39pm BST |
| 12:39 | 12:39 |
| Tim Farron, the Lib Dem leader, says May has come a long way since they were candidates together in Durham in 1992. It has been reported the new Brexit department will be hiring lawyers at a rate of £5,000 a day. | Tim Farron, the Lib Dem leader, says May has come a long way since they were candidates together in Durham in 1992. It has been reported the new Brexit department will be hiring lawyers at a rate of £5,000 a day. |
| May says the Brexit department needs to be properly staffed. And she says when she and Farron were both candidates, people would not have expected them both to lead parties. But hers is bigger than his, she says. | May says the Brexit department needs to be properly staffed. And she says when she and Farron were both candidates, people would not have expected them both to lead parties. But hers is bigger than his, she says. |
| And that’s it. | And that’s it. |
| 12.36pm BST | 12.36pm BST |
| 12:36 | 12:36 |
| Philip Davies, a Conservative, asks if May will keep her promise to get immigration below 100,000. | Philip Davies, a Conservative, asks if May will keep her promise to get immigration below 100,000. |
| May says the Brexit vote sent a very clear message about the need to control immigration. She is firm in her belief that net migration needs to come down to sustainable levels. She says to her that means getting it into the tens of thousands. | May says the Brexit vote sent a very clear message about the need to control immigration. She is firm in her belief that net migration needs to come down to sustainable levels. She says to her that means getting it into the tens of thousands. |
| 12.35pm BST | 12.35pm BST |
| 12:35 | 12:35 |
| Labour’s Barry Sheerman reminds May that he told her a few weeks ago that he thought she would end up prime minister. Will May soon give young millennials her vision of the future? | Labour’s Barry Sheerman reminds May that he told her a few weeks ago that he thought she would end up prime minister. Will May soon give young millennials her vision of the future? |
| May says she remembers Sheerman telling her she would “trounce the men”. The Tories came up with an all-woman shortlist without being told to, she says. She says she wants young people to know that their opportunities are not just in Europe. | May says she remembers Sheerman telling her she would “trounce the men”. The Tories came up with an all-woman shortlist without being told to, she says. She says she wants young people to know that their opportunities are not just in Europe. |
| 12.33pm BST | 12.33pm BST |
| 12:33 | 12:33 |
| Simon Hoare, a Conservative, asks May if she will consult farmers over Brexit. | Simon Hoare, a Conservative, asks May if she will consult farmers over Brexit. |
| May says she will consult widely as we leave the EU. Agriculture will be particularly affected, and farmers will be consulted. | May says she will consult widely as we leave the EU. Agriculture will be particularly affected, and farmers will be consulted. |
| 12.32pm BST | 12.32pm BST |
| 12:32 | 12:32 |
| The SNP’s Stuart Donaldson asks May if she will ratify the Istanbul convention. | The SNP’s Stuart Donaldson asks May if she will ratify the Istanbul convention. |
| May says she is committed to tackling violence against women and girls. But there is always more to do, she says. | May says she is committed to tackling violence against women and girls. But there is always more to do, she says. |
| 12.30pm BST | 12.30pm BST |
| 12:30 | 12:30 |
| May says the Conservative benches contain MPs brought up in council homes, MPs brought up by single mothers, and the Tory chairman is a former miner. The party will govern in the interests of everyone. | May says the Conservative benches contain MPs brought up in council homes, MPs brought up by single mothers, and the Tory chairman is a former miner. The party will govern in the interests of everyone. |
| 12.29pm BST | 12.29pm BST |
| 12:29 | 12:29 |
| Labour’s Imran Hussain asks for an assurance that the Northern schools strategy will continue. | Labour’s Imran Hussain asks for an assurance that the Northern schools strategy will continue. |
| May says it is important that children get the education they deserve. A review has been looking at this. The education secretary will make the position clear later. | May says it is important that children get the education they deserve. A review has been looking at this. The education secretary will make the position clear later. |
| 12.28pm BST | 12.28pm BST |
| 12:28 | 12:28 |
| Kelly Tollhurst, a Conservative, asks if the government has plans to strengthen the protection available to young women at risk of sexual abuse. | Kelly Tollhurst, a Conservative, asks if the government has plans to strengthen the protection available to young women at risk of sexual abuse. |
| May says since the Rotherham scandal the government has been putting more measures in place to help the police to address this. In the coming months arrangements will be strengthened. | May says since the Rotherham scandal the government has been putting more measures in place to help the police to address this. In the coming months arrangements will be strengthened. |
| 12.26pm BST | 12.26pm BST |
| 12:26 | 12:26 |
| Labour’s Catherine McKinnell asks about Heathrow expansion. Will May do better than “dithering Dave” on this? | Labour’s Catherine McKinnell asks about Heathrow expansion. Will May do better than “dithering Dave” on this? |
| May says the position has not changed. Further work has been done on air quality. The cabinet and government will take a decision in the proper way in due course. | May says the position has not changed. Further work has been done on air quality. The cabinet and government will take a decision in the proper way in due course. |