Let's be clear, if the country votes for Labour is there any chance
whatsoever of us remaining in Europe?
No, we accept the result of the referendum.
What I have set out today is what the changed
relationship with the EU should be.
So, Labour say we should have an ongoing relationship.
It should be based on co-operation,
collaboration.
We need to get from where we are to where we need to be.
It's changing really from membership to Premiership.
Everybody accepts we want to trade with Europe.
What if there is no deal, we still leave?
Well, the position I have set out is that the Labour Party would try to
bring parliament with it on the journey and make sure we don't have
no deal.
No deal is the worst of all possible outcomes.
Crashing out in March 2019.
And from a Labour point of view we have been clear that
should not be considered a viable option.
If there was no deal and we were confronted with that,
presumably the possibility of staying would have to be in play?
We would argue for transitional
measures, time to negotiate further.
Coming out without a deal is not just a trade arrangement that is
would be in jeopardy, it's the other arrangements.
It's the worst of all options.
One of my great concerns about the Prime Minister's approach
is that having put, as she has, immigration as frt sort of key
priority and the economy and jobs second, we say it should be the
other way around, she's led herself to a position where she's ruled out
any relationship with the single market, any relationship with the
customs union, she's ruled out any jur is deks of the European Court,
even when it would help businesses and wants to remove us from key
agencies.
-- jur is dks.
-- -- jurisdictions.
You have ruled out any freedom of movement.
In doing so, do you have the agreement of
your Shadow Prime Minister and your Shadow Home Secretary?
Yes, we have ruled out freedom of movement as it
currently is.
Because that...
They have too?
Yes, the Labour Party position...
MrCorbyn?
The Labour Party position is freedom of
movement will have to go.
We will have immigration rules and regional
management of migration and that should work for the economy and for
communities.
In other words, we don't want businesses to be put in a
position where they can't run their businesses, get the skills they
need, of course we don't.
On the other hand we have to take into
account what communities are saying about concerns about immigration.
So it's not changing from freedom of
movement to no movement.
It's changing from freedom of movement to
managed movement.
Restricted movement we could say.
Managed, yes, where it's more based on the notion
that if you are coming here to work, that's one thing.
Or coming here for family reasons.
I think that we should also take students out of the
net migration figures altogether and refugees should never have been in
them in the first place.
When we break it down in that way it's
management of those coming here essentially to work.
So you are saying to young people, we are not
going to enable to you live, love and work in 27 other countries
without any problem?
Well, I passionately campaigned for to us
stay...
You are saying tonight it's over, if young people are thinking
shall I vote Labour to get those rights back, no?
We say, this was bound up with the referendum outcome
and freedom of movement has to change as a result.
That is to face the result of the referendum, to
accept it and to move on to a different position.
I don't think it means that people can't move across
Europe, of course it doesn't.
It doesn't mean that youngsters can't
go and work in other countries or have family members in other
countries, doesn't mean any of those things.
It means it's a managed system, not freedom of movement.
Thank you very much.
I'm joined now by the Conservative MP Kwasi Kwarteng.
Let's start with what Sir Keir Starmer has been saying all day,
it's reckless in his view for you to be shutting the down on the single
market.
You have to admit Theresa May is taking a risk, making a
gamble?
We rehearsed a lot of these arguments before and I am struck by
the fact that Keir Starmer has moved very much to our position.
You saw him in the clip say that he wanted
to end freedom of movement, this was a position which his party leader
Jeremy Corbyn was not happy with.
This is also a position which Diane Abbott was not happy with.
On the single market there is a clear
difference with Labour and yourselves.
They don't want to shut out access to the single market.
We haven't really started the
negotiation, what was interesting in what he said was that he was saying
that freedom of movement as we know it has to end.
That's always been our position.
Our position, the Government's position has always
been that if membership of the single market meant we could not
restrict, we could in the end freedom of movement, we would have
to leave the single market, it looks like Labour today have clarified
what was a very muddy position and have actually come and to accept the
fact that freedom of movement must end.
Will you clarify whether you believe that Theresa May is taking a
gamble, there is a risk involved in this negotiation?
I think it would be premature to say what the
negotiation will come up with.
But there is a risk?
There is no doubt Theresa May is a strong, stable
leader.
She enjoys huge confidence.
Enjoys a gamble?
Amongst wide sections of the people and as
someone said in the clip, she's really the only choice for where we
are now.
You are saying it's risk-free, I am trying to push you
on the issue of the risk?
Very little is risk-free, I think we are
in capable hands, we will have strong, stable leadership.
As one of your people in the clip said, she
will fight for Britain.
She will have the country's best interests
and will do that tenaciously and with a great deal of ability.
If she's fighting for Britain and is
standing up for people, as she said on the steps of Downing Street, she
wanted to fight burning injustice, why is it living standards are
falling, this is partly because of the plummeting pound after Brexit.
The pound has come up a bit.
I am not a currency speculator, but
currency movements go up and down.
It's down 14% against the dollar.
The main point to realise in terms of this economic debate, people on
your programme were suggesting there would be a recession in 2016.
That didn't happen.
Thankfully it didn't happen.
The economy is growing at 2%.
Living standards are falling.
Inflation is going up.
Forgive me, it's the fastest growing economy in
the Gs 7.
Inflation is at its highest for three years.
The deficit is lower than it's been at any point
since 2008 we learned today.
Generally the economic situation is quite healthy.
You have never had it so good?
I am not suggesting that, that would be a complacent thing to
say.
Things are going much better than many people anticipated.
You try telling that, you are saying
things are going better.
You try telling that...
Wages are falling in real of real terms, do you accept
it's because of the Brexit gamble?
No, I am accepting is the fact that many of the predictions that people
said about how the economy would go into recession have been proved
false.
That hasn't happened.
Now you are right to say that the pound has
deappreciatated, it's increasing in Fal now.
People feel they want to have stability.
They want this election to be over and done with
and want to have a strong Conservative Government with a
leader who is trusted and respected throughout the world.
I think that's a very important thing when we try
to reach economic stability.
Talking of economic stability, final
question, do you agree with the Chancellor that because of the
economic uncertainties ahead which you accept, that he needs the scope
to be able to raise taxes if he needs to?
I think that the Chancellor wants to have as wide a
possible action in what are uncertain times.
We know they're uncertain times because we have this
negotiation, the global situation, North Korea, lots of things going
on.
No repetition of the promise on tax?
Needs to have more wiggle room than sometimes manifestos give them.
Thank you very much.
Our political editor joins us from Westminster.
A clarifying day.
Yes the Liberal Democrats leader,
virtually every time he has been in front of a camera, he has been asked
whether he believes gay sex is a sin, he swerved the question every
time.
Yesterday when he was at a photo opportunity in south London as
part of his campaign his supporters started jeering reporters as they
asked the question repeatedly.
There was a feeling at the top of the Lib
Dems this was getting out of hand, some line had to be drawn under this
matter.
He has now given an interview this evening in which he
saz he does not think that gay sex is a sin and this is how he put it.
My view is I am careful about how I speak about my faith.
I make no secret of it but doesn't bang on
about it either.
I don't think want political party leaders telling them
what is and isn't sin.
We are asked to believe that this is not he has
changed his view, he thought he would share it.
The reason he wasn't sharing his view before we are told
is because he didn't want to be drawn into theological arguments.
He is an evangelicalistian and open
about his faith.
You have to think this is because the Lib Dems did not think this was
his view or they did not want him drawn into other social issue
questions such as time limits on abortion.
Tim Farron has been no not to be swimming in the mainstream of
prominent Lib Dems with issues like that.
It may have drawn a line and it may have open questions.
The two Jeremy Pied Mac have met.
Jeremy Corbyn met the Cabinet Secretary Sir
Jeremy Heywood to discuss what Labour would do as an incoming
government, which is part of the regular procedure at the time of
election and the civil servants will meet other shadow ministers and draw
up plans an files will sit on desks, waiting to be implemented if Jeremy
Corbyn comes to power.
Back on the campaign trail.
Theresa May has been quick to exploit a new poll suggesting
that the Conservative Party is on target for a first election
win in Wales in 167 years.
The Prime Minister took her campaign to the traditional Labour heartland
of South Wales to urge voters to join the Tory bandwagon.
Our correspondent Andy Davies joins us from Bridgend tonight.
Andy, what have you found their?
There is certainly a spring in the step of the Welsh Tories.
They cheered Theresa May into this
community centre behind me and grabbed selfies afterwards.
Capturing what they think could be moments along the path to an
historic victory for the Welsh Conservatives, at least that is what
the poll you mentioned seemed to suggest.
As for Labour, they have been the dominant party in Wales so
long and they are certainly not going to surrender that status
without a fight.
Ladies and gentlemen, please give the warmest of welcomes and loudest
cheers for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
CHEERING.
Little wonder it was all smiles in Bridgend as the Prime
Minister addressed local supporters because if a poll yesterday is
everything to go by, this Tory leader could be headed for a
sensational victory in Wales.
Thank you very much, everybody, for that
wonderful welcome and it is great to be in Wales, great to be in Bridgend
with 44 days to go to the most important election this country has
faced in my lifetime.
The message was simple, do not be complacent,
every vote counts, framed in a narrative of Tories versus what she
dismissed as weak and unstable opposition.
Give me a mandate to lead Britain, give me a mandate to
speak for Britain.
Give me a mandate to fight for Britain and give me a
mandate to deliver for Britain.
Theresa May has made a big play in Wales of trying to designate her
opponents here as disrupters in the Brexit process, portraying them as
intent upon frustrating her hand in EU negotiations.
No surprises, of course.
Wales after all did vote Leave.
Labour dismissed the visit as a stunt but with polls suggesting
unprecedented Tory gains in Wales in the election, there has been talk of
Tory tanks on Labour's lawn.
In Cardiff, seat of a Labour Welsh
government there was a hint of defensive action.
The challenges facing Labour in Wales are
significant?
Labour face a perfect storm in Wales at the moment.
Firstly there is the wider Jeremy Corbyn issue, is he fit to lead the
UK?
Labour opposed Brexit in Wales but the people of Wales backed it
and there is the issue of public services.
Labour have been in government Inc Cardiff almost 20
years and it is difficult to say to them to vote as if you want public
services to improve, back Labour.
Labour said they were happy to stand on their record on public services.
In Bridgend, held by Labour the last 30 years, those intending to support
the party this June appeared thin on the ground.
Who would you vote for?
I'm not sure.
You did you vote last time?
Labour.
Why are you not sure this time?
Him, isn't it?
Mr Corbyn.
What is wrong with him?
I do not think he is a statesman and we need
a statesman to be Prime Minister.
Will you vote in the general election?
Yes.
Who will you vote for?
Not Labour.
Why not.
Definitely not Labour, I agree.
I normally vote independent but this time I think I
will vote Conservative, because I think I agree with Brexit.
They were not all like that.
I have always voted Labour, always.
You will vote again?
I think so.
For
what reason?
With
you
vote
Labour this time?
Because
anything is better than the Tories.
Labour must be aware that there are suggestions that many left
Labour for Ukip and instead of returning our turning to the Tories
instead.
You were a Labour voter who went to Ukip and now you have gone
to the Tories?
Because of Theresa May.
I like some of the things she has said she is going to do.
Labour's Carwyn Jones, the first minister and assembly member for
Bridgend, concedes the party faces a challenge, but wants voters here to
look at the bigger picture.
I am saying to people as far as the
Tories are concerned, what have they done for Wales?
They have destroyed the economy, destroy jobs and given
the chance they will do it again.
The Tories will walk over Wales given the chance and we need Labour
MPs in Wales who will stand up for Wales and not a Parliament made up
of MPs who are sheep.
As Plaid Cymru issued the manifesto, their leader
warned of dark clouds lurking.
She said they offered hope.
Like Labour and Ukip, -- and the Lib Dems, they
will hope the polls suggesting a resounding Theresa May victory in
Wales will not be borne out on June the 8th.