Tackling extremism a 'delicate balancing act' - Health Secretary Victoria Atkins
Summary
TLDRIn this transcript, Victoria Atkins discusses the government's stance on engaging with extremist groups, emphasizing the importance of upholding democratic values and societal norms. She addresses concerns about the potential banning of groups based on their views, highlighting the balance between freedom of speech and public safety. Additionally, Atkins talks about the budget, tax cuts, and the government's approach to managing debt, as well as the Prime Minister's plans to encourage people back to work, particularly those with long-term health conditions. She also reflects on Theresa May's decision not to return to politics and her impact on women in the Conservative Party.
Takeaways
- 🗣️ The government aims to counter extremist views that contradict British values and threaten democracy.
- 🚫 There is a distinction between not engaging with certain groups and banning them based on their views.
- 🤝 The Prime Minister emphasizes the importance of addressing the rise of extremist ideologies to ensure citizen comfort and safety.
- 📈 The budget includes tax cuts for 29 million workers, with an average salary earner potentially saving up to £900.
- 💰 The government's approach to tax policy is to protect day-to-day spending on the NHS while managing debt from the pandemic and war in Ukraine.
- 📊 The budget aims to balance tax reductions with the need for increased revenue, without borrowing or reducing spending across departments.
- 👩🏫 The government is considering a shift from 'sick notes' to 'fit notes' to encourage people with manageable conditions to return to work.
- 🏥 The Health Secretary is looking into ways to help people with long-term illnesses, particularly mental health issues, to re-enter the workforce.
- 📉 There is a concern about the increasing number of people on long-term sick leave, which the government aims to address.
- 🎓 Theresa May's decision not to return after the next election is noted, and her contributions to women's issues and the Conservative Party are acknowledged.
- 🌐 The Conservative Party's stance on all-women shortlists is cautious, with a focus on making progress through other means.
Q & A
What was the main point of discussion regarding the government's stance on extremism?
-The main point was the government's commitment to not engage with individuals or groups that hold views contrary to the country's values, and the challenge of balancing freedom of speech with the need to protect society from extremist ideologies.
How did the government justify its approach to dealing with extremist groups?
-The government justified its approach by citing the need to protect society from extremist views that can make citizens feel uncomfortable and unsafe, while also emphasizing the importance of upholding British values and democratic processes.
What was the government's response to the issue of large-scale demonstrations and the associated concerns?
-The government expressed concern about the potential for a minority within large demonstrations to hold and promote objectionable views, which can lead to discomfort and fear among certain communities, such as Jewish residents in London.
How did the government address the issue of hate crime legislation?
-The government acknowledged the existence of hate crime legislation and the importance of addressing criminal acts such as criminal damage and public order offenses, while also discussing the need for a broader conversation about extremist behavior.
What was the government's stance on the budget and tax policy?
-The government defended its budget and tax policy by highlighting cuts to National Insurance for 29 million workers, tax reductions for those on average salaries, and the protection of day-to-day spending on the NHS, despite the need to address debt from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
How did the government explain the increase in tax burden and its impact on workers?
-The government explained that while it aims to reduce taxes, the increase in tax burden is necessary to address debt and protect future generations. They also mentioned that the tax cut measures in the budget would benefit workers, although there are concerns about inflation and threshold freezing affecting some individuals.
What is the government's plan to address the issue of long-term sickness and incapacity benefits?
-The government plans to change the focus from providing sick notes to fit notes, encouraging people with manageable conditions to return to work. They aim to support individuals with long-term health issues to help them reintegrate into the workforce.
How did the government respond to the question about Theresa May's decision not to return to politics after the next election?
-The government paid tribute to Theresa May's contributions to politics, particularly in areas like domestic abuse and diabetes, and expressed hope for the future of female representation in the party, despite the different approaches to all-women shortlists compared to the Labour Party.
What was the government's perspective on the importance of a strong NHS for the economy?
-The government believes that a strong and productive NHS is essential for supporting a growing economy, as it helps pay for healthcare services and also contributes to the well-being and recovery of individuals, which in turn benefits the economy.
How did the government address the issue of mental health and its impact on work productivity?
-The government acknowledged the importance of mental health and its impact on work productivity. They mentioned the Prime Minister's aspiration to help people with manageable conditions return to work, which would not only have financial benefits but also improve mental health and recovery.
Outlines
🗣️ Government's Stance on Extremists
The government is considering not engaging with certain extremist groups and individuals. The discussion revolves around the Prime Minister's statement about not allowing extremist views to influence society and democracy. There is concern about the potential for banning groups based on their views rather than actions, and the balance between freedom of speech and the safety of citizens. The conversation also touches on the impact of large demonstrations and the need for a clear distinction between defending British values and creating new divisions, particularly in relation to labor and its Muslim voters.
💼 Budget and Taxation
The government's budget strategy is under scrutiny, with a focus on raising the tax burden to over 37%, the highest since World War II. Despite claims of being a tax-cutting party, the budget includes tax cuts for some workers, particularly those earning an average salary, while also addressing the debt accumulated during the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The discussion highlights the government's commitment to not passing on debt to future generations and the challenges of balancing tax revenue needs with the impact on workers, especially those affected by inflation and threshold freezing.
🏥 Health and Employment
The health secretary addresses the issue of over 9 million working-age adults being off work, particularly due to long-term illnesses and mental health issues. The government aims to encourage people back into work by changing the focus from sick notes to fit notes, emphasizing the benefits of work for both financial and mental health. The secretary also discusses the Prime Minister's aspirations for reducing long-term sick leave and the investment in technology to support these goals. Additionally, the conversation includes a tribute to Theresa May's contributions to politics and women's representation in the Conservative Party.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Extremists
💡Democracy
💡Freedom of Speech
💡Hate Crime
💡Tax Cut
💡National Insurance
💡Debt
💡Mental Health
💡Productivity Plan
💡Women in Politics
Highlights
The government's stance on not engaging with extremists and the Prime Minister's speech on upholding national values.
The distinction between not speaking to certain groups and potentially banning them based on their views.
Concerns about large demonstrations and the impact on minority communities, such as Jewish residents in London.
The balance between freedom of speech and the right of citizens to feel safe in their daily lives.
The government's approach to tackling extremist views and the importance of not allowing them to influence society or democracy.
The budget and the government's claim of being a tax-cutting party despite raising the tax burden to over 37%.
The impact of the budget on National Insurance for 29 million workers and the tax cut for those on average salaries.
The government's commitment to not passing on debt to future generations and the difficult decisions made in the budget.
The issue of over 9 million working-age adults being off work due to sickness, particularly mental health.
The plan to encourage people back into work by changing the conversation from sick notes to fit notes.
The investment in technology to address big issues facing the state, as part of the productivity plan announced in the budget.
Theresa May's decision not to return after the next election and her contributions to women's issues and domestic abuse.
The discussion on the Conservative Party's stance on all-women shortlists and the progress made in female representation.
The importance of a strong and productive NHS in supporting a growing economy.
The government's efforts to reduce taxes in practical ways for working people without increasing borrowing.
The challenge of dealing with the rise in extremist ideas and the discomfort it causes among citizens.
Transcripts
Victoria Atkins uh Michael go says this
morning that you're going to stop
talking to extremists last week the
chancellor couldn't give me the name of
a single group or individual it's a bit
surprising because there are already two
or three that I can name that the
government doesn't talk to are we likely
to see additions to this list uh this
week well uh what Michael uh was has
been talking about is a continuation of
what the Prime Minister said A week ago
on the steps of Downing Street namely
that there are some people sadly who
hold views that are contrary to the
values that we hold as a country and we
should not allow those views to
percolate through Society or indeed
allow them to uh try and change the way
we as a society conduct our democracy
the way we allow Parliament to uh set
its own rules and conventions and so on
and so Michael as you all know full well
has taken a longstanding interest in
this uh and uh is uh setting out his
ideas as to what we should do to tackle
some of these uh very very extreme views
that we are sadly seeing expressed
around our streets but also of course
people going I mean yesterday I saw uh
somebody had ripped apart a painting and
you think this is not the way that we
conduct democracy and express our views
in this country yeah I want to come to
to yesterday a moment but just let's be
absolutely clear what is it
that the government is now aiming at are
we talking about groups to which the
government will not speak or are we
talking about groups who will be
banned because it's quite it's quite a
big step if we're talking about banning
groups because of views they hold as
opposed to things they have done well of
course we have a long-standing uh uh
convention in this country of uh
prescription for those groups that meet
the very very strict criteria under the
legislation that is if you like at the
most most extreme end um but also I
think there is you know at the other end
of the scale there is concern that uh
when for example we have uh
demonstrations in London that uh as
happened yesterday there is concern that
with these large scale demonstrations
there can be a minority of people who
hold and uh extol views that make the
rest of us feel not just deeply
uncomfortable but if you you if you were
a Jewish resident of London
some have said that they feel worried
about walking around London when these
demonstrations happen and that's not
right I understand that and we've
discussed that on this program before
but we're talking now about as it were
punishing or prescribing groups for
their views and we we you talked about
long-standing Traditions um I think
we've got an even longer standing
tradition uh I think the words Magna
carter come into my mind which are about
people being able and free to say what
they think think even if it is
objectionable possibly even frightening
to others and Trevor you're exactly
right to draw that distinction and by
the way you know what I hope I made
myself clear when I was talking about
the existing legislation that is the
prescription as I say under very strict
criteria for groups of people who do or
intend to do very real harm here in the
UK and elsewhere but and and so that
that as I say is at the sort of extreme
end of the range but uh I do think we
have to have a conversation about um
people uh behaving as they did as I say
in this Art Gallery we saw over the last
day or so the demonstrations where
people are um projecting images onto Big
Ben these are Del Balancing Act we we
have laws against that it's called Crim
that one called criminal
damage supic eming here this is apply
for the for the for the projection on
Big Ben that would not apply for the
picture of course it does but the but we
we also have hate crime you're exactly
right we have hate crime legislation
there there's a suspicion that what's
emerging here is really not you know a
noble defense of uh of British values
but actually a new dividing line with
labor because in in essence what you
think is this is going to be really
difficult for labor because a lot of the
groups involved here would be islamist
groups and you think that that will give
labor trouble with its Muslim voters I
fundamentally dis agree with that our
prime minister is a principled man uh
when he spoke on the steps of Downing
Street uh he spoke I thought with a
great deal of um personal conviction as
well about the pain that racism that uh
you know ideology extremist ideology can
have and and that is absolutely not why
we are trying to uh tackle these ideas
it is precisely because we have seen
sadly in the last six months month or so
uh we have seen um this rise in
extremist ideas which is making people
you know other citizens in our country
feel deeply uncomfortable and so it is
that Balancing Act between as you say
the freedom of speech but also the right
of citizens to go about their daily
lives forgive me um uh we haven't got
sorry that too much time I just want and
I want to bring you on to I guess the
big issue of the week which is the
budget every Minister I've interviewed
uh here in the past few years as
declared himself or herself a tax
cutter um how is it that a party which
is going to raise the tax burden to over
37% the highest it's been since the
second world war um has the goal to tell
us that it's a tax cutting party because
that's exactly what we've done not just
in this budget but also the previous
taxes up 7 million people will be
dragged into a higher tax B by 29 let me
just let just give me a moment just to
unpack this so in this uh budget and in
the Autumn statement we have provided
cuts to National Insurance for some 29
million workers what that means is that
someone on the average salary of let's
say
35,400 we'll see a tax cut of up to £900
in their pay packets that matters
because that will make a real difference
to the nurses the hospital porters the
receptionists and other people who work
in the NHS but it is also important
because it shows that we we know that
the last couple of years have been tough
they've been very tough because we spent
400 billion pounds looking after us all
in the pandemic and uh with the cost of
living pressures arising out of the war
in Ukraine but we as conservatives
believe that we have to deal with that
debt ourselves we do not want to pass
that debt onto our children and our
grandchildren which is why we had to
make some very difficult decisions but
we've done this whilst also protecting
day-to-day spend NHS forgive me I get
all of that but your person on
35,000 they'll get an inflation uh
increase and they might get a little
promotion and suddenly they're into a
40% tax Band so you've given them a bit
on on National Insurance but actually by
freezing the thresholds you're actually
taking more from them and in fact what
we know is you're getting an extra 7
billion or so but actually you're taking
because of threshold freezing something
north of 20 M billion year now why not
be level with us well in reasons you're
just given probably the government needs
more tax revenue why not just be
straight and say we're taking more money
from you so Trevor In fairness I was
Financial secretary to the treasury when
we had to make that very difficult
decision about uh thresholds and I was
completely straight uh every single
interview I did about that and we do not
resile from that what we're saying is
that our conviction that we cannot pass
these debts on to our children and our
grandchildren still stand but we want to
help reduce taxes in practical ways for
people who are working and we've
achieved this just not just in the
spring budget as I say but also in
Autumn statement and we have done that
without borrowing without uh uh you know
um increasing reducing um spending
across departments and so we have here a
budget that has delivered a tax cut
whilst also protecting as a health
secretary day-to-day spending on the NHS
and importantly also with high interest
High income child benefit which I know
many of your viewers have um felt you
know very strongly about we're trying to
reduce that so that more fewer people
are caught by that and we make it fairer
for those families that have single
incomes let's just spend a minute on on
on your own specific area of
responsibility which of course does have
an impact um uh the biggest break on
growth uh I think the Chancellor's
acknowledged is that over 9 million uh
working age adults are off work because
of sickness and uh about a third of
those are off because um of uh some
long-term uh illness and particularly
mental health uh three million or
thereabouts on incapacity benefits uh
what are you going to do about that as
health secretary surely you've got a
contribution to make here in getting
people back to work very much so and uh
as we we've always said in the past that
a strong econom helps pay for the NHS I
also think actually a strong and
productive NHS supports a growing
economy and as you've set out in the
figures there is a we have to try to
encourage people back into work now the
prime minister to make it worth their
while because actually they they don't
they clearly don't feel they have to go
back to work well so as the Prime
Minister has set out today in an
interview in one of the Sunday papers we
want to tackle uh the uh increase that
we've seen over the last decade or so of
people being able to sign off long-term
sick when they may well be living with
conditions that we can help you know if
we can help um look after those
conditions with them then they will be
able to return to work of course there
will always be people who need help and
cannot return to the workplace but that
interview and I I noticed the Prime
Minister says that what his aspiration
was but he hasn't said how is it your
plan to make it tougher for people to
claim that benefit well we want to I as
health secretary I'm looking into how we
can uh change the conversation from
getting a sick note to getting a fit
note so changing this emphasis that
somehow uh musco skeletal conditions for
example which is a very common reason
for people being signed off sick that
that um means that you can't do any work
whatsoever because we know not only does
work have uh you know Financial benefits
for us it also is important for our
well-being it can help with uh our
mental health it can help with uh
recovery and so there's a huge amount of
work that Mel stride is doing in the
department for work and pensions on this
but as health secretary I really want to
help him and through the productivity
plan that the chancellor announced at
budget some 3.4 billion pounds invested
into the technology that's going to help
us with some of these big issues facing
the whole of the state not just their
can I I get that um can I just ask you
one last question which is I I guess a
straightforward one as a woman
parliamentarian big news of the week is
that Theresa May has decided that she's
not coming back after the next
election um she opposed all women short
list but she was a sponsor of the
conservative women to win uh campaign um
you've got 88 female Tory MPS now but
that's actually a quarter of your total
compared to labor
52% half which came about largely
because of all women short list was um
Theresa May right well first of all can
I play tribute to Theresa it has been an
absolute privilege uh to work with
Teresa not just when she was prime
minister but also the work she's
continued since then including in topics
such as domestic abuse uh we brought
forward of course the Domestic Abuse Act
and Theresa as prime minister was
critical in driving that forward but
also her work uh surrounding diabetes as
well so and she's she she will be so so
sorely missed in terms of women to win I
should declare an interest they help me
into politics um and we've always as as
a party we've always been cautious about
all women short list because we think
actually uh we can make real progress
and I've been meeting some of the female
candidates we have coming forward for
the next election they are brilliant and
I really look forward to welcome
welcoming them to the green benches in
the House of Commons Victor Atkins thank
you so much for your time this morning
than you
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