Speeches by Martin.

“Should I carry a picture of Gladstone?”

“I agree with the hon. Lady, as someone who has been through the vetting process repeatedly in the past. Those who attend a vetting interview are told, “The information that you are going to give me is between you and me”—between the subject of the interview and the vetting officer. Of course the ISC is hermetically sea…”

“The Minister proudly touts jobs, hiring bonuses, youth guarantees, Government-funded work experience and job placements, but these are all treating the symptoms of the problem. Frankly, it is all a bit old Labour. The problems are structural ones in the economy to do with investment, taxation and regulation. Is there a…”

“indicated dissent.”

“indicated dissent.”

“The Minister proudly touts jobs, hiring bonuses, youth guarantees, Government-funded work experience and job placements, but these are all treating the symptoms of the problem. Frankly, it is all a bit old Labour. The problems are structural ones in the economy to do with investment, taxation and regulation. Is there a…”

“I will not, if that is okay, because we are short on time. To create the political space for some of these trade-offs, because that is a huge amount of money—£30 billion extra every single year—we need to have the national conversation on defence that was announced in the strategic defence review, but has been notable …”

“I served on the Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill, and as well as increasing the scope of who can be called up, it creates a consolidation of different types of reserves and allows zig-zag pathways for specialists who can come in and out of the reserves, so it is absolutely a step in the right direction. One th…”

“Madam Deputy Speaker, you do not normally introduce me like that, so thank you very much. It is an honour to share a constituency border with you and to follow the hon. Member for Liverpool West Derby (Ian Byrne), who made a heartfelt and powerful speech. Wars are raging in Europe and in the middle east, and there are …”

“Picking up the theme of mishandled communications, and the anxiety that they caused many of our constituents, the Financial Times is still reporting an easing of sanctions, as is the BBC. Those are not outlets known for hyperbole. Perhaps the Government could issue a correction to major media outlets.”

“Is not the biggest problem with first past the post that often people are voting against rather than for someone? That poisons our democracy, because everyone ends up with someone who they do not want.”

“Upon taking office, did you read in any Members of the new official Opposition?”

“So no new people?”

“Why did they make the decision that those chairing those debates would need to be read in? Parliamentarians have a right of privilege of free speech, so if I or another parliamentarian were to find out about this and talk about it in the House of Commons, would the Chair have shut me down, or to take it away from me, w…”

“What is your thinking on it though?”

“To sub-delegate?”

“Was there a single person who knew the identities of all the people who were in that compartment?”

“Minister, did you consider briefing a wider group of parliamentarians—perhaps members of this Committee or members of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy?”

“I’m just asking about your thought process on informing other parliamentarians and this Committee, because you decided not to. Why did you decide not to?”

“I understand UK Government policy on not commenting on special forces operations or the special forces more generally, but there is a problem with using that as a defence if it is shown that UK special forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan. This particular individual, who is a UKSF officer who served in Afghanista…”