Speeches by Thornberry.

“Q14. It was such great news when the Government decided that it was right to pay compensation to the LGBT veterans who had unfairly lost their jobs. Unfortunately, those veterans are not alone. There are others who have been prepared to lay down their lives on behalf of the country who have also been treated disgracefu…”

“May I congratulate the Foreign Office on the inspired appointment of our new ambassador in Washington DC? Not many candidates would be able to fill the shoes of Dame Karen Pierce, who has represented UK interests so exceptionally in both New York and Washington; she is an inspirational leader and a skilled diplomat. Lo…”

“13. How many and what proportion of NHS employees have received enhanced maternity leave entitlements under Agenda for Change contracts.”

“Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Doctors throughout the NHS, no matter who employs them, have blanket maternity agreements, but nurses do not. When I visited the River Place health centre, I found that nurses employed by Whittington Health were working alongside nurses employed by the GP practice who got completely dif…”

“May I begin by paying tribute to the bravery of the hon. Member for Oxford West and Abingdon (Layla Moran) in continuing to fight for the population in Gaza, even as her own family and friends are suffering? My Committee is currently undertaking an inquiry into the Israel-Palestine conflict, and we have heard again and…”

“Can I ask you about Israel and Gaza?”

“While all this is going on at home, there are a number of challenges internationally as well. Since being elected, you have had to spend a great deal of time on the international stage meeting many people. I must ask you about Syria and then perhaps about Israel and Gaza. I will begin with Syria. Who are the main inter…”

“Which regional leaders?”

“And of women.”

“Do you agree with President Trump that it is all about Turkey in Syria at the moment?”

“We have Turkish-backed forces fighting US-backed forces in northern Syria, and in southern Syria we have the Israelis taking chunks out of the south. How can the United Kingdom ensure that those who do have some power and influence in the region are actually using it to develop a Syrian Government who are properly incl…”

“Obviously, the whole world hopes that we will get a ceasefire in Gaza by the end of the year. The question has to be: if that does happen, what role will the UK play in what comes next? How will we use our considerable influence in the region and our convening power to make sure that what comes out of the rubble is a P…”

“Palestine will not just be built from the ashes of Gaza. It also needs to be the west bank as well. We know that we are dealing with a Government in Israel whose stated view, at least, is that they are not in favour of a two-state solution at the moment. Indeed, some of the wilder members of the Israeli Cabinet talk ab…”

“They are big numbers.”

“It is right, is it not, that the long-form interview that the BBC undertakes under “HARDtalk” means that people such as Sudanese warlords, Serbian Presidents or all kinds of people who would not normally be expected to be asked a lot of difficult questions over a long period get asked those questions by the BBC on a re…”

“How regularly are we going to hear long-form interviews being done on the World Service if you get rid of “HARDtalk” at the end of this financial year?”

“There will not be a regular programme that will be doing it, will there?”

“You might replace “HARDtalk” with another programme that will come out regularly, as often as this, three times a week and three times a day. You will have a programme going out as regularly as that doing long-form interviews, following consultation with your staff.”

“Holding world leaders to account is not going to be done as often by the BBC because of cuts.”

“No, it is because you said that no one listened to it.”