PMQs - as it happened: Emily Thornberry labels Tory Government 'coalition of cavemen' over voting age stance
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Your support makes all the difference.Cabinet minister David Lidington said young people lack "sufficient maturity" to vote at 16, as he stood in for Theresa May during Prime Minister's Questions.
Labour's Emily Thornberry branded the Government and its DUP allies as a "coalition of cavemen", when she asked why 16-year-olds were denied the right to vote when they are able to get married, leave school and join the armed forces.
It comes as Downing Street reprimanded a Justice minister who questioned whether Brexit should go ahead if damaging assessments of Britain’s economic prospects are accurate.
In an unusual and hugely significant intervention, Dr Philip Lee asked whether Theresa May could “legitimately lead a country along a path that the evidence and rational consideration indicate would be damaging” after leaked papers laid bare the potential economic damage of withdrawal.
After Prime Minister’s Questions, Labour’s opposition day motion – calling on the Government to release the papers – also passed after the Government ordered its MPs to abstain on the motion.
The documents will now be released to the Exiting the European Union committee “in confidence” and in a “hard copy” format for MPs to study.
Lidington adds a significant members of the Youth Parliament are over the voting age...
But Thornberry says he was talking to 370 under 18s - she says there's no logical explanation for not giving the vote to under 18's.
"They are not the coalition of chaos, they are the coalition of cavemen," she adds. "When is change is right it cannot be resisted - and this is a change whose time has come."
Lidington tells her to stop watching old versions of the Flinstones - to an awkward silence.
At the weekend, Wales said it would give the vote to 16 and 17 year olds for local elections. Once introduced it will mean voting rights for young people in Wales and Scotland will be at odds with England and Northern Ireland.
The leaked Brexit analysis has been brought up by Ian Blackford, the SNP leader in Westminster.
Her says this is a Government in crisis - of national embarrassment. Blackford says the Government is prepared to make everyone poorer - where is the leadership?
Lidington says the PM will be making further speeches - similar to Lancaster and Florence - in the coming weeks and months.
This is from the Press Association
A robin has been spotted flying around in the main chamber of the Commons.
The bird was seen in the ceiling before flying down and landing on a camera during Welsh questions.
MPs were quick to point out the unusual visitor as it flew down during a question by Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts.
They could also be heard "cooing" to try to tempt the bird down ahead of Prime Minister's Questions.
Speaker John Bercow said: "She shouldn't be disquieted in any way. I think the robin is keenly attending to her words."
Welsh minister Stuart Andrew, meanwhile, joked: "I know that Bristol City have a robin as their emblem, so maybe they're trying to interfere with Welsh questions."
Seems some Tory MPs have taken issue with the "coalition of cavemen" comment from Thornberry.
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