Transcript of a pooled clip with the Prime Minister on the
subject of Hurricane Irma:
Q: Prime Minister, you’ve been accused of doing too little to
help our storm-hit territories in the Caribbean.
PM: No-one can fail to be affected by the absolute desperate
plight of people in the Caribbean who have been hit by Hurricane
Irma. My thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected,
particularly with the British nationals in our Overseas
Territories of Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands. This has
been devastating. It’s the most powerful storm to hit the
Atlantic, it’s brought devastation in its wake. It’s destroyed
buildings and infrastructure, but it’s had such an impact on
people’s lives because people have seen their livelihoods
completely destroyed, and of course some people are missing, and
some will have lost loved ones. We have taken action, we have
moved swiftly. We have people on the ground, £32 million has been
released. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship RFA Mounts Bay is in
position, providing assistance from Royal Marines and Army
Engineers and a military task group is on its way on HMS Ocean
with several hundred UK troops. Of course we will continue to
look at what is needed, and we will provide what is necessary. We
must not forget that there is a further storm on the way, and
that the Turks and Caicos Islands still lie in the path of
Hurricane Irma. But that won’t stop us from providing the
assistance that is needed, and doing everything we can to help.
Q: Do you recognise the criticisms which have been made by
islanders that we should have moved faster?
PM: We have people prepositioned, we have put humanitarian
assistance quickly into place. RFA Mounts Bay was prepositioned.
This is the most powerful storm to have hit the Atlantic, and it
has had a devastating impact. We will continue to look at what
more is necessary, and provide what assistance and financial
support is needed.
Q: It’s another big Brexit day. The European Research Group of
Tory backbench MPs are trying to tie your hands when it comes to
any implementation period. What would you say to them?
PM: What we are working for in our negotiations in Europe is to
ensure that we get the best possible deal for the United Kingdom,
and that we’re able to have a smooth and orderly process of
putting that agreement into place which requires some period of
implementation. In order to have that smooth and orderly period,
we also need to have a smooth and orderly exit from the European
Union, and that’s what the Bill that is before Parliament
provides. It enables us to ensure that people and businesses will
know where they stand the day after we leave the EU, as well as
the day before. This Bill is about a smooth and orderly process,
and that is in the interests of people and businesses.
