Yahoo News Six important questions Theresa May dodged in 17 minutes on the Marr Show
Theresa May was as evasive as ever during her latest interview, appearing to dodge questions on six subjects in just a matter of minutes.
It is a tactic Ms May has often employed, meandering away from the original query when asked about child mental health funding earlier this month, declining to say why she sacked ex-Chancellor George Osborne last year and giving a tangential response to a Jeremy Corbyn question about Boris Johnson's use of racial slurs.
In a wide-ranging interview on the Andrew Marr Show, the PM was grilled on her upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump, her plan for Brexit and the alleged hushing-up of a failed Trident nuclear weapons test.
Here they are in full:
Trump's speech
Asked what she thought of Mr Trump's inauguration speech, which her own policy chief described as "deliberately divisive and confrontational", Ms May said: "I think his inauguration speech was, had a very clear message to it, which is the message that he gave during his campaign, about putting America first.
"But if you think about it, any leader, and government, as we do here in the United Kingdom when we look at any issue, we ensure that we're putting UK's interests and the interests of British people first." She hoped to "build on the special relationship", she added.
Trump and women
Mr Marr asked if the Prime Minister would raise with Mr Trump his treatment of women. During the campaign Mr Trump attacked Fox News host Megyn Kelly and a recording was released of him boasting that famous men could grab women "by the pussy".
Protest marches took place around the world on Saturday with women carrying signs that read, "Pussy grabs back".
Ms May replied that she had already said some of Mr Trumps comments were "unacceptable" and "some of those, he himself has apologised for." She added: "When I sit down, I think the biggest statement about the role of women is that fact that I will be there as a female prime minister of the United Kingdom, talking to him, directly talking to him about the interests that we share."
Pressed directly on whether she would broach the subject, she said: "Whenever there is something that I find unacceptable I will not be afraid to say that to Donald Trump."
Nato
Mr Trump, it was then pointed out to the Prime Minister, had previously called Nato "obsolete".
She said: "No, he has shown, also I've spoken to him about Nato. Nato is an important, very important, Nato has been the bulwark of our security here in Europe and we work together in Nato. We've both made the point before about contributions being made by countries. The United Kingdom is spending 2 per cent of its GDP on defence, I believe that's important."
Mr Marr interjected: "Do you agree with what he said about other Nato countries not paying their way?
Ms May said: "Well, there are other Nato countries that are also paying 2 per cent of their GDP on defence and others that are working towards doing that. What is important is that we recognise the value of Nato, which he does."
Brexit
Asked later about her plans for Brexit and her plans for new policies to make Britain attractive to investors in the event of a "bad deal", she said: "I have every expectation that we will be able to achieve a very good trade deal with the European Union. I think that not just because it's going to be good for the UK but also it's going to be good for the European Union too.
"So I want a trade deal with the EU which ensures that our companies have the best possible access to and opportunity to operate within the European single market in goods and services. But I'm very clear that on behalf of the British people I don't want to sign up to a bad deal for the UK. So it is right that we say we look at the alternatives."
Asked what those alternatives might be, Ms May said: "Well the alternative, whatever the circumstances, whatever the deal we sign up to, I want to maintain the competitiveness of the British economy, which is why I want to maintain those options."
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Mr Marr asked whether that meant turning the UK into a tax haven. Ms May said: "We will be looking at the competitiveness of the British economy. If we have to walk away, I don't expect we will, I have every confidence, because of the interests of the European Union, as well, that we will be able to get that good deal. I know you're trying to ask me to go into details."
The host replied: "If I may say so, Prime Minister, you're elegantly moving away from what I'm trying to ask you about."
Following a reiteration of his question, Ms May declined again to go into detail. Asked whether the UK's intelligence assistance would be a chip on the table during negotiations, she did say: "It's not the time to cooperate less, it's the time to cooperate more," in the face of threats to Europe.
Trident 'cover-up'
The Prime Minister was next asked about a botched Trident nuclear weapons test that reportedly occurred in June last year—the month before the House of Commons voted to renew the UK's nuclear deterrent. Asked four times to say whether she knew of the accident before she addressed the Commons in July, Ms May refused to confirm or deny it.
Mr Marr conceded: "I'm not going to get an answer."
Social care
Lastly he asked Ms May whether she supported Surrey County Council leader David Hodge's decision to push for a 15 per cent rise in council tax to pay for social care, and whether she would vote for it if she lived in the county.
The Prime Minister said: "We recognise that there are pressures on social care. That is precisely why we have put extra money into social care, we've allowed local authorities to raise extra money for social care through the social care precept.
"But what local authorities do in relation to their council tax is a matter for them and between them and their electorates. What we have done is put extra money in, we have enabled them to have that ability to raise money through the social care precept, but this isn't just about the amount of money that is available.
"We need to ensure that best practice is spread around the country. There are some councils where there are virtually no delayed discharges from hospitals into social care, there are others, there are 24 councils, that account for 50 per cent of the delayed discharges. Let's look at what is happening in the system.
"And then, crucially, this is an issue that has been ducked by governments for too long. That is why I have set up work to say we need to find a solution."
