03/06/2013 Look North (North East and Cumbria)

Hello and welcome to Monday's Look North. Tonight... The row about

lobbyists goes on. We should look up to our parliamentarians. At the

moment we do not have that. Describe that -- described as a

tough guy for a tough job, the new Chief Constable in North Yorkshire

starts work. The six-year fight to preserve the

habitat of a rare beetle which lives on one of our river banks.

One of the world's longest-running musicals makes a return to the

North East stage. And here comes summer. Blue skies

and sunshine all round - until Wednesday at least!

And in sport, good news for Durham cricketers on and off the field.

And the boxers reviving the story of the great Geordie golfing legend

almost a century after he died! It's time, once and for all, to end

the practice of lobbyists paying politicians. So says the anti-

sleaze campaigner and former MP, Martin Bell. It follows the

suspension from the Labour Party of two of the region's most prominent

peers, over claims they offered to carry out parliamentary work for

cash. Lord Cunningham, the former Copeland MP, and Lord McKenzie, a

former chief superintendent with Durham Police, are at the centre of

those claims. Filmed by undercover journalists from the Sunday Times,

they were recorded offering to help a South Korean company in exchange

for money. The company, of course, didn't exist. Both men say they did

nothing that was against the rules. Our Chief Reporter, Chris Stewart,

has the story. At home reading the papers and

guess what? He is in them, the result of a classic sting.

should not propose a statement when you have a financial interest,

which is a bizarre. What a pain! How do you get around that? What do

you do? You get a colleague who has got nothing to do with it. Right.

He's says he has done nothing wrong and is aware what members of the

laws can and can't do. What you can do is get involved in business

activities and most peers probably are involved in business. You don't

get a salary so what they do is outside jobs. Providing that

declared and registered on the register of interests, that does

not prohibit them from speaking on the topic they are involved in.

Providing, of course, they declare the interest and that is legitimate.

But this evening, in stepped the man who became an MP and went to

Westminster to try to change the public perception of politicians.

He says it did not happen. If all of the reforms since the mid- 1990s

have resulted to nothing. I served for four years in the House of

Commons and I'd want a situation where we look up to our

parliamentarians, and we do not have one. The is rally by civil

service staff in Newcastle this afternoon, the kind of weary

acceptance Mr Bell wanted to never see again. It was disappointing but

hardly surprising, to be honest. It's not exactly unknown.

Whitehaven, in. Cunningham's former constituency, more of the same. --

George Cunningham's. People are struggling as it is an with

politicians going out a daring stuff like that, it is not

acceptable. I do agree that it was not illegal. But they need to do

something to repair the state of British politics. Jack Cunningham

was central to all that Labour did. He even ran a general election

campaign in 1992. He was recorded by the Sunday Times asking for

�12,000 a month from the lobbyists He also denies wrongdoing and says

he quickly became suspicious of the journalists. He adds that he

informed them he wanted nothing more to do with them. Both men will

now be subject to investigations by parliamentary authorities.

That story has already got to talking on our Facebook page.

It's his first day in office. 48- year-old Dave Jones has taken over

as Chief Constable of North Yorkshire, England's biggest county.

His previous role was as an assistant chief constable in

Northern Ireland. Mr Jones's County Commissioner has described him as

"a tough man for a tough job". John Cundy has this report.

Dave Jones has been chief constable of this county since midnight.

Since then, a with. County-wide tour meeting and greeting the

public. We asked to Look North fears to pose the questions to him.

Gareth Barlow is a sheep farmer. Rural crime is never far away.

over the past three years, myself and other farmers have suffered

badly at the hands of poachers. Why is the police has been very good

and prompt, I would like to know what you are doing to tackle the

issue head on. Rural crime is something I have been tackling in

my previous police service. It is a key priority for me. I am going to

be active on this and work -- will work closely with rural community

to identify the people we believe are travelling to commit these

crimes, some prevention work with farm watch and country watch.

man lives near Helmsley. Her has a son and daughter and two

grandchildren. As I celebrate 50 years in England, my question is,

how can you assure us, the community, that you policing will

be firm, fair and we can go about our daily business without VIA

because we were burgled and we were felt -- we felt traumatised.

Burglary is one of the most dramatic incidents that can happen

to anybody. I can offer the determination to tackle this

particular type of crime. You live in the safest county in England and

we are determined to make sure it stays the same. Dave Jones was

introduced by his police commissioner. My stay Jones has the

rural and urban experience and I want it that makes. I wanted

someone who really Anders did serious crime, as well as rural

crime, and could get to grips with those issues. Policing is about

locking up the bad people, and we are pretty good at that. We arrest

about 50 people a day. It is also about protecting the vulnerable and

identifying those who need our help. Also, that we reassure the public.

On his first it -- day, he is putting in an 18 are shift.

A man has died after a crash in west Cumbria this morning. It

happened on the A595 at Mealsgate in Wigton, and involved a lorry and

a car. The car driver was killed and the lorry driver has minor

injuries. Police say neither is from Cumbria.

13 tax advice centres have been closed by HMRC across the North

East, as they pilot a new, mobile, tax service. Unions claim 1,300

jobs are under threat. The cost- cutting move sparked a

demonstration in Newcastle this lunchtime, where members of the

Public and Commercial Services Union were also striking over pay

and conditions and workplace stress. All 15 of the North East's

newspapers have joined together to lobby the Chancellor of the

Exchequer, George Osborne. They want him to sanction a move that

would see government cash given directly to the region. And they're

asking that the decisions on where to spend are also made in the north

east. The papers are hoping to persuade Mr Osborne of the merits

of the argument ahead of the Chancellor's crucial spending

review later this month. Our Business Correspondent Ian Reeve

reports. In its 143-year life, the Northern

Echo has engaged in many campaigns. It's latest is intended to catch

the eye of the Chancellor. The Echo's joined with the 14 other

newspapers in the North East to try and persuade George Osborne that

the region should be in charge of its own destiny. At is about every

newspaper in the North East coming together behind a unique campaign

to deliver a message to the government about the region's

economic needs. It is the first time any region has come together

in this way with all the newspapers getting behind a single message.

The message is that the North East should be in charge of the cash

that Government directs to the region and to say how it should be

spent. All 15 north east newspapers joining the campaign is a gesture

that's supposed to show the Chancellor the region can work

together. I think we have got a track record in the North East of

delivering when we are given the opportunity and what we are saying

to the government is, you will get better value by giving us the extra

powers to do what we can with the money. If George Osborne says yes,

then this chap will become immensely popular. He's the boss of

one of the two regional bodies that would oversee a regional budget of

hundreds of millions of pounds. And have the say in where the cash

should go. White hot isn't as close to the economies as we are. --

Whitehall. We would say we would get far better out of the money if

we were able to spend it locally. We'll have to wait until the 26th

and the Spending Review to see if the Chancellor has been swayed by

the power of the press. Although the Treasury did say a new local

growth fund in 2015 will be a significant prize, offering power

over housing and transport funding. The arched entrance to Newcastle's

19th century railway station is to close permanently to traffic as

part of a multi-million pounds makeover. Newcastle Central

Station's portico is to be pedestrianised and the inside of

the station upgraded. Work's expected to be completed by summer

2014. You're watching Look North. Still

to come... Dawn's here with Monday's sports news. Plus...

Ice creams all round and time to top up the tan. It's summer at last

- but for how long? Proper summer weather in summer, he

would have predicted it? The rest of the week looks like staying

mostly dry. Join me later weather forecast. -- for the forecast.

Now, the beetles! No, not them. We're talking about a rare insect

that can only be found in the UK on the banks of the River Ouse just

outside York. It's bright green and it's called the tansy.

Conservationists have spent six years trying to preserve the

habitat of the beetle, which lives along the river bank close to

Beningbrough Hall. But flooding and hungry cattle haven't made their

job easy. Ian White reports. There is only one way to find the

rare tansy beetle in the whole of the UK. It is a bit like being on

safari. This is a Land-Rover trip, Yorkshire's dire. This is where

they eat -- near Beningbrough Hall in North Yorkshire. This is the

perfect place for the tansy beetle. But why does it love York so much?

You know all about them. Tansy beetles like York because it has a

wonderful distribution of its food plant along the River Ouse. This is

the only place in Britain where the tansy beetle a curse. It occurs

along 45 kilometres of the River Ouse. Nowhere else? Nowhere else in

the UK. We does it need preserving? It is part of our biodiversity. It

is a benign it leaf eating beetle, no use to humans at all, but it is

our duty to look after the species we have inherited. I want my

granddaughters to be able to come down here and see the tansy beetle.

It looks like they are meeting! They were, but I think we have put

them off. Just to prove the beetles really are around Beningbrough,

Mark had something to show me. There is a beetle on their to date.

You can see where the cattle have been eating the plants. You can see

it is hanging on. This year we concentrate on the beetles because

it is active. -- this time of year. We are trying to mend the fencing

against the cattle. It is a big job. The never ending! Creating the

right habitat is crucial for its survival so the National Trust is

digging for volunteers to help out with conservation work. With any

luck the future is bright for this fascinating insect.

Well if that's whetted your appetite and you want to find out

more about bugs and wildlife on your doorstep, there's lots of

information on-line. Log on to bbc.co.uk/summer of wildlife.

One of the world's best-known and longest-running musicals has made a

return to the North East stage. Cats first opened in London's West

End in 1981. It's been touring ever since. The show, which has no human

characters, is popular with both adults and children. Here's our

arts and entertainment reporter, Sharuna Sagar.

Considered by many as the purrfect musical. Cats is unashamedly 80s

and is still going strong after more than 30 years. Based on the

poems of TS Eliot, it's about a tribe of alley cats, The Jellicles,

who make their home in a junkyard. The last time it was on here was

nearly seven years ago. Where do you see the production anywhere in

the world you will find it is exactly the same. The only thing

that's different is the cast. That is why audiences come back time and

time again. It's does inspire obsessive behaviour and not just

from its audiences. The cast spend so much time in character that the

feline features are rubbing off. stage it is funny. Every now and

then, when someone wants to have a picture, I tend to have a poor -- a

pop. We are capped eight times a week. And she's not alone. Geordie

Barry Haywood has gone from being a construction worker to a cat man.

30 years ago, he offered to make sets for an am-dram group down

south. He discovered he could sing and the rest is history. He's now

been involved with Cats for 17 years. If you said the 30 years ago

I would be daring us now, I would have laughed at you. Coming back to

Newcastle is odd. It is so real because I feel like my life was a

different appear. Now I'm coming back. It feels like I am to people

sometimes. It feels a bit odd. Also, a cat! Miaow to that. The furry

tale has been staged in 26 countries, been seen by more than

50 million people and will be on in Sunderland until Saturday.

Well they call it flaming June and it's started well, at least.

There's nothing more guaranteed to put a smile back on your face than

a spell of sunshine. And it looks like it could be here to stay until,

wait for it, Wednesday! But does soaking up the rays make us any

happier or more ready to spend? Peter Lugg went topless to find out.

Sunshine at last and the chance to bring out the toys. And for those

who spend their lives working outdoors, there is also something

to smile about. It's been a long, cold spring for the farmers. The

week of sun could make all the difference come harvest. It makes

us all feel a lot better in the sunshine. The crops have perked up

in the last 10 days. It feels a lot better. They are looking green and

like they should be doing for the first time. It's the the same for

garden centres. Suddenly, everyone is looking for plants. This time

last year, sales were 30% down. The sun comes out and people want to

get out. They've been waiting to get out, they've been wanting to,

so everything is sold a month behind but it's here now. And who

could imagine a more weather dependent industry than this one?

It must gladden your heart to see all these people out on their

loungers. Yeah, it's nice, I wish I could join them! But there is no

chance! I am trying to be upbeat! Further north on the coast at

Tynemouth, extraordinary scene's as bathers risk the beach without

fleeces. Here the economy was being measured on the sales of ice cream

and sun protection. It is fantastic, get the sand between our toes. I

don't want to get burned. thought we would come down and

enjoy it while we can, make the most of it. And long may it last!

It was that kind of topless. Was it a disappointing?

And not for me. Were we will have a full weather

forecast. If he'd been playing the game today,

J Douglas Edgar would have been more famous than Tiger Woods! Edgar,

who was born in Newcastle and met an untimely death, became a golfing

legend in the United States in the early 20th century. But hardly

anyone in his native North East has heard of him. Well now a former

world boxing champion and a veteran sports writer are trying to put

that right, as Mark Tulip explains. In 1919, English golf professional

James Douglas Edgar, who honed his game at the Northumberland Golf

Club, emigrated to the States. He was soon being hailed as the

world's greatest player, although he died at 36 - hit by a car

reportedly after an affair with the wife of a local gangster. His

grandson brought the forgotten legend to the attention of his

local newspaper. The story read like a Hollywood script. It was the

extraordinary story of this man who taught himself how to play golf,

devised the modern swing. He went over to America at a time where

people weren't doing that, over two Atlantic, and he joined a golf club.

He won the Canadian Open twice, to go with his French Open title. He

mentored Bobby Jones, the most famous amateur golfer the world has

known, he was in Atlanta. This is a guide in our own city who is as

famous as there is in America and he is a forgotten edge into us. --

edge and -- legend. After Gibson and former World Boxing Champion

Glenn McCrory travelled out to Atlanta, Edgar's old golf club

donated this trophy for today's Memorial Golf Day at the South Moor

club in Stanley 24 years to the day since McCrory himself became a

sporting legend just down the road. I would like to think he is smiling

on us and he knows what we have done. He is looking after us today,

you know, making the sunshine. Another former world champion, John

H Stracey, was also on the County Durham golf course, helping to

raise funds for the Cedars Special School in Gateshead. Among the

current crop of talented boxers, a British bantamweight champion and

ex Darlington roofer, who's setting his own sights high after a big win

last month. Hopefully I will get into a mandatory position and will

bring the world title Black -- back to the North East. In it is not

every time -- every day you get a history lesson on a golf course but

it is hoped in a year J Douglas will be as well-known as he

deserves to be. Staying on the golf course,

disabled golfer Kevin Harmison, uncle of Durham cricketer Steve,

has been picked to represent Scotland next week in the Auld

Enemies Cup against England at Kinross. Kevin lost a leg in an

industrial accident at the Alcan aluminium smelter in Northumberland

but has since become one of the country's best disabled golfers.

His inclusion in the squad comes hot on the heels of his victory at

the Balasa Disabled Open in Derbyshire, which he won for the

first time at the end of May. Cricket, and Durham's one day

captain Dale Benkenstein will be back playing sooner than expected

after cancelling planned shoulder surgery. The 38-year-old, who's the

club's all time record run scorer, was scheduled to have an operation

last month which would have ruled him out for most of the season, but

after a few weeks rest he's decided to continue with rehab work instead.

He's playing for the second team today and hopes to return to first

team action soon. Meanwhile acting captain Mark Stoneman top scored

with 85 to help Durham beat Lancashire in the YB40 yesterday.

Along with Phil Mustard, they put together an opening partnership of

126 to give Durham a flying start. They finished just short of the 300

mark on 297 for 9. Whitehaven youngster Jordan Clark top scored

for Lancashire with 72 but despite a late scare, Durham held on to win

by 39 runs. They're now second in Nissan has been shining for most of

the region today. -- mic the sun has been shining. Any excuse for me

to get out of the office. It is busy this evening, not

surprisingly. There is not a cloud in the sky above Newcastle. It is

not going to be like this all of the time, it is not plain sailing,

but it was still largely dry francs to her pressure. Tomorrow, we are

in for a another dry day. Most cases was the plenty of sunshine.

We have a range of temperatures because of the breeze. In the short

term, it is essentially a fine and dry end to the day with sunny

spells for many Pat -- places. The temperatures will get cold enough

for some fog patches to form as we head through the early hours of the

morning. Temperatures as low a six Celsius. Very light winds to start

the day tomorrow as well. Any early mistiness were left unclear. --

will lift and clear. An hour dry and sunny day. Another few patches

of cloud and some decent spells of sunshine. The breeze tomorrow is

coming from the North East and that will take temperatures back

slightly. The highs tomorrow, they will be reserved for Cumbria. We

will see many places making the high teens and one or two spots

heading 20 or 21. They are just a shade up on today. After the fine

day tomorrow, tomorrow night we see cloud coming in from the east.

Samuela France working in of the North Sea and through the middle

part of the week. That will increase the cloud amount. Things

start to pick up again as the high pressure starts to re-establish

itself. After a fine day tomorrow, a bit more cloud on Tuesday

generally. You can knock two or three degrees of the temperatures

because of thick cloud. There could be drizzle in Eastern areas but

many places staying dry. Some Eastern areas could hang on to the

cloud. That will limit the temperatures to the mid-teens. In

the Assembly will see afternoon temperatures approaching 20 Celsius.

The beer when their pictures coming. We would love to see what you have

got to represent June in the North East and Cumbria. Every summer

lining has a cloud. Remember, the sun is very strong, so keep covered

up in the sunshine. Hay fever sufferers, you will be happiest in

the east. The pollen levels will be low east of the Pennines. In most

of the sunshine the pollen levels will be high.

Now for a look at tonight's headlines...

The two men accused of killing Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich last

month have appeared separately in court.

And there's been a call to end the practice of lobbyists paying

politicians after the suspension of two senior labour peers. Lord