12/09/2013 North West Tonight

Good evening. Welcome to North West Tonight with Roger Johnson and

investigated Sir Cyril Smith accuse This is quite disgraceful if people

were deliberately covering up. The former MP's brother has always

said Sir Cyril did nothing wrong. Also tonight: Why is unemployment

going up in the North West when Also tonight: Why is unemployment

Anger in Cumbria at a rule change which means the county may store

The corrupt court official who took money to wipe out drivers' penalty

points. And poetry on a plate — Roger McCough helps make children's

I hate it really quickly so I could see the words. It was very funny.

I got the pieces of food out of Detectives who investigated the

former Rochdale MP Sir Cyril Smith security services covered up his

crimes of sexual and physical abuse. Retired police officers have told a

TV documentary they are convinced that MI5 suppressed evidence against

Sir Cyril died three years ago and his brother has always protested his

innocence. But some of those who say they were abused by the politician

are now calling for a fresh inquiry. One of the region's best known MPs,

Cyril Smith was a big character One of the region's best known MPs,

British politics. But was he too big and too important to expose as a

child abuser? That's something Tonight's Channel four Dispatches

investigating the Liberal MP who at negotiations about an election pact

with Labour. Former Special Branch officer Tony Robinson was working in

Lancashire when he received a call from MI5 requesting a secret dossier

alleging eight offences against We understand that you have a file

on Mr Smith, the Liberal MP for Rochdale. We said yes. They said

they wanted that file sending down to an office by a certain date.

That file went missing for the next It annoyed me that, I'd virtue of a

person 's position, a quite serious offence could be pushed under the

Former CID officer Jack Tasker says We did care and we were interested

but there were very powerful people making sure we didn't investigate.

Sir Cyril's family have always denied wrongdoing but politicians in

Rochdale have been demanding action. cover—up, it meant the abuse could

The plaque dedicated to Sir Cyril Smith is now gone but the rumours go

on. 40 years on, very few of the victims believe they will get any

Other news from around the North off—duty policeman on a night out in

Stockport has been jailed. PC Gareth Francis was celebrating his 28th

birthday when he was punched in Francis was celebrating his 28th

face by Westley Holland in February. In a statement, his family described

Gareth as a "loving, happy and sentenced to four and half years.

The main author of the Hillsborough Professor Phil Scraton, has said he

feels the new investigations into the disaster need greater scrutiny.

Today marks 12 months since the report was published. Professor

Scraton says he is disappointed report was published. Professor

issue of an independent challenge manslaughter investigations has

issue of an independent challenge That is a resounding weakness in the

process. The issue of challenge That is a resounding weakness in the

independent challenge, I think is crucial to reassuring the families

A father and son have been charged in connection with helping Dale

Cregan while he was on the run last summer before he murdered two police

officers in Manchester last year. Jack Willbye, 57 from Kent, and

officers in Manchester last year. Wythenshawe were remanded in custody

to appear in court later this month. Another man, aged 41 from London,

was today arrested in Spain and Another man, aged 41 from London,

be brought back to the UK to faces charges of conspiracy to assist

The Government says it cannot be complacent as unemployment edges up

in the region for the second time in decrease nationally. Our political

editor Arif Ansari is at Westminster today where the Government has

signed a so—called City Deal aimed at boosting Preston's economy. How

concerned will the Government be about these unemployment figures?

Unemployment went up by 13,000 people and that the rate now stands

at 8.3%, higher than the national average. For those who don't have a

job, there is a real human cost average. For those who don't have a

all of this. This is very much an unwanted anniversary for Steph Pryor

who has been signing on for a year. It is very depressing because as

every week goes by the are less It is very depressing because as

advertised. More and more of the volunteers, so you are —— they are

unpaid jobs. I would guess that volunteers, so you are —— they are

have been applying for about four or five jobs every week. Most of them I

have had no response at all. When I have had a response it is usually to

say that they have had so many applicants that they cannot process

finally found a job which she now The North West remains one of the

biggest regions in the country for actually making things. We have

about a quarter of the country actually making things. We have

chemical workers and a fifth of actually making things. We have

manufacturing sector would still They are making a safety valve for

the oil industry. They believe they are bringing the country out of

economic disaster duty goods like They are going out to Romania,

Argentina, Kuwait. 75% of everything this country does is exported and

many believe that is the way out of You have got to manufacture your way

Jimmy has worked here for 23 years. That was the whole workforce back

manufacturing base coming out of recession quicker and that is where

we have to get to. It is important for Britain and important for the

26 jobs have been created here but even with unemployment figures

rising, they are looking for skilled people. Why can't you full these

I think young people find IT and Many believe that skills shortage is

Ministers announced what's called a City Deal for Preston and South

Ribble at a launch at Number 11 The deal was signed under Nice the

colours of a jockey, and that is very much the message the government

wants to push, driving things on —— signed underneath the colours. I

asked how concerned they were about It has been a major challenge across

the world during this recession It has been a major challenge across

as a country we have been doing better than in recent recessions.

Today is a warning that we cannot be complacent and we want to create

jobs in and around Preston. The people are telling us we can do

jobs in and around Preston. The connections and that is why we are

When will people in Preston and connections and that is why we are

surrounding area start to see a It won't be immediately because

Manchester and Liverpool already have City Deals but they are more

about driving the economy in the long term. The leader of Lancashire

It is opening up opportunities for business growth. Lots of housing has

infrastructure was in there to match infrastructure in and really grow

The government's big strategy is rebalancing the economy. But the

unemployment figures show that they A corrupt court official who took

money to wipe out drivers' penalty points is facing a possible jail

David Kelly, who worked at Liverpool Magistrates' Court, was today found

guilty on 23 charges of perverting Marshall reports from Preston Crown

For six years, David Kelly abused his position as an admin worker

For six years, David Kelly abused Liverpool Magistrates' Court. He was

sending bogus or forged forms to the DVLA. They were motorists who were

facing driving bans after having points applied. His scheme ran

The conspiracy was under covered —— uncovered when fellow staff members

He was caught out when applying uncovered when fellow staff members

remove points from cases which hadn't even been processed and when

she had no jurisdiction over. His behaviour jeopardises the public

The court decided his only motive was financial gain although it is

not clear how much money he made over the years. He either conspired

with the customers directly, or Three people were also in court

conspiracy as customers of David Kelly. He will be so sentenced

A slap in the face for democracy. That's how campaigners in Cumbria

rule—change which means the county could end up storing nuclear waste

despite previously voting against The Department of Energy today

decided to give smaller district councils the power to accept nuclear

waste. That means a plan to bury radioactive material underground

It was an issue that divided the county — whether or not to bury

radioactive waste in Cumbria. The plans had been bold — to build a

vast underground labyrinth to store Britain's nuclear waste. Supporters

said it would bring much—needed investment and jobs to the county.

Opponents were worried about safety and the affect on tourism to nearby

attractions like the Lake District. In January, Cumbria County Council

voted against continuing with the I think I've got to go back to

central government and sale, you That was despite votes by Cumbria's

five district councils. Three said no to nuclear waste. Two, Copeland

and Allerdale, said they would consider the idea. Today's news

turns the tables giving them final say. It is a slap in the face for

democracy in that the council is The current County Council leader

says he is disappointed and the district county councils have yet to

The ultimate planning decision wouldn't rest with the council,

The ultimate planning decision somewhere. It's currently stored

Sellafield. But it's not a long—term solution. Some high—level waste

Sellafield. But it's not a long—term thousands of years. Still to come on

North West Tonight: This is the thousands of years. Still to come on

that has so far raised more than £30,000 in memory of a top North

And can serving a little prose with their potatoes really get children

So slow readers learn to read better and it is a way of getting them

So slow readers learn to read better Depression, poverty and relationship

breakdowns are just some of the problems disabled workers in Wigan

say they suffering a year after being made redundant. The Government

has closed loss—making Remploy sites but insists the annual disability

employment budget of £320 million will be used to help redundant

workers get new work in mainstream industry. In the second of our

special reports on the human impact of Remploy closures, our reporter

Paresh Patel has been back to Wigan These were the tearful scenes when

I've never felt sad as do now. They broke their spirits and they

One year run, how are they coping? Ronnie Foster was a forklift driver

for Remploy. Since losing his job, he has not had one interview and

feels his life is unravelling. I've started drinking too much and

it is disgraceful the way they This couple are in the mid—50s and

have learning difficulties, two things which make it difficult.

We have had nothing in months. The government closed the Remploy

offers but promised the money saved would be used to help them find

offers but promised the money saved Voluntary work is no good for me. It

doesn't pay the bills, does it? continued to work on a monthly basis

You can have as many tablets and talk to as many people as you want

We did ask the Disability Minster Ester McVey for an interview on

several occasions but she's been unavailable. In our final special

report tomorrow we'll be speaking to former Remploy workers who've found

A Manchester band, whose tribute to an Italian Motorcycle racer became a

weekend play to thousands of MotoGP fans at the track named after him.

Marco Simoncelli was just 24 when he was killed in an accident at the

2011 Malaysian Grand Prix. The song, Rise Again by The Rainband, has

since become the anthem for the foundation set up in his name. Ian

MUSIC: "Rise Again" by The Rainband. A top five hit in Italy, it also

made the top ten of the UK indie chart. But it's most familiar to

fans of motor cycle racing the world over. Talented and charismatic —

Marco Simoncelli was tipped to be the next big thing in MotoGP before

his tragic death. Writing a tribute Finngan, whose family are big MotoGP

fans. Since we saw you in January, we've played Glastonbury and the

number of the key festivals. This track feels the Morse special to me.

Currently preparing for a UK tour, tomorrow The Rainband fly out to the

other side of Europe where sales of Rise Again have already raised

It's something I'm really proud Rise Again have already raised

And though the others weren't big on It was the first time I had been

around motor sport and I absolutely Marco Simoncelli's death inspiring a

hit song from an up—and—coming unlikely legacy but it's one that

continues to help keep his memory Cricket and it's been a good day for

Lancashire against Leicestershire as they chase promotin, perhaps as

champions, from Division Two of they chase promotin, perhaps as

County Championship. At the close of play Lancashire were 344—4 in their

first innings. Stand—in captain play Lancashire were 344—4 in their

Horton led from the front with an unbeaten 150 off 260 balls including

I was there today but I didn't get to watch a single ball. I was stuck

in a room doing something else. Meal times with children can be

stressful but the Merseyside poet Roger McGough may have the answer.

His solution — poetry on a plate. It's Roger's way of bringing reading

out of the library and into the kitchen, and he spent this lunchtime

at Four Oaks Primary School in stronger no doubt, you get high

at Four Oaks Primary School in sprouts. Those were my own words,

These children are captivated. It's hoped that poetry on a plate can

make meal times a calmer and more enjoyable experience. Roger McGough

has been asked by a food company to It is two things, getting kids to

read and slow readers learn to read better. And it is a way of getting

poetry out of the school environment As they eat their food the children

enter a new world of discovery. We've met lovely people in far—away

I got the pieces of food out of way and read it. There's writing on

There is a poor and you can read it and it's got pictures. I ate it

really quickly so I could read all I think they like poetry really

young because of the expectancy I think they like poetry really

the Ryan and the rhythm. It is like It's hoped the children will develop

a love of poetry. At Four Oaks Primary School, poetry will be

Good idea that. As long as it should Diane, you're looking very... What?

We have quite a deep depression quite a few weather fronts. The

forecast is not great for Sunday. The are going to be some deals at

times through the weekend. —— some deals —— some gales. Try skies will

come through after midnight. Because of the cloud cover it will be a

come through after midnight. Because north—westerly. Tomorrow will be

cooler with more rain pushing and. Intellectual is what I was thinking

I hadn't realised I was wearing them. I thought I had my contact