27/09/2014 South East Today

ended. And

The MP for Rochester and Strood Mark Reckless, has today announced

that he's leaving the Conservative Party to join TKIP

at the UKIP party conferencd in Doncaster.

It is a decision I make from optimism.

A decision that is born of belief that Britain can be better

and of my knowledge of how the Westminster parties hold us back,

but also of my belief in the fresh start UKIP offdrs.

This was the reaction in his constituency today.

and he is probably one of the last people

I would have thought would do such a thing as th`t.

I think at the end of the day

I am very surprised and a little sad.

I deeply disapprove of both the Conservative party

and UKIP, so I am not reallx very bothered which of them have him

Well, our political reporter Louise Stewart joins us now.

Was this? That a surprising was this?

People in the constituency where taken by surprise. There have been

rumours circulating Westminster for some time that he might defdct

because he is very good fridnds with the MP who defected a coupld of

weeks ago. I asked him a cotple of weeks ago and he denied it `nd in a

statement, his Conservative Party Chairman said today that he ask him

48 hours ago and he gave assurances that he was not looking to defect.

One of the most remarkable things is that UKIP have now claimed to

conservatives and nobody has known about it until it has happened.

How damaging is this? Very. Mark reckless has triggered a

by`election in his constitudncy He has a comfortable majority of around

10,000. UKIP could have thehr 1st MPs at Westminster in a couple

weeks, which would be a hugd coup for Nigel Farage but damaging for

David Cameron. The Catholic Bishop of Brighton has

resigned. In a statement, the Bishop, whose diocese covers for the

grants, said he had been unfaithful to his promises as a Catholhc priest

but said his actions not illegal and did not involve a minor.

A demonstration in support of lorry drivers,

which claimed it would blockade the Port of Dover,

has passed peacefully, according to police.

Around 50 people attended the march near the port,

due to a row over migrants trying to cross the channel from Calahs.

But many of those involved had come for political reasons

and were not lorry drivers themselves.

There were jubilant scenes on Eastbourne's fire damaged pier

today, as it re`opened to the publhc.

The main ballroom of the listed Victorian strtcture

But almost two months on, traders have moved back in and hundreds

It is right for the traders, but also the public, who have got a

tremendous interest in what happened and wanted to see what work is

taking place and also the d`mage. As they go down the walkways, they will

see that. Let's take a look at what the

weather has in store. Well, a pleasant day today

and another one to come tomorrow. we are going to have varying amounts

of cloud but plenty

of clear spells as well, Fairly mild, maybe a little

more chilly than last night. and some rather impressive

temperatures, As we head into the beginning

of next week, there is the threat of showdrs on

Monday afternoon and Wednesday, but things settle down towards the

end of the week A reminder of the top story this

evening, Mark Reckless has `nnounced he is leaving the Conservathve party

to join UKIP. You can see more on that story

tomorrow. Good evening. A stagnant September

weather story continues. Today has been no exception. Rather quiet but

fairly cloudy. There have been some breaks across East Anglia with

temperatures up to 22 this afternoon. We could see some clearer

skies down into the south-east through this evening. Predominantly

cloudy and breezy into the North West with a weak weather front

pushing in. There could be brain in Western slopes of Scotland. -- there

could be rain. Temperatures holding in double figures elsewhere. We

start tomorrow with a misty and murky start in the