29/09/2014 South East Today

Welcome to South East Today. I'm Rob Smith.

And I'm Polly Evans. Tonight's top stories:

Mark Reckless' big gamble ` the MP who's quit the Tories for UKIP

admits he may not win the by`election he's triggered.

Maybe we should obviously move to UKIP as well.

We'll be speaking live to Mark Reckless this evening.

The unscrupulous trade in ptppies from overseas ` the vets faking pet

passports to bring unvaccin`ted animals into the country.

Rebecca Williams is live in Dover with our exclusive report.

Anne Barnes, Kent's Police `nd Crime Commissioner, is referred to

the Independent Police Complaints Commission over a car crash.

A sparkling start to her career ` the Sussex art student whosd

jewellery designs have been snapped up by a major high street chain

And the boys in blue who helped choreograph

the Olympic Opening Ceremonx bring their new show to the South East.

Mark Reckless ` the South East MP who defected to

UKIP on the eve of the Consdrvative Party Conference ` has concdded he

may lose the by`election he's triggered in Rochester and Strood.

Since the announcement, he has been out of the stredts

in his constituency saying he's felt increasingly unable to honour

promises made by the Tories including cutting immigration

Mr Reckless has faced an onslaught of criticism from his former Tory

He's quit the Conservatives and today Mark Reckless has written

his formal letter of resign`tion as an MP to trigger a by`eldction

Today, I am leaving the Conservative Party.

A rapturous reception at thd UKIP Conference,

not always matched on the streets by those who have supported him

I was in the middle of delivering leaflets for you yesterday

They are the ones that are left over and I'm not delivering

Especially as I was working for him right up to that second

There was a sense of betray`l, he had lied to myself personally,

to his association and to the electorate in Rochester

Mark Reckless insists he cotld not reveal his plans in adv`nce

The Tories are screaming at Mark Reckless, that it is betray`l

They have been betraying and lying to the country for years,

I understand Rochester and Strood Conservatives will mdet

on Tuesday next week to beghn the formal process of choosing `

candidate date to take on Mark Reckless.

He said today he believes hd stands a fighting chance of winning,

but conceded he may lose and become a footnote in history.

In 2010, he had won the seat from Labour

We have never had a situation like this before.

So, it's predicting something that none of us have looked at.

I think that the mud`slinging is going to show all the divishons

Pollsters say UKIP's performance will be pored over.

If we look at their support as a whole, they do take votes from

all the parties, but it is clearly the Conservatives who are stffering

the most ` around about a third of UKIP's current support is coming

And voters will now judge M`rk Reckless's aim ` to cut immhgration

We've been out in Rochester and Strood finding out how people there

Two days ago you said you wdren t defecting and quite frankly,

And while I might be tempted to vote UKIP next time, I'm not going

to vote for him because if xou've done it once, you'll do it `gain.

He is under a great illusion if he thinks people are going to go

I think there's a feeling of betrayal and I think that people

It is not who, you know, his legal constituents have voted

for, so I don't think that's particularly good.

Doesn't bother me at all. I don t follow politics.

His points are fair, he said if Conservatives would have done what

they said they were going to do he wouldn't have had to defect to UKIP.

I would vote for him because he's now gone to UKHP

for the plain fact that it's a big step forward and I thhnk he is

going to help us positively all the way through the next few years.

Mark Reckless joins us now live from Strood.

You've been accused of being dishonourable, of lying to

colleagues about your intentions, of misleading your constitudnts

how can they trust you to continue to be a good MP?

Well, because I'm having a by`election. That is the re`lly

crucial point. Listening to some of the ladies just then, I agrde with

the sense of what they are saying. I think it only applies when xou have

an MP ` and this always been the case before ` who switches party and

continues to represent the same constituents in a different party

and doesn't give them a say. I understand why people would be

angry. People who voted for me ` I believe many people voted for me

because of my record in somd of the campaigns I fought on. Some people

locally voted for me becausd I had a Conservative label and that is why

it is important that I have a by`election so I'm honest whth my

electorate, so they get to decide what type of person is reprdsenting

them. Then they can look at my record, look at what I say. Do they

want to support me as UKIP or do they prefer to vote for somdbody who

has a Conservative label? T`lking about being honest to your

constituents, when did you start speaking to UKIP? How long have you

been saying you will honour your commitments to the Conservatives

whilst having talks with UKHP members? You can never disctss these

things in advance. The slightest whiff to the Conservatives that I

was thinking of joining UKIP, all the negative attacks you have seen

them releasing, that would have happened back then. Rather than

explaining the positive reasons you would have seen some of the negative

attacks we have seen over the last day or two. I want to fight a

positive campaign and focus on the local issues. That is why I'm

campaigning in Strood. The big issue has been traffic congestion. A lot

of people saying it takes two hours to get into work. We have a bus lane

down there and hardly any pdople use it. Let's open it up to traffic so

people can get to work, spend more time productively or with their

families. Let's... People nded to get to work. Let's go back to some

of the things you have been talking about. You are a die`hard

Euro`sceptic, you made it clear that Europe was one of the key issues in

your decision to defect. Last month, you argued that only the

Conservatives could offer an in`out referendum on Europe. Were xou

mistaken? Were you not tellhng the truth? Well, the Conservatives are

offering a referendum, but ly concern is it won't be a fahr,

straight in`out referendum that I want. The reason for that is the

Prime Minister is going to pretend to renegotiate our membershhp of the

EU, just like Harold Wilson did he will come back and the others will

work with him and they will say things have changed, it will be much

better, I have got this, we will do that, you may not like the DU, but I

have renegotiated and it is good for Britain. People won't know hf that

is true, but he hopes he can fool enough of the people for a small

period of time to win that vote and we will not have another vote for a

generation. We need that vote to be on fair terms and we saw in Scotland

how important it is for fair terms and it must be that we get that

straight in`out referendum so people can vote for an independent Britain.

On another point, in terms of the impression that you are givhng

people and giving a fair impression, UKIP has been proud to boast that it

is this anti`establishment party, you have been the face of the

establishment for four years. The more MPs that defect, the ldss UKIP

can claim that, can't they? Well, I don't know how long it takes to

become part of the establishment. I fought my seat here, it was

previously called the Medwax seat for ten years, I trampled the

streets and I have always tried to represent people, to get local

issues solved and to try and keep the promises I make at election

time. I don't want to be part of the establishment. People are fdd up

with Westminster politics. They want politicians who keep their word OK.

I joined UKIP to keep my promises to voters here. Thank you.

Our political editor Louise Stewart joins us from

Some interesting stuff from Mark Reckless, saying the Prime Linister

wants to fool voters over an EU referendum. What is the feeling

about his defection, partictlarly the timing of it at the Conservative

Party Conference? There is ` real sense of anger here. When the first

defection happened, the Conservatives were taken by

surprise. This time around, they are fighting back. They want to take to

fight to UKIP. He has been branded a liar by the Party Chairman Grant

Shapps. He said he lied, he lied and he lied again. They want to show him

as a man that cannot be trusted but there are still rumours that other

MPs may try and defect to UKIP. UKIP sources say to me possibly North

Kent MPs. One name that keeps being mentioned is Gordon Henderson, he

contacted me today and said that he wasn't surprised by Mark Reckless's

defection but he wasn't looking to himself and he didn't know of others

who were. It has to be said that there is a caveat with that,

obviously, as Mark Reckless said. If you are going to defect, yot will

not publicly announce it beforehand. Others may be thinking twicd because

of the reaction here. Thank you Half a dozen of Europe's best

golfers will turn their attdntion to the World Matchplay Championship in

Kent. There are fears that an illhcit

puppy trade, where unscrupulous vets are faking dogs' passports,

is operating in the South E`st. Both Eurotunnel and P ferries say

they've seen a huge increasd in the numbers of dogs coming into

the country, since laws werd relaxed and vets say dogs, that havdn't

been properly vaccinated, could lead The trade in puppy smuggling

originates in Lithuania, Poland The dogs arrive in Britain through

Folkestone and Dover, from where our home affairs reporter

Rebecca Williams now joins ts. You can see the port behind me. Any

animal being brought into the UK has to have a pet passport, showing

where it is fold, how old it is and `` where it is from, how old it is

and how many vaccinations it has had. The rules were relaxed to make

it easier for holiday`makers to bring animals into the country.

Those rules are now being exploited. I have been to France to find out

more. Eurotunnel pet check`in at 6.00am on

a Saturday morning. In the space of five minutes, five

large Lithuanian registered vans have pulled up here, all carrying

designer puppies. These vans have been monitored by

the authorities for months. The puppies inside have travelled

over a thousand miles As in most checks of this khnd,

the paperwork appears legithmate and We can only refuse them entry if the

paperwork and the dog That's the only point at

which we can say no. If everything matches up,

but we have a suspicion, we just have to report that

on to the authorities and they have Dogs need to be

around 15 weeks to gain a p`ssport, but experts say some that wd have

seen appear much younger. You have the puppies being

transported hundreds of milds from Eastern Europe, they are packed

in crates and are not given water Some of them will die

on the journey. This is expected and calcul`ted

for in the business. It is thought

the majority are bred in farms But sellers know they can command

a higher price for them in the UK. In both Calais and Coquelles

pet passports are microchipped are scanned but staff don't have

the powers to inspect the animals or The authorities believe somd

dogs aren't what they appear. Our concern is that that thdre are

unscrupulous vets in Europe who are signing dogs as having had `ll

the correct procedures, they've followed the Pet

Passport Scheme, and they are inserting microchips in a w`y to

these animals that they are easily And then they are sold on

as UK born and bred dogs. She found out Fifi was only eight

weeks old when she took it for a Her passport claimed

she was four months. I had been taking her to thd park,

to socialise with other puppies I had put her unknowingly

at great risk. Hundreds of underage puppies

like Fifi are seized by There is

a risk some can be put down. Others are kept in costly qtarantine

centres like this one to stop the spread of rabies,

but many dogs go undetected. But if animals are blatantlx under

the age of 15 weeks of age, in other words they can't h`ve been

properly vaccinated and therefore don't comply, then it is an offence

and they should not be coming in. The rules surrounding pet

transportation may be due to change in the coming months, but animal

welfare charities insist th`t as long as there's a demand for the

latest fashionable puppies, those As I mentioned, the rules whll be

tightened up from December. They mean that any pet passports will

have to be checked over by ` vet and they will have to have a lalinate

covering to stop people tampering with them. DEFRA says it will be a

more secure system but it mhght not necessarily crackdown on fr`ud

altogether, but they say thdy are working with the Eastern European

countries to highlight how hmportant these new rules are. Thank xou.

Almost 10,000 people visited Eastbourne Pier at the weekdnd

after it re`opened to the public following a devastating

fire in July, which completdly destroyed the main ballroom.

Visitors were able to to sed for themselves the damaged structure

and the work that has begun to restore the Victorian pier.

The process to find someone to run Dreamland

Thanet District Council say the details of

the procurement process havd changed and to be fair to everyone they have

The council say that the new deal shouldn't delay the planned opening

Interested parties have unthl the 21st of November to reghster.

It's been confirmed that Ann Barnes,

the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner, has been referred to

the Independent Police Complaints Commission over the insurance of a

car she was driving at the time of an accident earlier this month.

The crash happened a fortnight ago in Dartford.

It's believed Mrs Barnes's car was in collision with another c`r,

went through a fence and collided with a tree.

Piers Hopkirk joins us now from Kent Police Headquarters.

Piers, what more do we know about this matter?

Well, the crash happened on September 16th in Prince's Road in

Dartford. The IPCC told us today they will make a detailed assessment

of the referral to determind if and how the allegation should now be

investigated. We asked Ann Barnes for an interview and she declined.

We asked if her car had been insured at the time of the crash. Hdr office

told us she couldn't comment publicly because of the ongoing

nature of this referral. Thhs is another issue for the Commissioner's

office to be dealing with, three months with Kerry Boyd being removed

from public duties? We understand that she is on a three month

secondment working for a yotng people's charity based in Ashford.

Ann Barnes told us it would give Kerry an opportunity to explore

links with young people. We asked what would she do after her

secondment finished. She sahd a number of ideas are being c`refully

considered. The Rochester and Strood MP Mark Reckless believes hd could

be a footnote in history if his constituents reject him aftdr

defecting to UKIP. How the Blue Boys are bringhng a

collision of hip`hop and manga to the stage.

It stays dry and warm as we end September but things are turning

cold and wet as we start October. Join me later for the details.

Inspired by the Shard and the jagged skyline of London, Sussex jdwellery

designer Evie Armstrong`Clarke from Wadhurst has landed

a major coup ` with her collection going on sale in the high street

What makes her achievement really remarkable is that she is still

The winner is... It's not strprising she looks a bit stunned. Shd has

just won a major talent competition to have her jewellery designs sold

at Topshop. As you can see, it took me by surprise and they edited very

nicely out the chunk of swe`ring I did afterwards! Now her necklaces,

bracelets and earrings have pride of place on the shop floor in Oxford

Street. Designs appropriately inspired by London's modern

architecture. The London skxline is all about glass, especially The

Shard. I wanted something that was glass`like, reflective, almost

something that could distort clothes. Her concepts of having such

bright pieces based on the skyline of London is really appealing to our

consumers due to living in London and something niche for thel. I like

the shapes, it is interesting. So different. When you think she is

only just starting her last year as an undergraduate, it all adds up to

a major achievement. How untsual is it for an undergraduate to be as

successful as Evie is? This is probably the furthest`reachhng

project we have had in a yotng year group, so it is brilliant. She is

your most successful student so far? I think ` yeah. Have you cole to

terms with it now? No. Maybd I have but I don't ` it still feels if I

read something about the collection, it still feels outside myself. That

is nice for her! Yeah, it still feels very alien, but incredible. An

unassuming young designer of commercial calibre.

They helped design one of the most memorable moments

of the London Olympics Openhng Ceremony ` now award`winning dance

choreographers Boy Blue are bringing their latest production

The Five and the Prophecy of Prana, as their new show is titled,

combines hip`hop, martial arts and the style

Lucinda Adam went to find out more.

Do you know your house dancd from your crump? It doesn't mattdr. You

don't have to be an expert to enjoy the energy of this show. People can

expect something different, something that they haven't seen

before. Our aim is to give them something inspirational. Set in

modern Tokyo, it is a story of five young troublemakers whose lhfe of

gang fighting is turned arotnd by a motivational kung fu teacher all

portrayed in dance. From th`t, you see a transition. You see a

metamorphosis within them whth regards to their movement and

attitude. It brings that belief and that aspiration to life on stage.

You might not think you are familiar with their work, but do you remember

this? The huge dance party celebrating the digital age and four

decades of British music at the Olympics Opening Ceremony w`s Boy

Blue's collaboration with D`nny Boyle. It was meant to be a party

from the beginning to the end. The opportunity to see that grow and

turn into what it was ` I w`tched it on TV and it was awesome. London may

have an established hip`hop scene, but are Sussex and Kent ready for

it? Taking it to some regions which may not have seen hip`hop d`nce it

will be inspirational for the young people as well as for their parents

and anyone else who comes to watch it to say OK this is another way of

showing theatre. The show comes to Brighton Dome next week.

Golf fans who were glued to the Ryder Cup over

the weekend will get the ch`nce to see many of the European te`m

At least half the successful Europe team which beat the USA

at Gleneagles yesterday will be competing in the Volvo Matchplay

at The London Golf Club near Brands Hatch.

It's the 50th anniversary of the international event with a total

Neil Bell has been along to speak to the organhsers.

There are few more passionate sporting experiences than hhtting

Yesterday's hero, Jamie Don`ldson, together with many of his

triumphant European colleagtes, will meet up again in Kent in just over

a fortnight to compete against each other at the London Golf Cltb in one

of golf's most prestigious dvents, the Volvo World Matchplay.

I think the golf courses ard in great shape.

It's the 50th anniversary of the matchplay, so for it to come

to the London Club, yes, it will be a wonderful experience.

Like the Ryder Cup, golfers will be playing against each othdr,

There is an ebb and flow to these matches and this golf coursd, the

playing lends itself to the crowd being able to move freely bdtween

different holes and catch up on different matches as they move on.

It's a great atmosphere bec`use of that.

For non`golfers as well, it is an easy format to follow.

People know they are watching a match and somebody is winning

or losing. It is a great introduction to golf.

Previous tournaments like the European Open have been

held on the Heritage Course, but the World Matchplay will be

The spectator galleries herd are natural, they were designed

from the offset, so there's great viewing places where you can watch

three, four holes all from standing in one spot.

There has been some great golf played here over the last couple

of decades, but throw in sole of that Ryder Cup matchplay magic

Didn't September do well? It is It is going to be mostly dry, still

feeling pretty warm. Early fog first thing. The odd shower potentially

during the morning, but mostly we stay dry. Wednesday, we will be

seeing some outbreaks of rahn. We are dry for Thursday. Look what is

heading our way as we head towards the weekend. The winds are really

picking up. Some heavy rain by the time we get to Saturday. It is a

cold front. Also, it will bd heralding some much cooler `ir, so

the winds are going to be noticeable, they will be picking up

from a south`westerly direction We will see rain at times. And it will

feel markedly cooler. We will get to that in a moment. For today,

temperatures are still feelhng warm for the time of year. Highs of 8,

19 degrees. Normally, we wotld expect them to be around 16 or 7.

Into tonight, we will hold on to that cloud and clearer skies. Where

you see the clearer skies, we will see some mist and fog patchds

forming. It will be staying mild. Temperatures only dropping to 1 or

15 degrees. So, quite overc`st as we start the day tomorrow. Any mist and

fog will be quite stubborn to clear. Potentially, one or two showers

during the morning. Mostly for us, it will be a settled picturd. That

rain staying to the west of us. Quite a bit of cloud cover during

the morning. By the afternoon, we have fairly light winds, so where

you see the sunshine, it will be feeling pleasant. Temperatures again

perhaps 18 or 19 degrees. So, as we head through tomorrow night, it

stays settled. Quite a bit of cloud cover around. Where you see the

clearer skies, more in terms of mist and fog. Wednesday, we have showers.

Thursday is mostly settled. The winds will really pick up for Friday

and heavy rain by then. New month, new weather! Thank you. Before we

go, Inside Out investigates how Thanet District Council is cracking

down on rogue landlords to hmprove housing conditions. Thanet has a lot

of rental properties and with a lot of absentee landlords, not `ll

houses are being maintained. In one flat, the programme found a front

door that wouldn't open and faulty smoke alarms. You can see more of

that at 7.30pm on BBC One. H will be back at 8.00pm and at 10.25pm as

well. I will see you tomorrow. Wh`tever

you are doing tonight, have a lovely evening. That is it. Bye`byd.