North East and Cumbria Election 2017: Where You Live

Good evening. In just over one week voters will be going to the polls.

What are the issues? Welcome to Election 2017, Where You Live. On

our panel tonight, conservative James Wharton, Fiona Mills from

Ukip, Andy McDonald from Labour Party, Shirley Ford from the Green

Party. In our audience are supporters of the main parties and

people who have not yet made up their makes you to vote for on June

eight. You can join the debate at home using the Twitter hashed hike.

Get on with our first question, Katie, who works for a haulage

company. How will the parties ensure that Britain leaving the EU will not

create more of a north - south divide? Andy McDonald? It is

essential for the north-east of England that its record as an

exporting region is protected. We look no further than the automotive

industry where we have not just the sun and Washington, but we have to

supply chain running through the north-east of England. Tens of

thousands of jobs there. It is key that we have unfettered and have

free access to that European market that is so important to us. These

are things that we must do. We must also be team skills that we house

from people who have come from other European countries as well. It is

essential that we see that you are welcome, you have come here, you

have set their own roots, you have former love and married, set up

businesses, paying tax and National Insurance, we want you here, you are

valuable to our economy, it is it when- when for us, it is essential

that we detain all those best parts of our relationship with your

opinion and make sure it is not jeopardised in any way. Fiona Mills

for Ukip, you seem relaxed about these tariffs that Andy McDonald is

worried about? I don't think there will be tariffs. I campaigned for

six months to meet the European Union, I am convinced we will be

better off outside, and I am sure there will not speak to us, we will

properly get a free trade agreement with the European Union because we

have a trade deficit with their managers and their interest to keep

trading with us. There will not be a north- south divide either. Fiona

Hall from the Liberal Democrats, your party wants to see a second

referendum, and is desperate to stay in the EU. Absolutely because this

region needs us to be in the single market, it desperately needs it, it

is not just the car industry, although that is important, an awful

lot of small businesses work and continental Europe and will be

barred from doing so. There's your answer not just to not read you

look? Ideally, not to leave, that would be part of the second

referendum that would be on the ballot paper, but the most crucial

thing for the economy, and for not increasing their north- south

divide, assisting in the single market, and Theresa May's hard

Frexit is writing that possibility off. James Wharton, hard Frexit,

does this region have a lot to lose? Brexit is the single most important

thing that this country faces going forward, not just for this

parliament but for a generation and this is important that we respect

the result of that and we deliver on the instruction the pitch Google has

given the Government and important that they get the best possible

deal. That'll be negotiated by either Jeremy Corbyn or Theresa May

and we will choose in the selection who we trust. And for the north-east

who have arisen Government we do have a strong voice and that

governments to ensure the things that matter to as a part of that

negotiation process. I think that's Theresa May is the right person to

do this and there are certain sectors that matter very much the

north-east that we need strong voices from the north-east to

constructively and effectively make the case. One example is automotive,

we're not far from Sunderland where Nissan has one of the most

productive plants in the world. Shirley Ford for the Green Party?

Hearing about what the Conservative Party would call the best deal, I

would question that, because not only do we need to protect the good

things of our membership of the European Union, but that is a huge

opportunity here, but not that we have the kind of Brexit that the

Tories would like which would fuel as being a tax haven which would

fuel the inequality, it would fuel the City of London. We have to have

a different kind of Brexit which actually brings the opportunities to

build strong local industries here, the free trade element it should be

fair trade, opportunities for the skills and facilities here in the

north-east. I want to go back to Katie who asked the question. What

do you think? I believe we import wait more than we export, especially

to the region, I work in haulage, I think we will be OK on the three

trades division, but I agree with Fiona from the Ukip party. You are

relaxed about it? Yes. Anybody else in the audience? Yes, a woman on my

left at the back. My name is Pat. A question for

James. You see this was the best deal through the Conservative Party.

Why call an election no? You had the majority vote. You had the best

leader. Why do this? You wing whichever way. Labour would be done

to their Government came through and one because now they would be left

picking up the pieces. James Wharton, can you answer this

customer talk about this choice. One minute issue this was not about

Theresa May was not to have this election. A couple of things have

been said that I'm not accurate. We must get control of our borders and

our market. First of all, if you are so convinced Theresa May is the best

person to negotiate... MPs in Parliament do not accept the result

of the referendum and want to frustrate it. The current Government

has a small majority in parliament, this is an opportunity to give the

Government, whoever that might be, a strong mandate in those

negotiations. This is the crucial thing this country faces that will

affect us for a generation. We need a good negotiating team, Theresa May

is the right person to deal with that. The people will decide. Let us

hear from more people in the audience. Just for the Conservatives

and the Ukip representatives, I would like to know why, if

everything is so secure and will go so smoothly, you have got the head

of European manufacturing at Nissan, under European basis, he is saying

that the supply chain in the UK for Nissan is at risk from Brexit and he

wants the Government to spend ?100 million on strengthening that supply

chain. And he said, he would not say that Nissan Sunderland is safe.

Fiona Mills, these are the real issues that are facing companies

here, that I watching this carefully. Your warmers to not been

a great deal, they want to see the deal. Nissan has just invested a

huge lead in this region, that speaks volumes, they are clearly not

worried about Brexit, they were probably not given a guarantee

because no guarantee would be necessary because we will get a free

trade agreement. There is not an issue. You talk about the motor car

industry alone, tariffs are imposed in the way that is possible that

would wipe out not just the UK operational profitability, it would

be the European operations that would be scuppered, do not think for

one minute that 49 million pounds is going to be sufficient to keep them

there are no circumstances. It is not. Goods are made up and component

parts right across the European Union and if we don't have that

frictionless process through our customs system we are going to be in

trouble. These are things we have got to concentrate on when we are

talking to our neighbours in Europe about securing the best deal for

this country. Imposition of tariffs would be a disaster for Sunderland,

as would delays caused simply by things taking a long time going

through customs, because of the fact that they rely on deliveries

arriving. I want to get more people in. The woman has put her hand up

with fitted in Cardigan. The man in the shirt. We have had the worst

possible deal for the NHS, for education, for people on low wages,

I should be trusted Tories it was the best possible deal deal anything

else? Anybody else in the audience wanted Japan? I will allow James

Wharton to come back in the moment. Fiona Hall, we have got to make a

success of this, your party is not appealing to people by just saying

we want to tear it all up. Focus on the deal and get the dual rate for

the north-east rather than argue the referendum again. What we voted on

last June was do we stay or do we leave, we did not fought on what

sort of an exodus that would be. It was not understood at all, there are

many forces said that during the referendum campaign, and it is only

now that people are beginning to recognise that the trade deal will

take years, and it makes me weep, because so many people put so much

effort into getting companies like Nissan into the north-east, it's two

years of work, and though we are throwing it away, because you can

intervene that you will get a cheap deal straightaway. Every single

parliament and if European country and regional parliament and the

European Parliament has Tuilagi to achieve deal. Ten years if you are

lucky. We have got two years in which these negotiations take place.

Article 50 has been invoked. We are leaving, the People's decision in

that referendum has been respected but at this rate that there are many

important issues that needs to be resolved. Conservatives are clear

that they want control of our borders... What about support and

funding the north-east? Things like the automotive sector

matter. I happen to think we will be successful after Brexit whatever

comes out of this process. By also recognise the better deal we get,

the better our chances with the right government to negotiate with

that. What about the fact that the Tories are relaxed about getting a

deal? It depends what you mean by a bad deal. The Conservative

government we have just had has been reluctant to give Parliament a

meaningful say, a meaningful vote, after the deal, let alone the

people. I think actually we are leaving but people should have a say

on the final deal. APPLAUSE We are going to move on from Brexit

and go to our second question. Hello, I'm from April community with

an elderly and ageing population. In September, the CCG closed our 12

bedded ward in our hospital. Up and down the country seems that

Community Hospital beds are being taken away. Why is there such an

attack on this vital community resource? Thank you. We had other

questions on the NHS focused on people worried about services in

their local hospitals. James Wharton. There are two important

issues here, one is funding for the NHS. We can't deny there are more

people who are quiet care and quality treatment, which costs more

so we need to continue to invest in the NHS, which government has been

doing. The government manifesto is clear in its commitment. There is

also the discussion and debate and excision is taken about the right

configurations of services and it is right that the clinical experts, the

people who work in hospitals look at services, where they are placed and

ensure they are configured in the best way for the best outcomes. We

need to invest but we need to be careful to listen to medical experts

as well about how that investment is used and how the NHS is configured.

Do we have to get used to the fact that not all our service will be as

close to us as they have been? Not necessarily. But that is what is

happening... There is a number of postal to look at to create centres

of excellence but they are not guaranteed to happen. This is up to

local trusts. Central government provides funding and the support.

The Conservatives are committed to at least an extra ?8 billion. Fiona

Hall, Liberal Democrats. Those are measly words. I have huge sympathy

with the woman. That is only one of many examples, regional services on

a temporary basis, here we are in June nearly. People travelling by

ambulance 35 miles and then stuck in a hospital where they can't get back

home again because there is no public transport and what it comes

down to is this new way of doing things in the small print is about

cuts and the basic fact is that it is just not enough money being

invested in the NHS. APPLAUSE People say it is about people being

treated by the best doctors in the best places, would you deny that? I

do think so, it might be about that if putting interruptions and then

deciding what to do with it that might be an issue but the real point

is the money is not there and we need to put at least an extra ?6

billion into NHS every year. Andy McDonald. The discussion about

configurations is a smoke screen. This is anonymous with the

efficiency savings they are talking about. ?22 billion out of the

system. That is an absolute scandal. It is no wonder that people are

having to wait over two months to see an oncologist, waiting more than

four hours in 999. -- in A We want to see people receiving timely

intervention. Do you not accept these are local trusts, making

decisions, consulting with local councils? Local trusts making

decisions... Making decisions in their localities because of the lack

of funding. It is not about the voracity of the configurations, it's

about the money that is available to deliver the services. If you have

got a ward where you have 17 members of staff and it's running on seven,

it is telling you everything you need to know about the state of

crisis of the National Health Service caused by the Tories. Fiona

Mills. I have worked in the NHS for 24 year is and I have seen the

deterioration over the years. I help to bite our manifesto, I'm proud of

it. We need investment in the NHS and we have committed to ?11 billion

by the end of 2022. How will you pay to that? Come onto that in a minute.

We need to combine health and social care and that is the key to this.

People should be treated closer to home in the correct location for

their care and that's what part of this is all about. We have not got

enough doctors or nurses because previous administrations did not

train enough and we are having to get them from abroad at extortionate

rates. Shirley Ford. The cuts to our NHS are happening. It's clearly

driving this. It might be dressed up in words about improving care,

concentrating, reconfiguration but it is about reducing the number of

heads. But they're's more money going in? But there is still a huge

number of beds being closed down, not there. You had 30,000 excess

deaths in 2015 entity cuts in health and social care. That is, a scandal

and we have two increase funding. We find the money from the things we

don't want to spend money on, in my case Trident and nuclear weapons.

APPLAUSE I'm sure there are plenty of people

in our audience who want to join in. While we are in here, my wife is

working to treat and nurse children with cancer just across the river at

the hospital and I see the problem as inadequate funding per person

going into the NHS. I gather we spend about 8.9% of GDP on our NHS

service wearers it's well into double figures for comparator

countries of France and Germany -- whereas it's. When we going to

tackle that problem that has been around for decades and will allow my

wife to get back to the salary she had five years ago before her pay

scale she was reduced on her pay scale for the same work? Anybody

else? One of the big problems we have with the NHS, we have infinite

demand and finite supply and the trouble is the more people think

they can use it willy-nilly then the bigger the problem is going to be. I

have a relative who is a doctor in A and she gets frustrated with

people turning up with paper cuts and oh, I have an ache in my leg.

They are not accidents or emergencies but it is wasting NHS

money. As soon as we realise we can't drain it like that, the better

the NHS will be. But walk-in centres and GPs are being cut as well and

therefore people end up going to A when they have got anywhere to go.

James Wharton, people in the audience are concerned about this.

None of the parties are offering to put enough in but where do we start?

This affect everybody in this country, we all rely on the NHS and

it matters to us. It is always under pressure from more advanced

techniques for treating people and occupation growth and an ageing

population, so it needs more investment continually, that's true

and that is what the Conservatives have been doing. Labour are

committed to more. The efficiency savings we talked about earlier. If

you want to be able to invest in the NHS, you need a strong economy to

underpin that and that is what we need. We need a combination of

policies in different areas to deliver an economy which works,

which touches the conversation we had about Brexit earlier, but also

to generate money to invest in the NHS. You have that in our manifesto,

which will deliver improved services for people who need it. Anyone else

from the audience? I agree that the gentleman about A Then eat to be

a system making sure people who attend A need it. -- then needs to

be a system. You don't go to A with a grace, a splinter because

your child when stop crying. I'm sorry, I have been in A and I have

seen it happen. I was there one evening where several people came in

who were drunk and the nurse had to assist them. She says to them, you

were here yesterday and the day before. There is an element of that

which needs to be sorted out. Then to be more education. There needs to

be a plan. I don't think anyone has talked about the closure of

Community Hospital beds. My area is an incredibly rural area. Is it

really fair to expect people, for examples for their end of life care

who do not choose to die at home, to have two die in hospitals with a 50

mile round trip for their relatives and loved ones to go and see them?

We need rehabilitation commute hospitals. Amla, we have had a lot

of support about putting money into the NHS -- Andy McDonald. What about

pledging upon the love billions upon billions of pounds? People need to

get access to the services in an appropriate way. If they can't, that

overloads our accident and emergency departments. In my locality there is

a triage system that intercepts people that should be better served

elsewhere and that is part of the deal. What I would say is that to

think that that is responsible for the cuts that are impacting so

viciously on our NHS is to overstate the case very considerably and all

money is needed in the core services of the NHS. APPLAUSE

There is a lot of stuff we haven't started to mention here that we need

to. One is staff pay. The pay cap has got to be lifted. It is unfair

the number of nurses who are really struggling to just make ends meet

amidst all the work they do and the Liberal Democrats would raise pay.

The other is mental health, we have not talked about that and that is

grossly underfunded. APPLAUSE I would agree with you that mental

health is underfunded and Ukip pledges to put more funding into

that and also for dementia services cover they are also in need of

additional funding. I would also say that we really need to look at how

the organisation of the NHS and I have worked in it for 24 years and

seen it all. We need to take out non-value-added activity. We have an

internal market going on that wastes billions. I do know what you mean by

that at I'm going to move it on. -- I do not know what you mean by that

we are going to move on. Most of the party seemed to agree that there is

a crisis looming with regards to the funding of schools but do the

candidates think reintroducing gamma schools -- Grammar schools alongside

free schools and academies will make things better or worse for the

majority of pupils? Fiona Mills, you are looking to bring a grammar

school to every town but isn't a secondary modern also brought to

every town therefore? Not necessarily, you could have a

grammar school within a school. I went a comp offensive school where

we were streamed, so ineffective was a grammar school. -- I went to a

comprehensive School. Why do you think grammar schools are the answer

to education? It aids social mobility and that has been proven in

the past. We want every child to excel and we recognise every child

is different. We need technical colleges for some, vocational

studies., we need a mix of everything so everyone can achieve

their potential. Not everybody needs to go to university, 46% of

graduates find a job they didn't need a degree for anyway. Who do you

tell they aren't going to university? You don't tell them, it

is better choices about what they want to do. I have never met a poor

plumber or electrician. Shirley Ford. Grammar schools are not the

solution. To put children through a test at 11 years old that will

decide where their future lies and, you know, it will be like a system

where we have grammar schools where the majority, do not pass the 11

plus and they do not go to schools that are secondary moderns and that

is unacceptable -- and they go to schools that are secondary modern.

You have this chaos of free schools being set up and taking funding when

all of our schools need funding to be funded properly so that every

child has a good education. James Wharton, are people in your

constituency crying out for a grammar school? We secured a new

three school. That was a promise in the previous election. The reality

is that you need makes provision in education. Grammar schools have a

lot to offer and can make a significant contribution, they are

not the confidence that should be part of the package. When we abolish

grammar schools and comprehensives did the education system in this

country get better was a little something different? You will find

pics Antonio is a natural people who have experienced it and in those

areas that want a new drama school we should give them the freedom and

Flex ability to set them up and stop other people in your area who want a

grammar school? I am lucky in my constituency, we have very good

local schools. It is a waste of time? Let us be clear, there is no

compulsion to any area to say they have got to set up a grammar school,

this is going to be something for local leaders of there. Where there

is good provision that people think meets their needs there will be no

need, and other areas this might be the root out of bad education

options that particularly working-class children are looking

for to drive up so some ability and give them a chance in life. Andy

McDonald that evidence that children and five back into good to grammar

schools do better. The thinking that this somehow improves social

mobility denies the history of the last 50 years. To put a child

through an exam at 11 years old and that failure on his or her forehead

is an outrage. The stress and pressure of that characterises

everything about the Conservative Party. All they want to do is make

sure that they can invest in a minority of people and let the rest

go to the wall. Through cobwebs of education doesn't do that. Social

mobility at the moment is worse than it was in the 1960s. There is a lot

of reasons for that. It's maybe schools. Because of the lack of

investment in public services, social care, local authorities,

trying to uplift everybody, rather than simply concentrate on a

minority of people all the time. There you are, you're getting all

the investment, everybody else can go to the war, that is not directly

to go about it. We want the towns of everybody to be uplifted and raised

and let's have full value in society. Fiona Hall? City schools,

grammar schools, it is a distraction, across this region

there are high schools that are losing half ?1 million. There are

schools losing ?20,000. There are more than 100 teachers that are set

to be lost in the West of the Northumberland over the next five

years. This is just a distraction. What this really lacking is the

basic funding going into schools so that our kids on a day by day basis

can get the standard of education they need. There are lots of people

in the audience you want to comment and I will give you a chance in a

moment that that is a question that is related to this that comes from

David from County Durham. The north # --

I am wondering how the parties will govern differently to ensure

fairness and equality for all in the future.

We would devolve a lot more powers down to regional and local areas

and we do not see any problem at all and giving the power

to spend to local councils, the power to raise money,

It would just be a different set of people spending their money?

It means that you can eyeball your local councillor

On schools for instance there is nothing between your board

of governors and Department for Education.

If you have got a problem you cannot talk to anybody about it.

If you have clarity on a local level.

What is the point in having had the elections on the 4th of May

if those elected are not able to achieve anything?

James Wharton, I know that there are still

Conservative plans to freeze benefits, cap benefits.

That is not going to help people, is it?

If you want to give people the opportunities you have got

to create an economy in which it is possible for people

to get more jobs and we see unemployment at levels

which we have not seen since the '70s which is welcome.

In my region for the first time in the last few months it was not

the worst region for unemployment in the UK.

That is a good thing but I recognise there is still a long way to go.

You need to devolve power locally and we have a track record

when we have started to do that, for example Teesside,

where we saw the election recently new powers being held locally.

You have got to give people the opportunity to lift themselves

up and do more and aspire because the heart of things

like the grammar school argument is the of providing a good

education, it's the heart of the free school argument as well,

providing people with the tools with which they can

better their own opportunities and ensuring that they get

the outcomes and an economy that works in they can

An economy that works, it has got to be employment

that is of value to people, not part-time zero-hour contract

work where people are sitting waiting with their mobile phones

wondering how much work they are going to get that week.

There has been an explosion under the Tories since 2010

It is fragile and insecure, people cannot plan further futures.

Recent surveys suggest was full-time employment in this

region which was rising and part-timers going down.

I am knocking doors on my territory and people working as chefs and also

sorts of different places are saying they have

just had their hours cut to ten hours per week.

They still have the same outgoing and obligations

is making sure that the north-east of England get

investment into things like our transport infrastructure,

I see ?10 per head being spent in London and the south-east,

and only ?1 and the north-east, and that has got to change.

I will come to the rest of the panel and a moment.

How are you going to encourage business investment

In France is 33%, and the United States it is 35%.

We are talking about going down from 19 to 17%.

If that taxpayers you will have no health service, no social care,

I'd like to address the Ukip and Conservative candidates.

You have acknowledged that there are a multitude

of talents in society and children have different talents

but when they start the education, their formal education,

they all start at different points in the race, and also

finished their primary school education, that gap widens before

How can you ensure that that gap closes a bit

if you are going to have grammar schools and you do support them,

that they can't even start the race once they get into secondary school?

Yes, I just wanted to say adult skills level in the region are way

below the national average, what are panellists

going to do support adult education in this region?

Let us hear from Shirley Ford on this.

The gap that was mentioned about in primary schools

for children then sitting at test at 11, in areas where there

are grammar schools currently, there is an industry of private

What was mentioned about social mobility of children from poorer

backgrounds getting into grammars, there are very few children

from Poorer backgrounds can get into grammars, where they exist.

In terms of redistributing the nation 's wealth,

it is about devolution and new powers, but they shouldn't

Our neighbours up in Scotland get a fantastic deal on education,

investment in the infrastructure, and part of that is because of

devolution but it's also because they have got independent

voice from their nation for their nation and that's why I'm

supporting the north-east party because ultimately it's

about having somebody, and let's be honest,

the squeaky wheel gets the oil, and that's a bit sooner Scotland.

I'm 18 so I'm on my final year of school and I think it kind

of ironic from my perspective hearing a lot of people who are not

between the ages of 11-18 talking that are going to affect

11-18 -year-olds, and the thing is, in the last five years people

in secondary schools have suffered so much reform,

A-levels have been completely change, GCSEs have been

and the idea of grammar schools is going to be another

complete different change, and I wondered what you as

representatives for your constituents are going to do

Fiona Mills have you talk to young people about grammar schools?

When I have stalls in town a lot of young people talk to me.

We need to take advice from yourselves as to

Your question was about who you are going to help the less

Ukip would raise the personal allowance to 13,500 keep more

We would also put less VAT on fuel bills seeking more

Going back to small businesses, they are the backbone of our economy

and lead to support them, but what a lot of people.

I don't want you to go to the entire manifesto.

And the Barnett Formula is why Scotland has more funding.

I just want to get a couple more from the audience.

With respect to small businesses that was mentioned there,

the two main parties are suggesting putting national wage

My small business has always paid above the national minimum wage that

will increase our wage roll by 125,000 in two years,

When they introduced the National wage, people predicted it

would cost economic meltdown and catastrophe, it didn't.

It's got to be at a level that people can sustain themselves

and not have to rely on the state to support and subsidise.

Small businesses are indeed crucially important,

that's why it's imperative that we have a lower rate

of corporation tax for those businesses that are returning

That's what we need to do for people there.

Can I just mention the adult education point

It is critical that those people who are going into adult education

are not burdened by the fees that are preventing them getting on those

courses, and those who are returning to training should have open access.

We had a quote from the gentleman about corporation tax and Labour's

response was look at France, it is higher there.

Last year Yorkshire created more jobs in France,

It is not a model who want to follow.

too many answers further magic money cheese is in full bloom. Whatever we

spend has to be predicated on a Sound economy. We are going to have

two. Like I want to get one more question. Ryan. If your party gets

into power what's funding will you provide for the building of the new

nuclear power plant, both for creation of badly needed local jobs,

and also to support long-term energy strategy for the nation? This is the

new clear power station planned for West Cumbria that there has been

difficulties for companies involved in it. Shirley Ford, presumably the

answer is nothing? It would be because nuclear power is not the

correct energy solution. It is too high and cost. We get the deal with

Hinkley Point. It is ridiculously high. That costs will fall on

consumers and hard-pressed businesses, big and small. It is

very rewarding jobs could be a do other things that we would invest in

instead of ads those skilled jobs needs to be created, absolutely in

the north-west, Hartlepool, there must be that investment in skills,

in renewable energy, into homes and buildings. Public transport that was

mentioned. Those are the jobs of the future, not nuclear power. Andrew

MacDonald, I know Jeremy Corbyn has had this road to Damascus style

conversion to nuclear power but there has got to be some doubts. He

was against it in the past. Funding help for a West Country

nuclear-power station? Nuclear power as part of our energy mix and that

is part of the party's position, we have set Blatter clearly. Will you

make sure this development happens? The gentleman is talking about the

proposed new power station, that should be given support, I know the

company that was coming and, there were some difficulties, what we have

got to do is demonstrate our commitment to make sure that that is

successful. And some of the major issues in that part of the world our

transport infrastructure problems. Rail and road problems there. The

conviction that that part of Cumbria gets the investment it deserves and

needs that will facilitate those investments and other parts of the

world. The transport infrastructure has got to work for all, not just

for a part of it. I was calling on the government to

bring in the ?6 billion investment. Ukip support nuclear industry as

part of a diverse mix in energy along with coal, oil, solar power.

The government should have underwritten that investment. Fiona

Hall, Liberal Democrats. Does not make sense to put money into

nuclear. They have got more expensive over the last six years --

60 years. Offshore wind has gone down. 30% cuts in the last five

years. What we should be doing as I was discussing with an engineer from

Cumbria and couple of days ago is actually making that site into a

centre of excellence and decommissioning. We have skills no

one in the country has at we could sell worldwide instead of having

nuclear waste, let's get rid of it. James Wharton, Vista plant needs to

happen for West Cumbria. This is a big investment project for Cumbria.

Nuclear has got to be part of our energy mix. It divides a much needed

caseload, unlike wind which can be intermittent, and is different to

nuclear, nuclear has a key role in diverse in our -- diversifying our

energy. They will have two ensure that it stacks up and the figures

add up. Despite what some others might tell you, we need to be

careful how we use taxpayers money. That is about it from us. A lot more

to come in the last week of campaigning on BBC Look North and

your local radio station. Remember the Twitter hashtag if you want to

contribute to anything you have heard this evening. Bank to our

panel, the audience here at Gateshead College and to you for

watching at home. Good night to you from here at Gateshead College.

APPLAUSE Hear the arguments

from the politicians themselves.