:01:20. > :01:23.In the North East and Cumbria: Ludicrous and over the top. A
:01:23. > :01:33.Northumberland MPs verdict on plans to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
:01:33. > :01:33.
:01:33. > :37:36.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 2163 seconds
:37:36. > :37:39.by re-naming this Westminster Hello, and a warm welcome to your
:37:39. > :37:42.local part of the programme. Coming up: Could millions of pounds of
:37:42. > :37:48.European money earmarked to help create jobs in the North East go
:37:48. > :37:51.unspent? We've a special report. And with me for the next 20 minutes,
:37:51. > :37:56.Labour Euro-MP Stephen Hughes, and the elected mayor of North Tyneside,
:37:56. > :37:59.Conservative Linda Arkley. We start with the Queen's Diamond
:37:59. > :38:05.Jubilee, and one MP has broken ranks over the celebrations which
:38:05. > :38:08.he says are way over the top. Blyth's Ronnie Campbell is a self-
:38:08. > :38:13.confessed Republican who says he resents being ruled over by "fifth
:38:13. > :38:16.generation Germans." This week he dismissed as "ludicrous" the idea
:38:16. > :38:21.of renaming St Stephen's Tower at Westminster, home to Big Ben, in
:38:21. > :38:31.honour of the Queen. Mark Denten spoke to him and asked him what was
:38:31. > :38:33.
:38:33. > :38:43.wrong with the idea. It was built in Victorian years, not 10 hair
:38:43. > :38:46.time, so it should be Victoria's tower really! The tower will always
:38:46. > :38:51.be like St James's Park, it will always be called Big Ben. Even if
:38:51. > :38:53.it was renamed, it will be called Big Ben. He said you do not like
:38:53. > :38:58.being rolled over by Fifth Generation Germans, who changed
:38:58. > :39:03.their name from Battenburg to Windsor. A lot of royalists might
:39:03. > :39:10.be profoundly upset by that. sorry to tell them, that is the
:39:10. > :39:15.truth. They changed their name in the First World War and that is the
:39:15. > :39:21.truth. If they do not like the truth, I am sorry. I apologise if
:39:21. > :39:25.people are offended. You are family not a royalist, you are a
:39:25. > :39:35.Republican. -- You were firmly not a royalist. Lots of events taking
:39:35. > :39:41.place this summer to celebrate the Queen's anniversary. I have seen it
:39:41. > :39:46.before. Some people over plates. We are going through a hell of a
:39:46. > :39:51.struggle in this part of the world. I think it is not on a lot of
:39:51. > :39:56.people's's mind. Will you go to any of the street parties? A I'm hoping
:39:56. > :40:02.to get their way for the weekend. You are not staying in the country?
:40:02. > :40:05.I am looking forward to getting away. I do not know where. It is a
:40:05. > :40:14.minority view, would you accept, that you do not want to celebrate
:40:14. > :40:19.the anniversary? The Queen has got support, but royalty is slipping.
:40:19. > :40:25.Maybe in an eccentric, I think it will be gone altogether. -- maybe
:40:25. > :40:35.in the next century. It is dying all over Europe. They are just
:40:35. > :40:36.
:40:36. > :40:41.there as tokens. Linda Arkley, I assume you share that view?
:40:41. > :40:46.Certainly not. I am a royalist. In North Tyneside, we have had many
:40:47. > :40:51.street parties over the years, and we will be having many for the
:40:51. > :41:00.Jubilee. The Queen is the greatest public servant we have ever had. I
:41:00. > :41:03.think it is a great opportunity for everyone to have what they feel is
:41:03. > :41:09.appropriate. Is he wrong to question this, or is that his
:41:09. > :41:15.democratic right? I think it is his democratic right. Steve and Hughes,
:41:15. > :41:19.is the Jubilee something that can lift the gloom -- Stephen Hughes?
:41:19. > :41:24.think people have more important things on my mind. We are in the
:41:24. > :41:29.midst of a recession, but hopefully, it can lift the mood a bit. I share
:41:29. > :41:33.the view that the Queen herself has a very good job. Prince Philip as
:41:33. > :41:37.well. I am not sure but the extended family around them. My
:41:37. > :41:44.mother is very much a Republican, so she will not like what I am
:41:44. > :41:50.saying! I think it is right to mark the anniversary. Linda Arkley, at
:41:50. > :41:56.the Jubilee celebrations something down to individuals to organise, or
:41:56. > :42:01.should the council be putting anything into it? A lot of
:42:01. > :42:05.residents are getting on with the organising their street party. We
:42:05. > :42:09.have helped in some respects. Not financially. We are not giving them
:42:09. > :42:14.money. We are making things easier, such as road closures and things
:42:14. > :42:20.like that. Stephen Hughes, the Queen does seem to have public
:42:20. > :42:26.support, but is this an institution that will die out? I do not think
:42:26. > :42:36.so. I think it is wrong, with respect to rally, to say it is
:42:36. > :42:42.
:42:42. > :42:45.dying out in Europe. -- respect to Ronnie Campbell. Thank you both.
:42:45. > :42:48.Now, imagine having �100 million to spend before next year. Well,
:42:48. > :42:53.that's how much money there is in a European Commission pot with the
:42:53. > :42:57.North East's name on it. The aim is to fund projects that will create
:42:57. > :42:59.jobs. But strict rules mean the money can only be spent if local
:42:59. > :43:02.councils, Government departments or businesses match-fund the cash
:43:02. > :43:05.pound for pound. And that's not easy in the middle of an economic
:43:05. > :43:15.crisis. And with the clock ticking to 2013, some MPs fear the cash may
:43:15. > :43:17.
:43:17. > :43:22.go unspent. Here's Fergus Hewison. You can see into offices, but it
:43:22. > :43:26.brings you back to this court that. It is a hi-tech space designed for
:43:26. > :43:35.21st century digital businesses, in a former toffee factory. The woman
:43:35. > :43:39.who looks after the place, Lisa, is showing me around. Newcastle's
:43:39. > :43:42.refurbished toffee factory was refurbished using money from the
:43:42. > :43:50.European Regional Development Fund. Lovering Gateshead, the creative
:43:50. > :43:56.process is also at work. This place was built for the help of �225,000,
:43:56. > :44:01.also from the Regional Development Fund. There are places in Newcastle
:44:01. > :44:06.and elsewhere in the region, but no where permanence in Gateshead.
:44:06. > :44:10.There are all sorts of things here. But there is no where to fill them
:44:11. > :44:16.within -- from within Gateshead, so we have created a place where these
:44:16. > :44:19.people can work and hopefully exhibit them and performing these
:44:19. > :44:25.places. Nick says without being able to match funds, things may not
:44:25. > :44:30.have got off the ground. To be able to match find the money we had got
:44:31. > :44:35.has made the project so much better -- match fawned. He in the north
:44:35. > :44:39.face, the European Regional than a month and is worth �328 million. A
:44:39. > :44:44.desire to promote economic growth and competition. Money from the
:44:44. > :44:48.fund has to be matched locally by other organisations, including
:44:48. > :44:52.councils. It must be allocated to projects by 2013, or the
:44:52. > :44:55.outstanding cash can be taken back by Brussels. There is still over
:44:55. > :44:59.�100 million in the pot, waiting to be spent. There are some concerns
:44:59. > :45:07.his remaining cash will not be spent before the deadline. It is
:45:07. > :45:11.down in part to the abolition of a regional agency. We have the
:45:11. > :45:19.regional growth fund. It is smaller, but it is there. The Government's
:45:19. > :45:25.is not allocating funding to match fund the projects. Any two projects
:45:25. > :45:33.here in the North East have used that. -- only two. We are wasting
:45:33. > :45:39.money, and didn't get back to Brussels when we could use it.
:45:39. > :45:43.Department for... It is confident that funding will be allocated
:45:43. > :45:48.before the 2013 deadline, and spent in the two years after that, as
:45:48. > :45:56.required. It has led to accusations that Labour are scaremongering.
:45:56. > :46:00.There is around �100 million left. We have around �60 million of that
:46:00. > :46:04.committed. Some of the match funding can come from the new
:46:04. > :46:08.regional growth fund. It is likely to be the way we will find some of
:46:08. > :46:12.those projects over the next few years. Europe funding has played a
:46:12. > :46:17.role in many projects. There must be enough cash locally Sudan up
:46:17. > :46:21.with the money that flows from Brussels. Otherwise money that
:46:21. > :46:28.brings in jobs and investment could come unstuck.
:46:28. > :46:32.Stephen Hughes, let's talk about this issue of scaremongering.
:46:32. > :46:37.is a possibility the money will not be spent. I hope it will. We need
:46:37. > :46:42.to prove we are worthy of funding beyond the end of 2013, and the
:46:42. > :46:47.best way to do that is to fully commit and spend his money. I met
:46:47. > :46:53.the commissioner responsible for this and he said we have allocated
:46:53. > :46:59.roundabouts 60 %, Scotland has allocated over 90 %. Wales were
:46:59. > :47:04.about 80 %. We are trailing quite badly. The other thing he said that
:47:04. > :47:07.concerns him is that it is worrying that if you change funding and
:47:07. > :47:14.delivery structures midway through a funding period, and that is what
:47:14. > :47:18.has happened with the demise of one agency. Linda Arkley, it would be a
:47:18. > :47:23.lack of planning if we lost millions of pounds that the North-
:47:23. > :47:29.East needs because the government has pulled the book on this match
:47:29. > :47:37.funding. I do not accept that. We spend two-thirds of that allocated
:47:37. > :47:44.funding, and there is �40 million to be spent. There are many people
:47:44. > :47:50.who have applied for the European funding, and I think all of that
:47:50. > :47:56.money will be spent. I think that the North East Local Enterprise
:47:56. > :48:06.Partnership has been quite active to ensure that people are aware.
:48:06. > :48:09.
:48:09. > :48:15.Sure, but they do not have the money. They have �25 million. What
:48:15. > :48:23.we have to do is ensure that funding is used, and that we
:48:23. > :48:31.support those people who, and I certainly have. North Tyneside was
:48:31. > :48:37.successful in receiving �900,000 for a business enterprise. Stephen
:48:37. > :48:47.Hughes. I think it is important that Labour is not so -- that
:48:47. > :48:50.
:48:50. > :48:59.Labour is not blamed for scaremongering. Project had been
:48:59. > :49:06.pulled off the shelf. Some people will say, this is our money. If we
:49:06. > :49:10.came out of the EU, we could just an anomaly of our projects. We have
:49:10. > :49:14.been here before. We had a Conservative government in the past
:49:14. > :49:18.that was hostile to the idea of regional government and spending of
:49:18. > :49:23.money like this. We had good, strong Labour councils and we
:49:23. > :49:26.managed at that time. I hope we will do it again. Thank you very
:49:26. > :49:28.much for now. Now, the Government says our big
:49:28. > :49:31.cities are the key to unlocking economic growth. It's one reason
:49:31. > :49:34.why ten of them, including Newcastle, are getting the chance
:49:34. > :49:37.to vote in May on whether to have a city mayor. And the Government
:49:37. > :49:40.offered an extra incentive this week. At a Downing Street reception,
:49:40. > :49:43.David Cameron unveiled plans for a "mayor's cabinet" which would meet
:49:43. > :49:46.at least twice a year with the Prime Minister. But the policy of
:49:46. > :49:49.empowering our cities isn't only about elected mayors. Ministers
:49:49. > :49:53.have just agreed a so-called "city deal" with the local council in
:49:53. > :49:55.Manchester giving them extra powers, and Newcastle wants the same. But
:49:55. > :50:04.what would a city deal mean on Tyneside and for neighbouring
:50:04. > :50:10.councils? Mark Denten went on a quick tour of the city to find out.
:50:11. > :50:14.According to the government, Newcastle is an engine of growth.
:50:14. > :50:20.One of eight course it is vital for the future of our economy. Could it
:50:20. > :50:28.be right for a city deal, a power transfer from ministers to
:50:28. > :50:34.Newcastle council? It would get the power to borrow more money. The
:50:34. > :50:41.council would be able to borrow �151 million before -- to fund
:50:41. > :50:46.developments on a number of sight. Including this one, and this one.
:50:46. > :50:51.How will the council get its money back? It will get key -- it will
:50:51. > :50:57.keep business rates for 25 years. We need government to allow us to
:50:57. > :51:02.retain those business rates, commit to them over 25 years. That should
:51:02. > :51:06.generate about 70,000 jobs. city deal is not just about
:51:06. > :51:09.specific powers. Newcastle council things it could also help them
:51:09. > :51:14.lobby for other things, like lobbying the government for
:51:14. > :51:17.improvements on this bypass. Councils were confident the deal
:51:17. > :51:22.would be signed and sealed and the budget, but Tony Manchester and
:51:22. > :51:25.Liverpool got do not. People in Newcastle will get a chance to
:51:25. > :51:29.decide whether they want an elected mayor, but the government said any
:51:29. > :51:34.city deal will not depend on whether they vote yes or no.
:51:34. > :51:44.Meanwhile, we all wait. The question for Newcastle now, deal on
:51:44. > :51:44.
:51:44. > :51:51.their deal? Linda Arkley, is it a problem for some were like
:51:51. > :52:01.Tyneside? I think it is great for Newcastle. I think it is great for
:52:01. > :52:01.
:52:01. > :52:07.us in North Tyneside and around the region. There will be a knock-on
:52:07. > :52:13.effect. There will be opportunity for us all to benefit from that. It
:52:13. > :52:17.does not just stay within Newcastle. There will be a knock-on effect for
:52:17. > :52:21.businesses. A doesn't it make Newcastle the premiere council in
:52:21. > :52:26.the region? It leaves North Tyneside a kind of second division
:52:26. > :52:34.council. I do not agree with that. We welcome back a shipper Newcastle
:52:34. > :52:37.already. I would hope our priority is like -- I would hope had
:52:37. > :52:43.priorities continue to flourish. Stephen Hughes, Labour talk the
:52:43. > :52:47.talk about handing powers, but give the coalition some credit, they are
:52:47. > :52:53.giving resources to councils to do something. Let's say what happens
:52:53. > :52:58.in practice. The whole story was about the pulling back to London of
:52:58. > :53:02.powers, and away from local government. Power seemed to be
:53:02. > :53:08.going back to local authorities. Partially, here and there. But not
:53:08. > :53:12.on the whole scale basis. Localism is a phrase that has been used a
:53:12. > :53:16.great deal at the moment. People active in local government know the
:53:16. > :53:21.reality. Cutbacks left right and centre and power has been pulled
:53:21. > :53:26.back. If this happens, I would welcome it. If it was Manchester,
:53:26. > :53:30.Liverpool, Newcastle acting as engines for growth, then great. But
:53:30. > :53:36.this is partial spending. It is a sticking plaster to cover gaping
:53:36. > :53:46.wounds in the regions. Linda Arkley, to someone in Europe, the idea of
:53:46. > :53:52.dividing Tyneside into separate places means nothing. Wouldn't it
:53:52. > :53:58.be better with one mayor for Tyneside? I think it is interesting
:53:58. > :54:08.thought. Plainly, I would like to see the detail behind that --
:54:08. > :54:11.
:54:11. > :54:15.clearly. Four Tyneside authorities, they could have won their rather
:54:15. > :54:25.than four. A would be an interesting proposal. I would like
:54:25. > :54:35.to look at the small print. Hedging your bets! Stephen Hughes, our
:54:35. > :54:36.
:54:36. > :54:45.cities could benefit from this. They could. There is this idea of
:54:45. > :54:50.city regions. By identifying places to be city regions and given
:54:50. > :54:54.greater autonomy. Places like Gateshead would have to swallow
:54:54. > :55:01.their pride. I do not think so. We have a strong tradition of
:55:01. > :55:07.partnership working in regions like ours. When the bid went in for
:55:07. > :55:11.Newcastle to be a city of culture, and for Gateshead, they reached out
:55:11. > :55:21.and brought people together, talking about how it could benefit
:55:21. > :55:22.
:55:22. > :55:26.the region. I gather it would just be city mayors. I Axis government
:55:26. > :55:32.ministers and have good relationships with them.
:55:33. > :55:36.disappointed not to be invited into his Cabinet? I already meet with
:55:36. > :55:39.the prime minister and government ministers. Thank you very much.
:55:39. > :55:42.Now, as you may have noticed, it's been unseasonably hot this week.
:55:42. > :55:45.But there's one man who never lets the heat slow him down. Barely
:55:45. > :55:55.breaking a sweat, Mark Denten's here again to deliver the week's
:55:55. > :56:01.
:56:01. > :56:05.Tammy Craig Thomson is calling for better transport for disabled
:56:05. > :56:15.people at she had to get off a train at mid-thigh. Requested
:56:15. > :56:21.assistance, but not arrive -- Tan 8 Craig Thomson.
:56:21. > :56:27.The sale of illegal cigarettes has threatened to undermine efforts to
:56:27. > :56:31.tackle smoking. Even smokers want something done about it. I streets
:56:31. > :56:35.in Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Darlington are among those benefit
:56:35. > :56:40.from �100,000 each to help bring empty shops back into use. This has
:56:40. > :56:47.been set up in response to a report by the met reporters.
:56:47. > :56:57.George Osborne can remember the last time he'd bought take pasty --
:56:57. > :57:00.
:57:00. > :57:04.George Osborne cannot remember the last time he brought a pasty. I do
:57:04. > :57:07.not have time to us might guess about the past the!
:57:07. > :57:10.And that's about if from us for this week. There's more about the
:57:10. > :57:12.Cabinet of Mayors on my blog, so do take a look. That's at
:57:12. > :57:15.bbc.co.uk/richardmoss. It's the perfect place too to share your
:57:15. > :57:18.views on anything you've seen on today's programme. Maybe you agree
:57:18. > :57:21.with Ronnie Campbell and are dreading the the Jubilee, or think
:57:21. > :57:24.he should be sent to the Tower. Either way, let us know.