:01:36. > :01:46.In the North East - who is to blame for the low turnout in a Police and
:01:46. > :01:46.
:01:46. > :41:33.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 2387 seconds
:41:33. > :41:37.Crime Commissioner elections? Is at The am very warm welcome. Coming up
:41:37. > :41:45.- is it the end of our public libraries as Newcastle announces
:41:45. > :41:55.plans to shut 10 amid criticism from local operas. -- authors. With
:41:55. > :41:57.
:41:57. > :42:03.me, the MP for Gateshead. On whether to give prisoners be bought.
:42:03. > :42:08.-- of the vote. Where you stand on this? If people Larraine prison but
:42:08. > :42:12.on demand, they should be allowed to vote. The interesting thing
:42:12. > :42:17.about this is how many people within the prison population were
:42:17. > :42:25.registered to vote before going into prison. If they were register
:42:25. > :42:30.they have up. But if not, what is the fuss about? We have to listen
:42:30. > :42:35.and do something about this, do we not? It is not a question of
:42:36. > :42:41.ignoring Europe. We have decided historically that when you go to
:42:41. > :42:45.prison, certain of your liberties are removed from you. I hope people
:42:45. > :42:55.will maintain that position that regardless of what is the creed
:42:55. > :42:57.
:42:57. > :43:01.from the human rights lobby. -- decreed. Five out of six people in
:43:01. > :43:10.the North East did not vote in the Police and Crime Commissioner
:43:10. > :43:18.elections. People also seen to be turning their backs on the idea of
:43:18. > :43:25.elected mayors. Check out the victory speeches - the winning
:43:25. > :43:30.candidate criticising the election she has just one. This result is
:43:30. > :43:36.down to the bungling incompetence of this Tory government aided by
:43:36. > :43:43.the Liberal Democrats henchmen. became in Northumberland's first
:43:43. > :43:49.Police and Crime Commissioner. general election guarantees that
:43:49. > :43:53.any candidate gets one at least it through everybody's door. I blame
:43:53. > :43:59.the government's completely and it is not the public's fault for the
:43:59. > :44:07.low turnout. Up the local elections in May it sought her mitts of 34.6
:44:07. > :44:17.per cent and Carlisle. Not exactly fantastic figures but if you
:44:17. > :44:24.
:44:24. > :44:32.In Cumbria, while the Conservatives triumph, the Liberal Democrats
:44:32. > :44:37.finished 4th. The Government should have done a great deal more ahead
:44:37. > :44:45.of the elections to describe what a Police and Crime Commissioner would
:44:45. > :44:51.actually do. Although the electorate have said they are
:44:51. > :44:57.concerned by crime, they were indifferent to these elections.
:44:57. > :45:00.is perhaps the way in which it has been implemented and the public are
:45:00. > :45:06.thinking they are voting for somebody who understands the needs
:45:06. > :45:11.of communities and can represent their diverse interests, by making
:45:11. > :45:21.it a political appointment, in effect. That alienated a lot of
:45:21. > :45:23.
:45:23. > :45:31.people. A only 18% took part in the vote in Hartlepool. Less than one
:45:31. > :45:41.in five people bother to go out and bought. The first and possibly the
:45:41. > :45:43.
:45:43. > :45:49.last elected mayor in Hartlepool. The turnout is disappointing, no
:45:49. > :45:58.doubt about it. The turnout in the parliamentary by-elections have not
:45:58. > :46:03.been good either. What about free mailing? The candidates were able
:46:03. > :46:08.to contact the public and there was nothing stopping them from that. It
:46:08. > :46:13.is not just that at all. The turnout is disappointing but for
:46:13. > :46:18.the first time, we have people who are actually elected into the
:46:18. > :46:22.important role of controlling our police. We never had that before.
:46:22. > :46:31.People have only been appointed before and the public were not
:46:31. > :46:36.aware of what was going on in their name. People will want to know why
:46:36. > :46:44.parties like your own did not get many leaflets out, surely it is up
:46:44. > :46:50.to you and not to the public purse? Party members worked high is like
:46:50. > :47:00.to get leaflets out on behalf of our candidate but this is the point
:47:00. > :47:06.in terms of at the FT election leaflets were all. It would have
:47:06. > :47:08.cost another �30 million. We would have then had 41 Police and Crime
:47:08. > :47:15.Commissioner us with some legitimacy to them rather than
:47:15. > :47:22.being seen as a waste of time. Labour won the three of these on
:47:22. > :47:28.low turnouts. Do they have a mandate or have they to be careful?
:47:28. > :47:37.Given the low turnout, I would encourage them to be cautious and
:47:37. > :47:43.they have to ease into the role and get a public behind them. There is
:47:43. > :47:50.a lack of legitimacy here. The Conservative when in Cumbria
:47:50. > :47:56.effectively got the backing of less than 5% of the electorate. Up what
:47:56. > :48:06.Hamed would be it -- would be accept for legitimacy. Were local
:48:06. > :48:07.
:48:07. > :48:13.council elections. So Police and Crime Commissioner as can just
:48:13. > :48:19.carry on as if they had 40% of the electorate? What point would you
:48:19. > :48:24.take? 40%, 60%? There was an electoral process which was not
:48:24. > :48:28.available to people before her. There are lots of independent
:48:28. > :48:34.candidates who have won the elections and we have a real job to
:48:34. > :48:40.do and I hope they do it well. I have every expectation misaligned
:48:40. > :48:44.up being a successful exercise. lot of people are mystified. Your
:48:44. > :48:50.party said this was not about politicising the police but on the
:48:51. > :48:56.ballot paper there were lots of political parties. It does not mean
:48:56. > :49:03.people are going to let them. John Prescott was not elected even
:49:03. > :49:08.though he has a very high profile as a politician. There was an
:49:08. > :49:15.independent who came second in Durham - would be better with
:49:15. > :49:18.independent commissioners? Given the level of political
:49:18. > :49:22.representation in the expected levels of local and national
:49:22. > :49:27.government in the area, it would be perverse for a party like the
:49:27. > :49:36.Labour Party not to stand candidates. Even on low turnouts,
:49:36. > :49:41.resounding victories all cards for Labour candidates will sup --
:49:41. > :49:46.candidates. This was a way of letting the current government know
:49:46. > :49:51.what they think of their policy cost up the speed of council cuts
:49:51. > :49:56.is picking up once again as local authorities begin to finalise local
:49:56. > :50:00.budgets and libraries appear to be in the firing line. Gateshead says
:50:00. > :50:06.five branches will be offered to local people to run and the
:50:06. > :50:14.Newcastle, 10 could be closed. Writers are accusing Newcastle are
:50:14. > :50:19.using libraries as soft targets. It is story time and toddlers are
:50:19. > :50:27.having their imaginations imbued with tales of hiding Lyons, for
:50:27. > :50:34.also on locks and cats with magic hats. They are colouring in at
:50:34. > :50:39.creating and making things. It is as much for me as it is for my son.
:50:39. > :50:47.It allows me to socialise and meet other parents. It gets in used to
:50:47. > :50:54.reading bits because I loved books. This library will help to provide
:50:54. > :51:00.an amazing setting for the fantastic tales told here. This
:51:00. > :51:05.library is on the list of proposed cuts being considered by
:51:05. > :51:11.Middlesbrough Council. It would save the authority �64,000 a year
:51:11. > :51:16.but people say it is worth much more to them. I go there with my
:51:16. > :51:21.grandchildren on Saturday mornings. You are not going to learn anything
:51:21. > :51:29.if they close the library. We only have a few little shops that this
:51:29. > :51:33.is where all the kids come, you have story times and everything.
:51:33. > :51:39.is a meeting place for people as well. I cannot believe it is close
:51:39. > :51:47.thing. The baddies in this grim tale are the local government
:51:47. > :51:52.according to this MP. It is about explain to people, with the
:51:52. > :52:00.Government saying we are all in this together, but Teesside council
:52:00. > :52:04.were hit harder than most. libraries have been taken off the
:52:04. > :52:10.bits at North Yorkshire. Two communities in Hartlepool lost
:52:10. > :52:15.their branch. Gateshead wants five of their libraries to be taken over
:52:15. > :52:22.by volunteers and Newcastle libraries is proposing to continue
:52:22. > :52:26.just eight of its 18 libraries. initial reaction has been shot.
:52:26. > :52:31.Libraries have been protected and valued banned although they still
:52:32. > :52:41.are, there is a limit now with the funding we have. The eight plans
:52:41. > :52:46.have shocked local writers as well. I am just so shocked that Newcastle
:52:46. > :52:56.and Gateshead are considering closing libraries and giving others
:52:56. > :52:57.
:52:57. > :53:02.over two volunteers. It could be the only form of art many people
:53:02. > :53:07.here have access to it. We're talking about access and the
:53:07. > :53:10.quality of opportunities and we're closing libraries! We're closing
:53:10. > :53:15.access to different perspectives on live.
:53:15. > :53:20.It is not just libraries of up the Newcastle draft budget also
:53:20. > :53:26.proposes closing the city swimming baths and ending grants to the
:53:26. > :53:31.Theatre Royal and the Tyneside cinema. Argued treating libraries
:53:31. > :53:35.as an easy target? Not at all. Up we have to make some extremely
:53:35. > :53:41.painful decisions as a result of the unfair cuts we're getting from
:53:41. > :53:45.government. It is services right across the council including the
:53:45. > :53:49.ones I am particularly concerned about, which are services that
:53:49. > :53:54.protect vulnerable adults and vulnerable children. The city
:53:54. > :54:00.council is losing one third of its budget. It is impossible to
:54:01. > :54:07.conceive -- to continue all the services. One writer said Mrs like
:54:07. > :54:10.stabbing yourself in the heart. You'll end access to these
:54:10. > :54:16.resources that could help make doctors and politicians and
:54:16. > :54:26.everything else. I am furious about this. If Newcastle was treated
:54:26. > :54:26.
:54:26. > :54:31.fairly, we would have �22 million more next year alone. We are still
:54:31. > :54:41.going to offer a core library service of eight live reviews
:54:41. > :54:43.
:54:43. > :54:48.across the city. -- libraries. have make some choices. It is �1
:54:48. > :54:53.million to pay a living wage to staff. That could have kept
:54:53. > :54:59.libraries going. The living wage is about supporting our most of rest
:54:59. > :55:05.economies. The living wage is helping to protect our local
:55:05. > :55:09.economy it as well as valuing the work people do. You could have used
:55:09. > :55:13.some of that money to keep the libraries are open? You have
:55:13. > :55:17.already saved more through it management costs and the living
:55:17. > :55:26.wage will pay for itself over time in the improved efficiency and
:55:26. > :55:28.sickness absence. The Big Issue is the unfair cuts as a result of the
:55:29. > :55:36.decisions taken by the Tories and the Liberal Democrats in
:55:36. > :55:44.Westminster. I am furious. Would you accept this as a general
:55:44. > :55:50.assault? Culture has been a big part of Newcastle's economy. What
:55:50. > :55:55.other ways can be look to? We are already cutting services to the
:55:55. > :56:02.vulnerable and at are reducing to fortnightly in collections. We're
:56:02. > :56:05.looking at closing swimming pools. There are no easy options here.
:56:05. > :56:09.These are dreadful and difficult cuts and we are doing our best to
:56:09. > :56:19.be fair under the circumstances but the Government is not being fair to
:56:19. > :56:21.
:56:21. > :56:26.us. That is the fundamental allegation to you. I do not think
:56:26. > :56:31.the two things are directly related. Indirectly, we have to live within
:56:31. > :56:35.our means. The budget has been reduced by one-third. They have to
:56:35. > :56:40.make difficult decisions but I would say that something like
:56:40. > :56:45.libraries is, as the personal priority, as many as possible
:56:45. > :56:51.should be kept open. That is a personal priority but we all have
:56:51. > :56:59.to live within our means. What do you make of your local council's
:56:59. > :57:05.position? Nobody can pretend that we are able to carry on regardless
:57:05. > :57:09.with a disproportionate cuts we have had to take compared to many
:57:09. > :57:15.Conservative councils in the south- east. Do you accept there is no
:57:15. > :57:21.alternative? Getting that a huge amount of money is taken out of the
:57:21. > :57:25.unprotected part of the council budget, that part is taking a
:57:25. > :57:32.massive hits of up I cannot think of any individual services which
:57:32. > :57:37.can be completely safeguarded. If you do not take it out of this, it
:57:37. > :57:41.head statutory requirement. Constituents could say they are
:57:41. > :57:46.very dismayed, what would you say to them? I would say this is a
:57:46. > :57:51.problem created in the Cabinet Office in terms of the way they
:57:52. > :57:57.have decided that the cuts would hit northern councils this
:57:57. > :58:02.proportionately much greater than many in the south. Places like
:58:02. > :58:06.Newcastle and Gateshead are being hit harder than the Home Counties.
:58:06. > :58:11.Up if you're going to do that, you might as well blame the last Labour
:58:11. > :58:16.government who borrowed so much and everybody is now having to suffer.
:58:16. > :58:20.The distribution of the cuts is what he is saying. Newcastle and
:58:20. > :58:27.Gateshead seem to have a disproportionate amount of money
:58:27. > :58:31.taken it compare to councils in the south. I know many councils are
:58:31. > :58:36.concerned and North Yorkshire are concerned as well. Something needs
:58:36. > :58:44.to be done? We can look at the formula but it seems to me we still
:58:44. > :58:49.cannot avoid the fact cuts and changes are necessary. The fragile
:58:49. > :58:54.recovery, slightly out of recession, take more and more money out of the
:58:54. > :59:01.economy through this and it will go backwards again. The cuts have not
:59:01. > :59:06.helped the economy grow. By money is now representing reality for a
:59:06. > :59:14.change. Borrowing money is not a sensible thing for the individual
:59:14. > :59:19.people who enjoy libraries. You cannot say that money is not being
:59:19. > :59:23.taken out of the economy when you look at thousands of pounds that
:59:24. > :59:27.would have been spent in the local economy that are now being spent
:59:27. > :59:33.elsewhere in the disproportionate way. That is having a massive
:59:33. > :59:38.impact in the public and private sectors. Scotland's First Minister
:59:38. > :59:44.made a reappearance in the region this week. Some regard him as the
:59:44. > :59:54.arrival but he seemed to be here as an ally, offering political co-
:59:54. > :59:55.
:59:55. > :00:01.operation. Eight he said hospital consultant
:00:01. > :00:06.is to be co-leader of a new political party. The opposed the
:00:06. > :00:14.government's NHS changes. Alex Salmond has held out the prospect
:00:14. > :00:18.of closer ties if Scotland votes to become independent. The bonds of
:00:18. > :00:22.Trade, family and friendship, business and commerce between
:00:22. > :00:28.Scotland and the North East of England are strong at present and
:00:28. > :00:33.will strengthen in my opinion after Scotland becomes independent.
:00:33. > :00:39.unemployment fell again but David Miliband said too little has been
:00:39. > :00:42.done for the young jobless. It is one thing to be unemployed but it
:00:42. > :00:52.is another to be told the government will help you out of it
:00:52. > :00:59.
:00:59. > :01:05.and they do not. Let's talk Scotland. Do you see
:01:05. > :01:08.Alex Salmond as a friend to the North East? I see the people of
:01:09. > :01:13.Scotland as good friends and neighbours but Alex Salmond is now
:01:13. > :01:20.beginning to understand that England is the market through which
:01:20. > :01:25.Scotland have to travel. Up there is a mutual interest. Goods passing
:01:25. > :01:30.through it would serve as the North East and Scotland. Was he right to
:01:30. > :01:35.say that Scotland and the North East can make common cause because
:01:35. > :01:40.they both get a raw deal from the South? He comes across the border
:01:40. > :01:43.and informs us what the terms of surrender will be. I think they
:01:44. > :01:48.should get themselves back into Scotland and tell Alex Salmond and
:01:48. > :01:52.all the Scots the advantages of remaining in the United Kingdom,
:01:52. > :02:02.never mind all that nonsense. I hope the North East is not coined
:02:02. > :02:05.
:02:05. > :02:10.by this sort of smooth talking. -- conned. He was talking about things
:02:10. > :02:15.like high-speed rail, would be South getting it first, why not
:02:15. > :02:21.Scotland and the North? Why are we going to get into bed with Scotland
:02:21. > :02:26.of a sudden? We would have to formally celebrate all the Scottish
:02:26. > :02:33.holidays of up people might like that! Ascot and get the chance to
:02:33. > :02:38.cut business taxes, that could be a serious threat to the economy?
:02:38. > :02:42.are already seeing the effects of Scotland having a parliament and
:02:42. > :02:46.the eradication of our regional development agency means Scotland
:02:46. > :02:53.are still doing it economic development but we do not have that
:02:53. > :02:58.capacity in the North East. We have seen some good examples of that in
:02:58. > :03:03.comparison to us. Does it worry you they would go further if they get
:03:03. > :03:07.independence or further evolution powers? His visit here has
:03:07. > :03:13.eliminated the fact he sees England at an important market for Scotland
:03:13. > :03:17.and we all need to wake up to that will sup I believe he is better off
:03:17. > :03:22.in Edinburgh and can argue what he likes about Scottish independence
:03:22. > :03:26.but if it ever happens, I think it is the disadvantages to the whole
:03:26. > :03:32.of the United Kingdom including the North East. Some people's just
:03:32. > :03:36.south of the border might like the idea of the prescription charges
:03:36. > :03:40.and an Alex Salmond government. have already seen certain problems
:03:40. > :03:44.with people moving across the border because of changes and
:03:44. > :03:49.policies that are being done by the Scottish Parliament right now. I
:03:49. > :03:52.think we need to consolidate the United Kingdom as an entity and
:03:52. > :03:58.anything further down the road would be bad news for the North
:03:58. > :04:04.East and other regions will sup thank you very much. That is about