:01:20. > :01:30.appetite for a European referendum? And National Parks accused of
:01:30. > :01:30.
:01:30. > :37:38.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 2167 seconds
:37:38. > :37:40.Is there an appetite for a European referendum among James Wharton's
:37:40. > :37:44.Stockton constituents? We'll be finding out, while the
:37:44. > :37:46.chairman of UKIP in the North East, Richard Elvin, I think we know how
:37:46. > :37:49.he'd vote, and Conservative Peer, Lord Bates, give us their view.
:37:49. > :37:52.Also, they look after some of our most beautiful landscapes, but are
:37:52. > :37:59.the people running our National Parks guilty of ignoring the
:37:59. > :38:03.concerns of local people? We report from the Lake District. We start
:38:03. > :38:10.with a topic that I imagine will happily shouting at the television.
:38:10. > :38:17.Should our MPs get a �10,000 rise? I cannot hear any yeses. Many of those
:38:17. > :38:23.MPs say they do not want to accept it anyway. Michael Bates, this is an
:38:23. > :38:32.issue you feel strongly about. It cost you your job at one stage.
:38:32. > :38:40.in similar circumstances. An independent body came up with a
:38:40. > :38:44.recommendation for a 30% increase -- 13%. When you are in parliament, you
:38:44. > :38:48.are a public sector worker. You must lead by example and that is what I
:38:48. > :38:54.think MPs should do. You voted against it then and only got sacks,
:38:54. > :39:01.which I suppose is a change of culture, really, isn't it? Most MPs
:39:01. > :39:07.wouldn't spare to say that they deserve this. Times have changed. I
:39:07. > :39:13.do understand some of the members who get very frustrated at the guy
:39:13. > :39:18.who oversees their expenses and gets paid more than them. He seems to
:39:18. > :39:21.feel that they get paid too much. I understand the frustration, but the
:39:21. > :39:27.point of the matter is that these are very difficult times for many
:39:27. > :39:32.people. People are seen their wages under pressure. If you have two
:39:32. > :39:38.retained that trust, you must lead by example. Richard Elvin, I'm sure
:39:38. > :39:45.that you agree, but this was taken out of MP 's hands. You can't win.
:39:45. > :39:50.Someone else says that they deserve a pay rise, why not give it to them?
:39:50. > :39:54.Yes, it is independent, so the MPs have to accept the recommendations,
:39:54. > :40:03.but Parliament can introduce emergency legislation to override
:40:03. > :40:11.that. I would hope that Mr Cameron would do that. How much wood and MP
:40:11. > :40:17.-- how much should an NPB page? Apparently, there was a survey done
:40:17. > :40:25.of all the people in the UK and the general consensus was that MPs pay
:40:25. > :40:31.should be cut by �10,000 per year, not increase. I would agreed that a
:40:31. > :40:35.pay cut could be in order. We need to look at the pay and the expenses
:40:35. > :40:45.and I think there is a big argument to say that they should be paid one
:40:45. > :40:49.
:40:49. > :40:59.lump sum of money and that is it. RNAs you have to be careful that you
:40:59. > :41:01.don't skew the system to those who are independently wealthy.
:41:02. > :41:06.suggestion on this is that it should be done Parliament to Parliament. He
:41:06. > :41:12.sets the rate for the job and if you are elected by your constituents,
:41:12. > :41:22.you go on and you serve. A new set of terms and conditions will apply
:41:22. > :41:25.
:41:25. > :41:29.from the next general election and the law, what Bill would you put
:41:29. > :41:34.before Parliament? James Wharton got that opportunity this week. On
:41:34. > :41:38.Friday, he puts forward his bill to make sure a referendum is held
:41:38. > :41:48.before 2017 on whether we want to stay in the European Union. Many
:41:48. > :41:57.
:41:57. > :42:05.conservatives have supported him, With the MP round here making his
:42:05. > :42:10.own law, what do his constituents think of his priorities? Is able
:42:10. > :42:18.European referendum to their taste? There is a continental atmosphere
:42:18. > :42:23.here. Downstairs, local voters are tucking into their tap class and a
:42:23. > :42:29.European referendum is not everyone's priority. Housing, I
:42:29. > :42:33.would suggest. There are many developments that have been paused
:42:33. > :42:39.that I don't think have been right to the town. That would be more of a
:42:39. > :42:43.priority. Immigration is quite important, not many jobs here for
:42:43. > :42:48.our own, so that would be my thoughts. But also a group of is
:42:48. > :42:51.this leaders who are preoccupied with the parking charges in the
:42:52. > :43:00.town, so you may think that the Europe bill would be irrelevant to
:43:00. > :43:06.them. Wrong. I feel that it is an issue for a lot of people and the
:43:06. > :43:11.debate needs to be had. We have been dictated to by Brussels, when we
:43:11. > :43:19.should be dictating our own direction. I welcome having a
:43:20. > :43:24.referendum. Whether you are for it or against it, there's no doubt that
:43:24. > :43:30.you are talking about a massive issue. It will drive the debate.
:43:30. > :43:36.What people think about this matters here. Stockton South is a marginal
:43:36. > :43:46.seat. His majority in the last election was only 332 votes. Despite
:43:46. > :43:48.
:43:48. > :43:53.the support his vote Bill got from MPs, it could this is one of the
:43:53. > :43:59.issues that matter. People deserve to have a say on this. It has
:43:59. > :44:04.changed out of all recognition. The time has come for that referendum.
:44:04. > :44:09.But it isn't the single biggest issue, it is one of many. I am
:44:09. > :44:13.pleased to work on behalf of my constituents. The Labour MP up the
:44:13. > :44:19.road think this has less to do with Europe and more to do with political
:44:19. > :44:23.calculation. This is to do with him saving his skin. UKIP are on the
:44:23. > :44:28.horizon and I think he is looking over his shoulder at them. I think
:44:28. > :44:36.he is wasting his time. Only eight people have contacted me in the last
:44:36. > :44:42.four or five weeks about Europe. We want jobs and growth, not to keep
:44:42. > :44:49.talking about Europe. Should you be congratulating him to
:44:49. > :44:53.get it into the Commons chamber? is only there because of UKIP's
:44:53. > :44:58.influence. We brought it to the table. The genie is out of the
:44:58. > :45:05.battle. We are pleased it is in the domain, but this does not change
:45:05. > :45:09.anything, it is only reaffirming what Mr Cameron has already said. If
:45:09. > :45:15.he gets free electricity with a majority and after he has been to
:45:15. > :45:20.Russells and renegotiated, and he'll give us a referendum. We want a
:45:20. > :45:26.referendum now. Over the last 25 years we have had four different
:45:27. > :45:33.treaties signed which have eroded the sovereignty of this nation. And
:45:33. > :45:40.the great British public has not been consulted. It is long overdue.
:45:40. > :45:46.Why are we waiting until 2017? want to present a fair choice. We
:45:46. > :45:50.want to present to people a reason to choice. I hope that we would stay
:45:50. > :45:54.in Europe, I think it has many advantages. At Italy for a trading
:45:54. > :46:04.region like the North East of England. -- particularly for a
:46:04. > :46:04.
:46:04. > :46:10.trading nation. He needs to... view might be that it is a promise
:46:10. > :46:17.that he may not have to fulfil. It is a ROM is that we hope to fulfil
:46:17. > :46:21.if we win the election. There's only one party that is offering that at
:46:21. > :46:31.the present time and hope that people remember that when they go to
:46:31. > :46:37.
:46:37. > :46:42.the ballot. Actually, there are two whether we are in or out of the EU
:46:42. > :46:48.is not the issue that matters most to someone who is unemployed.
:46:48. > :46:52.Economic growth is what matters to them. I couldn't agree more. The
:46:52. > :46:59.sooner we come out of Europe, the sooner we created that economic
:46:59. > :47:08.growth. But we are only just having this debate. But what can we do
:47:08. > :47:12.about it? That is the politicians' agenda at the moment. What they
:47:12. > :47:18.should be doing is having a referendum now and gets rid of the
:47:18. > :47:23.uncertainty. Get it out of the way and the uncertainty is over with.
:47:23. > :47:28.Michael, is this not going back to the Conservatives just banging on
:47:28. > :47:35.about Europe and not being in touch with constituents? Eight raised this
:47:35. > :47:38.in the past few weeks and most don't care about it. I think the person
:47:38. > :47:45.that captured it was the lady that said this has been going on for a
:47:45. > :47:49.long time. I am 52 years old and I now have never had a vote on whether
:47:49. > :47:54.we should be part of the European Union. It is a principal part of how
:47:54. > :48:02.our laws are made. I think we should have a good discussion about how
:48:02. > :48:07.Europe can be proved to be made more competitive and efficient. Is this
:48:07. > :48:13.not just about jumping to UKIP's June? It is not about the good of
:48:13. > :48:20.the country. I member the Green Party coming up as a single issue
:48:20. > :48:24.group. But shouldn't you you be thinking about the good of the
:48:25. > :48:28.country not the good of the Conservative Party? I think it is
:48:28. > :48:35.healthy that UKIP have put this on the agenda. The Conservative Party
:48:35. > :48:41.and James Wharton have picked it up and run with it and we are the only
:48:42. > :48:49.once, I would argue, who can deliver it. Richard, if this becomes law,
:48:49. > :48:57.why bother voting the UKIP? Because, as I say, for it to have any teeth,
:48:57. > :49:04.Mr Cameron has to have a majority and be the leader of the party. The
:49:04. > :49:06.point is that we don't want to renegotiate a deal with Europe and I
:49:06. > :49:12.think a great percentage of the British public don't want that
:49:12. > :49:22.either. We want to revert back to what we thought we were signing up
:49:22. > :49:28.
:49:28. > :49:31.travelling on a local trains have been highlighted in the Commons by N
:49:31. > :49:41.MP who says his constituents are having to be pushed across the
:49:41. > :49:46.
:49:46. > :49:49.tracks in gaps between high-speed Rory Stewart has used a Commons
:49:49. > :49:53.debate to call for a better deal for the disabled at his local station,
:49:53. > :49:58.he said a lift was needed as the existing arrangements are
:49:58. > :50:05.unacceptable. A19 it involves you being pushed across the great West
:50:05. > :50:11.Coast Main line in the gaps between trains travelling at 125 mph, not
:50:11. > :50:19.exactly the best conditions. Army centres close in the region despite
:50:19. > :50:23.Government plans to increase the size of the territorial Army. The MP
:50:24. > :50:31.for Blaydon has called by independent public inquiry into
:50:31. > :50:33.policing during the Miners' Strike. Said many miners were arrested
:50:33. > :50:39.unlawfully. Students from Ashington High School
:50:39. > :50:49.have met John Bercow and the Lord Speaker. They were shown around
:50:49. > :50:56.
:50:56. > :50:59.Parliament in locations connected How can we look after the landscapes
:50:59. > :51:02.of North Yorkshire and the Lake District while ensuring communities
:51:02. > :51:05.thrive and tourists visit? That's what our National Park
:51:05. > :51:09.Authorities are supposed to do. They have to try to protect the scenery
:51:09. > :51:16.that's made them so special while also deciding how much of it can be
:51:16. > :51:25.built on and developed. One MP says they are not listening enough. He is
:51:25. > :51:30.our reporter. -- here is our reporter.
:51:30. > :51:36.It has mountains, sweeping scenery and wildlife aplenty. But all is not
:51:36. > :51:42.well behind the postcard views. feel frustrated, we feel hampered
:51:42. > :51:45.every way we turn. Earlier this year, the non-elected members of the
:51:45. > :51:53.national park planning committee rejected plans to build a zip wire
:51:53. > :51:59.for the second time. The Lake District is a brand. It needs to
:51:59. > :52:04.have reinvestment, it needs exciting new things happening to it. Nothing
:52:04. > :52:11.has happened in 15 years, that I am aware of. We're just sat here as if
:52:11. > :52:17.we have shackles. When not allowed to move upwards. -- we are not
:52:17. > :52:27.allowed. He is not the only critic. There was upset here when planners
:52:27. > :52:37.
:52:37. > :52:46.refused to let this field be used as at at night were vetoed. We don't
:52:46. > :52:52.think the special planning board lives around here. We are
:52:52. > :52:55.consulted, and we live here. We don't want the place spoilt. But
:52:55. > :53:01.when how decisions are ignored sometimes we win some, sometimes we
:53:01. > :53:06.lose some. But the decisions taken by the board seem bizarre. It is not
:53:06. > :53:12.already taken and refusals. Most are approved by the authority and some
:53:12. > :53:16.say more thought is being given to business growth. They have changed a
:53:16. > :53:20.lot in the ten years I have been working here and they genuinely
:53:20. > :53:25.listen to the concerns of businesses. They don't always agree
:53:25. > :53:32.with them or approve the application is that some businesses would like,
:53:32. > :53:36.but there is a better dialogue and we are content that we can get an
:53:36. > :53:41.audience and influence and change the way they think. If that thinking
:53:41. > :53:46.doesn't go your way, there is not much you can do about it. The
:53:46. > :53:53.members are recruited by district councils and the secretary of state,
:53:53. > :53:57.Thompson calls for some members to be directly elected. People may say,
:53:57. > :54:02.that's not build any affordable houses in this village, let keep it
:54:02. > :54:08.as it is. The local people will say, hang about, how can a local
:54:08. > :54:12.families and young people bring the lifeblood that we need unless you
:54:12. > :54:18.build affordable homes. The same applies to farms and businesses. If
:54:18. > :54:24.you have local people elected to the national park, you are more likely
:54:24. > :54:28.to get those sensible decisions. Decision-making in National Parks
:54:28. > :54:33.has been under review uses 2010 and it is hoped the eventual outcome
:54:33. > :54:43.will allow it to keep that Beatrix Potter champ, as well as let it grow
:54:43. > :54:45.
:54:45. > :54:50.into the future. -- charm. I asked him if he thought that was
:54:50. > :54:55.acceptable. It is not a Lake District National Park, it is a
:54:55. > :55:04.National Park that happens to be called the Lake District. From the
:55:04. > :55:09.earliest days, this has been a problem. How to be represented? The
:55:09. > :55:14.solution they found was that the district, the stakeholders in the
:55:14. > :55:19.park and the county is the territorial stakeholder, ought to be
:55:19. > :55:23.the majority of people. The serving councillors are appointed to the
:55:23. > :55:30.park as an outside body, and outside specialist Audie to serve. There is
:55:30. > :55:34.no question of illegitimacy. I think people in the Lake District may
:55:34. > :55:41.differ, but they think is that you aren't accountable to them because
:55:41. > :55:49.there is no act link between them and you and you are making decisions
:55:49. > :55:54.that affect their lives. We are not the sole body operating. They have
:55:54. > :55:59.their full quota of County Councils and district councillors. They are
:55:59. > :56:01.not the people taking planning decisions about their lives.
:56:01. > :56:11.Accusations we have heard from businesses are stifling economic
:56:11. > :56:17.
:56:17. > :56:24.development. We are the only national park in England, we work
:56:24. > :56:28.closely in insisting that Cumbria must have its own .Mac got it in the
:56:28. > :56:35.end. The National Park has been in the end of that. We are not some
:56:35. > :56:40.prefer a body that's just dabbles in planning, we are elected local
:56:40. > :56:46.councillors, three quarters of us, and many of the people who are on
:56:46. > :56:52.our board are serving councillors. To say we walked in off the road is
:56:52. > :56:55.ridiculous. What would you say about your record in terms of the balance
:56:55. > :57:05.between preserving the countryside and ensuring that people can get
:57:05. > :57:08.
:57:08. > :57:13.jobs? We wouldn't be at the centre. We work in partnership and most of
:57:13. > :57:19.our work is days and increasingly as the cuts bite, a lot more will be,
:57:19. > :57:23.it depends on the partnership working. Many of the people in the
:57:23. > :57:31.bodies are local and some may be criticising us, I don't know, it
:57:31. > :57:35.works and it is admired. We had a visit yesterday and they went away
:57:35. > :57:41.shaking their heads in disbelief, not because we are not part of it
:57:41. > :57:50.but because we are so central to it. Are lucky enough to have other parks
:57:50. > :57:57.in the area. Is Tim Farron writes to say they should be more accountable?
:57:57. > :58:03.Is it a good idea to have these positions are electable? I like the
:58:03. > :58:08.idea of making it more accountable. Half of them are appointed by the
:58:08. > :58:12.Department of culture, media and sport. I hope that people would take
:58:12. > :58:15.a great deal more interest in the park and would seek to become
:58:15. > :58:20.members of that. That would be a first step to have the debate out in
:58:20. > :58:27.the open. But when you think about it, it is a terrible balance because
:58:27. > :58:32.we enjoy the most beautiful of scenery. But we recognise that
:58:32. > :58:42.people had to work and live there. Woody UKIP introduced collections to
:58:42. > :58:46.
:58:46. > :58:53.national parks? -- Woody UKIP. Absolutely. People want another set
:58:53. > :59:00.of elections? The police commissioner on elections didn't set
:59:00. > :59:06.the world alight. The thing about the National Parks authority, it is
:59:06. > :59:10.basically a Government quango and they are notoriously expensive. The
:59:10. > :59:16.Lake District National Park get �6 million worth of taxpayers funding
:59:16. > :59:21.and of that, they only spend 7% on preserving the environment. They
:59:21. > :59:27.spend 12% on the hierarchy of the people that have the top jobs, that
:59:27. > :59:34.is �750,000 per year that go on a elected -- that go on unelected
:59:35. > :59:39.people. People want more homes and jobs. There are many problems going
:59:39. > :59:45.around in this country and I don't think our national parks that are
:59:45. > :59:49.envied around the world are one of the biggest problems. What about
:59:49. > :59:59.people that can't get a house vote? Mac it is not an issue the National
:59:59. > :00:07.Park to address, it is to do with the local authorities. But It is a
:00:07. > :00:12.point worth looking at. That is about it from us. Don't forget to
:00:12. > :00:17.check out my blog online. You will find my profile of the man of the