30/04/2017

:00:36. > :00:40.It's Sunday Morning, and this is the Sunday Politics.

:00:41. > :00:42.Theresa May says she has no plans to increase tax levels,

:00:43. > :00:46.but refuses to repeat David Cameron's 2015 manifesto

:00:47. > :00:53.promise ruling out hikes in VAT, national insurance and income tax.

:00:54. > :00:56.The leaders of the EU's 27 member states unanimously

:00:57. > :01:00.agree their negotiating strategy for the upcoming Brexit talks, but

:01:01. > :01:10.And in the last of our series of interviews ahead of Thursday's

:01:11. > :01:20.We are in Middlesbrough with the to the leader of Plaid Cymru Leanne

:01:21. > :01:22.We are in Middlesbrough with the four candidates who want to be the

:01:23. > :01:27.first elected mayor for the Tees They hit an all-time low

:01:28. > :01:48.after coalition government, but are the Lib Dems

:01:49. > :01:49.poised to bounce back, And with me to analyse

:01:50. > :01:54.the week's politics, Isabel Oakeshott, Steve Richards,

:01:55. > :01:55.Tom Newton-Dunn. They'll be tweeting

:01:56. > :01:57.using the hashtag #bbcsp. So when Theresa May was interviewed

:01:58. > :02:00.just over an hour ago on The Andrew Marr Show,

:02:01. > :02:03.the Prime Minister was asked to confirm that she would repeat

:02:04. > :02:05.David Cameron's 2015 election promise not to raise VAT,

:02:06. > :02:07.national insurance and income tax We have absolutely no plans

:02:08. > :02:12.to increase the level of tax, but I'm also very clear that I don't

:02:13. > :02:15.want to make specific proposals on taxes unless I'm absolutely sure

:02:16. > :02:17.that I can deliver on those. But it is, would be my intention

:02:18. > :02:20.as a Conservative Government and a Conservative Prime Minister,

:02:21. > :02:30.to reduce the taxes The Tories like to have a clear tax

:02:31. > :02:34.message in elections, are they getting into a bit of a mess? That

:02:35. > :02:38.method wasn't clear, but does it mean, saying they have no plans to

:02:39. > :02:42.increase the level of tax? We are clear there will not be a rise in

:02:43. > :02:46.VAT, a lot of commentators will get overexcited about that, but there

:02:47. > :02:52.was no great expectations there would be a rise in VAT. Tempting as

:02:53. > :02:57.it is, because even one percentage point on VAT rate is 4.5 billion for

:02:58. > :03:01.the exchequer so it is tempting but there has been no speculation that

:03:02. > :03:07.would happen. We can see that she clearly wants to reiterate the

:03:08. > :03:12.language about hard-working families but I don't think we are that much

:03:13. > :03:18.the wiser. Even if she does not put up rates, according to projections

:03:19. > :03:22.the overall tax burden, as a percentage of GDP, is rising, will

:03:23. > :03:26.rise in the years ahead. That is why it was an odd phrase, I know she is

:03:27. > :03:31.doing it to be evasive but to say they have no plans to raise the

:03:32. > :03:35.general level of taxation, they do have. We also know they have

:03:36. > :03:42.specific plans because it was in the last budget, they had a tax rise

:03:43. > :03:47.which they had to revise, National Insurance rises, so very wisely in

:03:48. > :03:53.my view they are keeping options open, the 2015 tax-and-spend debate

:03:54. > :03:59.was a fantasy world, totally unrelated to the demands that would

:04:00. > :04:02.follow. They now have the flexibility, one of the arguments

:04:03. > :04:07.you had heard last time was Philip Hammond saying to her, we have to

:04:08. > :04:12.break away from the 2015 manifesto commitment and we can only do it

:04:13. > :04:16.this way, that is one of the better arguments. The Tories like to talk

:04:17. > :04:21.about tax cuts in elections, whether they do it is another matter, but

:04:22. > :04:25.they are not being allowed to talk about tax cuts, they are now on the

:04:26. > :04:31.defensive over whether they will raise taxes. That is not a healthy

:04:32. > :04:35.position for the campaign to be in. If you look at the numbers, quite

:04:36. > :04:39.frankly, if you will not do this at this election with eight 20 point

:04:40. > :04:43.lead over Labour, then when will you take these tough decisions? Reading

:04:44. > :04:47.between the lines of what Theresa May has said all over different

:04:48. > :04:52.broadcasters this morning, income tax will go down for low-income

:04:53. > :04:57.families, such as the threshold rise that microbes that was already

:04:58. > :05:01.factored in. She has had to commit to it again. VAT will be fat,

:05:02. > :05:08.national insurance contributions will go up. Do you think they will

:05:09. > :05:14.go up? I think so, she had plenty of opportunity to rule it out and she

:05:15. > :05:17.didn't. There was a terrible mess with the budget, it is a good tax

:05:18. > :05:21.argument but not a good electoral argument that you are eroding the

:05:22. > :05:26.base so heavily with people moving into self-employment that as you

:05:27. > :05:28.raise national insurance contributions for everybody but the

:05:29. > :05:32.self-employed, it is something the Treasury will have to look at. The

:05:33. > :05:36.other triple lock on pensions, we don't know if they will keep to that

:05:37. > :05:41.either? If they are sensible they will find a form of words to give

:05:42. > :05:46.them flexibility in that area as well. I would say there is no

:05:47. > :05:51.question over that, that has gone. As Mrs May would say, you will have

:05:52. > :05:56.to wait for the manifesto. That is what all the party leaders tell me!

:05:57. > :05:57.Labour have spent the weekend pushing their messages

:05:58. > :06:00.Speaking at a camapign rally in London yesterday,

:06:01. > :06:03.Jeremy Corbyn promised a Labour government would fix what he called

:06:04. > :06:11.People are fed up, fed up with not being able to get somewhere to live,

:06:12. > :06:15.fed up waiting for hospital appointments, fed up with 0-hours

:06:16. > :06:20.contracts, fed up with low pay, fed up with debt, fed up with not being

:06:21. > :06:22.able to get on in their lives because we have a system that is

:06:23. > :06:26.rigged against so many. I've been joined from Newcastle

:06:27. > :06:28.by Labour's elections and campaigns co-ordinator,

:06:29. > :06:39.Ian Lavery. Good morning. To deal with this

:06:40. > :06:42.rigged economy, as Mr Corbyn calls it, the Shadow Chancellor John

:06:43. > :06:46.McDonnell has a 20 point plan for workers out today. When you add up

:06:47. > :06:52.everything he plans to do to help workers, how much will it cost? The

:06:53. > :06:57.full costings, one thing I need to say at the very beginning, the

:06:58. > :07:00.costings of any policy which we have already ruled out and any policy we

:07:01. > :07:06.will be ruling out in the next few days and weeks will be fully costed

:07:07. > :07:11.in the manifesto and in addition to the fact that it will be fully

:07:12. > :07:14.costed, we will see it in the manifesto how indeed it has been

:07:15. > :07:19.funded, so we are very clear, anything we have seen already, and

:07:20. > :07:23.there are some exciting policy releases and there will be more in

:07:24. > :07:28.the future, anything we are going to do will be fully costed and in the

:07:29. > :07:31.manifesto. You announced a 20 point plan but cannot tell me what the

:07:32. > :07:37.costs will be this morning so at the moment it is a menu without prices?

:07:38. > :07:41.It is not a menu without prices, it is a fantastic opportunity. This 20

:07:42. > :07:45.point plan is something which will transform the lives of millions of

:07:46. > :07:51.millions of people in the workplace... But what is the cost?

:07:52. > :07:55.It will be welcomed by many people across the UK. The fact the costings

:07:56. > :07:58.have not been released, you will have to be patient, it will be

:07:59. > :08:04.released very clearly, it will identify that in the manifesto. Let

:08:05. > :08:08.me come down to one of the points, the end of the public sector pay

:08:09. > :08:13.freeze. Can you give us any idea how much that will cost? The end of the

:08:14. > :08:19.public sector pay freeze, so important to the future of the

:08:20. > :08:24.Labour Party, it is an massive policy decision. Let me say at this

:08:25. > :08:29.stage, Theresa May, the Prime Minister, this morning, on The

:08:30. > :08:34.Andrew Marr Show, did not have the common decency, courtesy all respect

:08:35. > :08:38.to condone the fact that nurses, the heroes of the NHS, have had a

:08:39. > :08:44.reduction of nearly 14% in their wages since 2010 and are using food

:08:45. > :08:50.banks to feed themselves! Does that not say everything that is wrong

:08:51. > :08:54.with today's society? So can you tell me what it will cost, which is

:08:55. > :08:58.what my question was? What I will say is everything the Labour Party

:08:59. > :09:03.pledges, everything that we come out with, what we will roll out between

:09:04. > :09:07.now and the 8th of June, will be fully costed, people will be very

:09:08. > :09:11.much aware of how much the costings will be, where the funding will come

:09:12. > :09:16.from, when the manifesto is published. What about doubling

:09:17. > :09:18.paternity leave, nu minimum wage, four new bank holidays, any idea

:09:19. > :09:31.what it will cost? These are exciting new

:09:32. > :09:34.proposals and of course today cost money but we are the sixth richest

:09:35. > :09:36.economy in the world. It is about redistribution of the wealth we

:09:37. > :09:40.create. We are seeing growth in the economy, it is how we utilise the

:09:41. > :09:44.finances in the best way we possibly can for a fairer society for the

:09:45. > :09:49.many and not the few. You just can't tell me how much it will cost? That

:09:50. > :09:54.is why I will repeat again that you need to be very patient. Do you know

:09:55. > :09:58.the cost yourself? You are the head of the campaign, do you know the

:09:59. > :10:03.cost of these things yourself? I am very much aware of how much the

:10:04. > :10:07.costings are likely to be, they have been identified, they will be

:10:08. > :10:12.published in the manifesto. You really do understand I would not be

:10:13. > :10:17.releasing today, live on your show, any costings or predictions with

:10:18. > :10:22.regards the manifesto. Why not? You have released the policy, why not

:10:23. > :10:26.the cost? Because there is a fine detail and we will identify it to

:10:27. > :10:30.the general public in the manifesto. We not only explain how much it will

:10:31. > :10:37.cost but we will explain where the funding comes from. Be patient. Will

:10:38. > :10:44.some of the costs be met by increasing taxes? I would think at

:10:45. > :10:49.this point in time there is not any indication to increase basic taxes

:10:50. > :10:53.and again the taxes and spending of the Labour Government with the

:10:54. > :10:59.proposals of the 20 point plan, the issues we have got, housing, the

:11:00. > :11:05.NHS, crime, education will all be identified with the costings in the

:11:06. > :11:10.publication. Can you tell us this morning, we'll tax for most people

:11:11. > :11:15.rise or not to finance this? We in the Labour Party are looking to a

:11:16. > :11:24.fair tax system which will be clearly identified in the manifesto.

:11:25. > :11:27.Mr McDonnell also wants to ban all 0-hours contracts. Would that

:11:28. > :11:33.include those who actually like those contracts? There are nearly 1

:11:34. > :11:38.million, depending on which figured you'd use, there are nearly 1

:11:39. > :11:41.million people on zero-hours contract and the vast proportion of

:11:42. > :11:45.those want to be able to live a decent life, a secure life, they

:11:46. > :11:52.want to understand whether they will be at work the next day, they're

:11:53. > :11:55.included hours... I understand a lot of people don't like zero-hours

:11:56. > :12:01.contract and your proposal will address that, but there are those, I

:12:02. > :12:05.saw one survey where 65% of people on zero-hours contract like the

:12:06. > :12:09.flexibility it gives them. Will you force them off zero-hours contract

:12:10. > :12:13.or if they like them will they continue with them? We will discuss

:12:14. > :12:18.it with employee is to make sure individuals in the workplace have

:12:19. > :12:25.the right to negotiate hours in that workplace. Guaranteed hours is very,

:12:26. > :12:30.very important. Zero-hour contracts are an instrument in which employers

:12:31. > :12:34.abuse and exploit mainly young people, mainly female people in the

:12:35. > :12:40.workplace. We would be banning zero-hour contract. But there are

:12:41. > :12:44.those, students for example, who like them, would they be forced off

:12:45. > :12:49.zero-hour contracts in your proposal? Our proposal would be

:12:50. > :12:54.banning zero-hour contract and introducing contracts which have set

:12:55. > :12:57.hours in the workplace. You also say no company will be able to bid for a

:12:58. > :13:02.public contract unless the boss earns no more than 20 times the

:13:03. > :13:07.lowest paid, or the average wage, I'm not quite sure which. What would

:13:08. > :13:12.happen if British Aerospace bids to build more joint strike Fighters and

:13:13. > :13:16.the boss is paid more than 20 times? I understand the point you raise but

:13:17. > :13:24.we have an obscene situation in this country, Andrew, in which the bosses

:13:25. > :13:30.at the very top make an absolute fortune... But what would happen

:13:31. > :13:34.then? Who would build joint strike Fighters... The difference in wages

:13:35. > :13:40.between the top earners in the country and the people in the

:13:41. > :13:44.factories, in the workshops, producing the goods, is vast. I

:13:45. > :13:49.understand that is the reason you want a ratio. What I am saying is,

:13:50. > :13:53.what happens if the ratio is greater? Who gets the contract if

:13:54. > :14:01.not British Aerospace? Who else builds the planes? We are going to

:14:02. > :14:05.introduce a wage rate CEO of one to 20. -- wage ratio. We want to close

:14:06. > :14:10.the gap between the people at the very top and people who produce the

:14:11. > :14:14.goods. Let me try one more Time, who would build the joint strike

:14:15. > :14:21.fighter? We would look at the issue as it came along but the policy is

:14:22. > :14:24.clear... Can you name a single defence contractor weather boss'

:14:25. > :14:31.salary is less than 20 times average earnings? We are not reducing, we

:14:32. > :14:39.have rolled that out as part of this fantastic plan to transform society

:14:40. > :14:45.to get rid of discrimination, to try and bring together our communities.

:14:46. > :14:47.We will introduce a pay ratio of one to 20. Fair enough, thank you very

:14:48. > :14:49.much. It's a month after the triggering

:14:50. > :14:53.of Article 50, and EU leaders - with the exception of Britain -

:14:54. > :14:55.met in Brussels this weekend to agree their opening negotiating

:14:56. > :15:11.stance, to get the divorce It is inside this psychedelic

:15:12. > :15:17.chamber where Britain's 'Grexit' future will be decided over the next

:15:18. > :15:21.two years, but there is a vast gulf in rhetoric coming from the UK and

:15:22. > :15:30.the EU. With parallel narratives emerging for both sides. There is

:15:31. > :15:34.broad agreement that an orderly withdrawal is in the interests of

:15:35. > :15:38.both sides. But Theresa May's position is that the terms of our

:15:39. > :15:42.future trade deal should be negotiated alongside the terms of

:15:43. > :15:48.our divorce. Meanwhile the EU says the terms of the UK's exit must be

:15:49. > :15:53.decided before any discussion on a future trade deal can begin. But

:15:54. > :15:57.don't forget that divorce settlement. Don't remind me. In

:15:58. > :16:01.Brussels, many think written should pay even more, while in the UK

:16:02. > :16:03.ministers said the divorce bill should be capped at 3 billion. After

:16:04. > :16:16.you. Thank you. For are you looking forward to it?

:16:17. > :16:22.Isn't that divorce bill a bit high? Isn't this about punishing Britain?

:16:23. > :16:29.We are very united, you all seem so surprised but it's a fact. How soon

:16:30. > :16:34.can we get a deal? We have to wait for the elections. It was the

:16:35. > :16:38.decision of Mrs May. It took over an hour for the leaders to make their

:16:39. > :16:44.entrances but once inside it's just a few minutes to agree the

:16:45. > :16:47.negotiating guidelines. They set out three main areas. The first phase of

:16:48. > :16:52.talks on the divorce settlement will deal with the existing financial

:16:53. > :16:56.commitments to the EU, the Northern Ireland border and the rights of EU

:16:57. > :17:00.citizens in the UK. They said a UK trade agreement can be discussed

:17:01. > :17:05.when the first phase of talks reaches significant progress. And

:17:06. > :17:08.that there must be unity in the negotiations, that individual EU

:17:09. > :17:15.members won't negotiate separately with the UK. They are quite good

:17:16. > :17:20.here at negotiating because they are used to it. They set a maximum and

:17:21. > :17:24.then they have to recede a little bit depending on what the other side

:17:25. > :17:29.is prepared to offer. I think there is room for manoeuvre in some

:17:30. > :17:35.issues, but I don't think some of the baseline things will change that

:17:36. > :17:39.much. For example I don't think the European Union will concede on the

:17:40. > :17:44.rights of citizens who are already in the UK. It will be very difficult

:17:45. > :17:49.for them to accept that they will not be any exit bill, and the

:17:50. > :17:52.question of Northern Ireland is very important as well, the hard order

:17:53. > :17:57.question. The baseline things are not going to move that much, then

:17:58. > :18:01.you have room for manoeuvring between. On security, defence and

:18:02. > :18:05.the fight against terrorism, the guidelines said the EU stands ready

:18:06. > :18:10.to work together. And after lunch, friendly signs from some EU leaders

:18:11. > :18:15.as they gave individual press conferences. Paul and said the talks

:18:16. > :18:18.should open doors to new opportunities and even German

:18:19. > :18:24.Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had earlier said some in Britain were

:18:25. > :18:26.deluded about Brexit, softened her tone saying there was no conspiracy

:18:27. > :18:33.against the UK. Unity was the buzzword at this summit and for once

:18:34. > :18:38.everybody seemed to be sticking to the script. That unity is not only

:18:39. > :18:41.amongst the 27 states, it's also among the institutions so many of

:18:42. > :18:46.the divisions we have seen in the past at European level do not exist.

:18:47. > :18:50.That is very important and it's not be unity that is directed somehow

:18:51. > :18:55.against the UK because I think we all want this to be an orderly

:18:56. > :19:06.process and part of that is that the EU side is unified. So although

:19:07. > :19:11.there are no surprises here, what took place in this room was a

:19:12. > :19:14.significant step towards the real Brexit negotiations which will begin

:19:15. > :19:17.soon after the general election in June, said to be the most complex

:19:18. > :19:21.the UK has faced in our lifetimes. Isabel, Steve and Tom

:19:22. > :19:32.are still with me. Isabel, doesn't the British media

:19:33. > :19:36.have to be a bit careful here? We would never take at face value

:19:37. > :19:42.anything a British politician tells us. We would question it, put it in

:19:43. > :19:46.context and wonder if they are bluffing, but we seem to take at

:19:47. > :19:49.face value anything a European politician says about these

:19:50. > :19:55.negotiations. You only have to look at the front page of the Sunday

:19:56. > :19:59.Times today to see that. They quoted at length Juncker, who didn't like

:20:00. > :20:04.the food at the reception and this and that, and I think the mood is

:20:05. > :20:08.very optimistic. The key thing is the EU trade Commissioner has said

:20:09. > :20:13.we will get a free trade deal and a lot of people seem to be wilfully

:20:14. > :20:16.ignoring that incredibly big concession. That is what will happen

:20:17. > :20:23.in their view. Everything that is said at the moment needs a slight

:20:24. > :20:27.rerun over. They are all in negotiating positions, plus we seem

:20:28. > :20:32.to be completely unaware that they all have their own domestic

:20:33. > :20:36.constituencies as well. Angela Merkel has an important election

:20:37. > :20:39.coming up in September, Euroscepticism is quite different

:20:40. > :20:44.from Britain of course, but there's a different kind of euro scepticism

:20:45. > :20:48.in Germany, she has got to deal with that. Of course she has, which is

:20:49. > :20:55.why you are right, nothing should be taken too seriously out of the

:20:56. > :20:58.mouths of British politicians or European politicians until October

:20:59. > :21:01.this year. We have got to wait for the French elections, then German

:21:02. > :21:07.elections, and if you look through this you can see a way forward.

:21:08. > :21:12.There's no trade talks until pay up, but what was actually written was no

:21:13. > :21:15.trade talks until we make significant progress on the money.

:21:16. > :21:20.You can define significant progress in a lot of ways but come December,

:21:21. > :21:24.fireworks over the summer, we all get very excited about it, in these

:21:25. > :21:29.chairs I'm sure, come December things will look a lot smoother. The

:21:30. > :21:33.German elections are at the end of September but I've seen reports in

:21:34. > :21:37.German press, depending how it goes it could take until Christmas before

:21:38. > :21:43.a new coalition government is put together. The Brussels long-standing

:21:44. > :21:48.negotiating tactic of nothing is agreed until everything is agreed,

:21:49. > :21:51.then I guess the British could say we agree a certain sum of money if

:21:52. > :21:56.that's what it takes but that depends on them, what good trade

:21:57. > :22:02.deal we get. If we don't get that, the sum of money is off the table.

:22:03. > :22:07.In that sense, the two are going parallel. However, I wouldn't

:22:08. > :22:12.entirely dismiss what people are saying in their pre-election periods

:22:13. > :22:17.to their own electorates because they have to some extent to deliver

:22:18. > :22:20.subsequently. Of course Angela Merkel is campaigning and

:22:21. > :22:24.electioneering, who wouldn't, she has a tough election to fight, but

:22:25. > :22:28.she is measured and thoughtful and when she says things like some of

:22:29. > :22:36.the British are delusional, that is unusually strong language for her.

:22:37. > :22:41.What was she referring to? I don't know, it wasn't specific. Have the

:22:42. > :22:43.cake and eat it perhaps the sequencing the British don't want.

:22:44. > :22:47.When they thought the British government was going to effectively

:22:48. > :22:54.demand membership of the single market, that's not going to happen

:22:55. > :22:59.now. Unless you sign up to the four pillars, that's the cake and eat it

:23:00. > :23:03.proposition, which they are right in saying Theresa May has made. But

:23:04. > :23:11.everybody has access, even with no deal you have access. The other side

:23:12. > :23:18.of it is I think there will be a united position from them. And so,

:23:19. > :23:23.as somebody pointed out in that report, they are experienced, tough

:23:24. > :23:33.negotiators, so I don't think it will be quite as easy as some think.

:23:34. > :23:37.I spoke to one of those who drew up Article 50 and they said to me they

:23:38. > :23:43.deliberately put this two year timetable in to make it impossible

:23:44. > :23:46.for anybody to think about leaving. This is really tight, this

:23:47. > :23:49.negotiation. Easy, it isn't. This coming Thursday,

:23:50. > :23:51.voters up and down the country will be going to the polls in this

:23:52. > :23:54.year's local elections. Over the past few weeks I've

:23:55. > :23:56.interviewed representatives of the Conservative Party,

:23:57. > :23:58.Labour, the Liberal Democrats, Today it's the turn

:23:59. > :24:01.of Plaid Cymru and the SNP. A little earlier I spoke

:24:02. > :24:03.Alex Salmond, who until 2014 I started by asking him why Scots

:24:04. > :24:08.should vote SNP in local elections when the Scottish Government had

:24:09. > :24:23.just cut central Government funding It's actually a funding increase

:24:24. > :24:28.going into Scottish councils this year, and if you look at the funding

:24:29. > :24:31.position for example between Scottish councils and those in

:24:32. > :24:36.England, which are obviously directly related through the Barnett

:24:37. > :24:41.formula, the funding in Scotland has been incomparably better than that

:24:42. > :24:50.in England so there's a whole range of the -- of reasons... What's

:24:51. > :24:52.happening south of the border indicates the protection the

:24:53. > :24:56.Scottish Parliament has been able to put in that helps vital services in

:24:57. > :25:01.Scotland. But there hasn't been a funding increase, the block grant

:25:02. > :25:06.from Westminster to Edinburgh was increased by 1.5% in real terms but

:25:07. > :25:12.the grant to councils was cut by 2.6%. It was going to be a cut of

:25:13. > :25:25.330 million, the Greens got you to reduce it to 170 million but it is

:25:26. > :25:28.still a cut of 2.6%. Your own Aberdeenshire Council has had a cut

:25:29. > :25:32.to 391 million. You have cut the money to councils. Yes, but councils

:25:33. > :25:35.have available to them more resources this year, and as you say

:25:36. > :25:41.the budget increased that further which is why we put forward an

:25:42. > :25:44.excellent local government budget in Aberdeenshire and resisted a Tory

:25:45. > :25:50.attempts to knock ?3 million off... You asked me about Aberdeenshire,

:25:51. > :25:56.and Aberdeenshire has put forward a budget for investment expansion and

:25:57. > :25:59.resisted a Tory attempts to knock ?3 million off the education budget,

:26:00. > :26:04.and I'm very grateful you have given me the opportunity to make that

:26:05. > :26:12.point. The Government in Edinburgh has cut the money to Aberdeenshire

:26:13. > :26:15.by ?11 million. It is a cut. But there is an investment budget in

:26:16. > :26:20.Aberdeenshire that has been made available by the ability to increase

:26:21. > :26:24.the council tax by 2.5% after a nine-year freeze in Scotland, and

:26:25. > :26:29.that has brought more resources into local government and that's why the

:26:30. > :26:32.butchered in Aberdeenshire has been an investment budget including

:26:33. > :26:37.protection of the education budget in the face of a Tory and liberal

:26:38. > :26:41.attempt to cut bit. You have to compare what is happening in

:26:42. > :26:44.Scotland and England, and there's no doubt Scottish local authorities

:26:45. > :26:50.have been much better funded than those in England over the last few

:26:51. > :26:52.years and that's been the ability of the Scottish Government to protect

:26:53. > :27:00.the services at local level. A good reason for voting SNP. If they have

:27:01. > :27:05.been so well funded, why after a decade of SNP rule do one in five

:27:06. > :27:13.Scottish pupils leave primary school functionally illiterate? You have

:27:14. > :27:16.got to take these things... Nicola Sturgeon has made it a top priority

:27:17. > :27:22.to address these challenges but let's take another statistic. 93% of

:27:23. > :27:26.Scottish kids are now emerging from school to positive destinations,

:27:27. > :27:35.that means to further education, apprenticeships or work. Why are one

:27:36. > :27:38.in five functionally illiterate? You argue one statistic, I'm arguing

:27:39. > :27:44.Scottish education is putting in some substantially good performances

:27:45. > :27:49.like the 93% going on to positive destinations. You can't have a

:27:50. > :27:53.failing education system if you have got that 93%, and incidentally a

:27:54. > :27:57.record low youth unemployment in Scotland without the second lowest

:27:58. > :28:01.unemployment rate in Europe. These pupils are being prepared by the

:28:02. > :28:08.Scottish education system. Let's take the figures in the round on

:28:09. > :28:13.education. It's so important. Under your watch, under your government,

:28:14. > :28:22.the Scottish schools in the most important global comparison have

:28:23. > :28:27.fallen from tenth to 19th in science, and 11 to 24th in maths,

:28:28. > :28:35.that is a record of decline and failure. That is by the OECD and

:28:36. > :28:38.first questions about that, but the OECD has also described Scotland is

:28:39. > :28:43.one of the best educated societies in the world. That was from the

:28:44. > :28:49.school system in previous years gone by. For those who are currently in

:28:50. > :28:54.Scottish schools, you have fallen from 11th to 24th in mathematics.

:28:55. > :28:57.The OECD was commenting on introduction of the new curriculum

:28:58. > :29:03.for excellence in which they have given a resounding thumbs up to it,

:29:04. > :29:08.and that's the same source as the rankings which you are comparing.

:29:09. > :29:10.Nicola Sturgeon has said there are challenges on Scottish education,

:29:11. > :29:15.particularly the access through the education system and the attainment

:29:16. > :29:19.gap but don't tell me it's failing when 55% of our pupils have gone on

:29:20. > :29:24.to higher education. That's one of the most impressive figures in the

:29:25. > :29:29.world. Why have you cut 4000 teachers? The pupil numbers in

:29:30. > :29:33.Scotland have been falling over recent years as well and now of

:29:34. > :29:36.course we are increasing the number of people going through teachers

:29:37. > :29:41.training so we can make sure that number increases, but listen, the

:29:42. > :29:46.Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament, as you very well know,

:29:47. > :29:50.are subject to real terms spending cuts over the last few years and all

:29:51. > :29:54.public services have been under pressure. The main reason in terms

:29:55. > :29:57.of teacher numbers has been an attempt on the Scottish Government

:29:58. > :30:05.to protect the teacher pupil ratio, and that will now be enhanced by a

:30:06. > :30:12.further taker -- intake. You promised you would reduce primary

:30:13. > :30:18.class sizes to 18 and instead they are now 23.5 and rising. You broke

:30:19. > :30:22.that promise. You didn't mention where we started from. We have kept

:30:23. > :30:26.the teacher pupil ratio very solid in Scotland and that's been against

:30:27. > :30:30.a range of public expenditure cuts but the new intake of teachers into

:30:31. > :30:35.the new teacher training in Scotland I think will enhance the system.

:30:36. > :30:43.You have spent in the pasty in Hollywood 43 hours on Government

:30:44. > :30:47.time debating independence. How many hours have you debated education on

:30:48. > :30:53.Government time? I don't have that they get a hand... The answer is

:30:54. > :30:57.zero, you have spent zero-hours debating education on Government

:30:58. > :31:03.time. Isn't it time the SNP got back to concentrating on the day job?

:31:04. > :31:07.Andrew, as you very well know Nicola Sturgeon has identified a key

:31:08. > :31:10.priority, closing the attainment gap in Scottish education. That is

:31:11. > :31:18.exactly what she has done. Let me answer the question, it is difficult

:31:19. > :31:21.to be in a remote location, if you talk before I answer the question

:31:22. > :31:29.then the view was will not be able to listen. I let you answer that

:31:30. > :31:33.without saying a word. Is this general election about independence,

:31:34. > :31:38.as you say it is, or not about independence, as Mrs Sturgeon says

:31:39. > :31:43.it is? No, I have said exactly the same as Nicola Sturgeon on that. The

:31:44. > :31:46.issue what independence will be decided in a national referendum of

:31:47. > :31:51.the Scottish people. The mandate for that referendum was gained in last

:31:52. > :31:55.year's Scottish elections. What this election is about is backing the

:31:56. > :31:58.right of the Scottish parliament to exercise that mandate and also

:31:59. > :32:02.providing real opposition to this Tory Government and allowing the

:32:03. > :32:05.Scottish Parliament to reverse austerity and some of the public

:32:06. > :32:09.expenditure cutbacks you have been talking about, that is what this is

:32:10. > :32:11.about, backing our Scottish Parliament.

:32:12. > :32:13.Alex Salmond, speaking to me earlier.

:32:14. > :32:16.I'm now joined by the leader of Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood.

:32:17. > :32:22.You accuse the Government of wanting an extreme Brexit, those are your

:32:23. > :32:27.words. What is the difference between hard Brexit and extreme

:32:28. > :32:31.Brexit? My concern is the way in which we leave the European Union

:32:32. > :32:34.could be very damaging to Wales if, for example, there are tariffs

:32:35. > :32:42.introduced then that would have a real impact in terms of Welsh jobs,

:32:43. > :32:45.and I want to make sure that we have a Brexit that doesn't cause the

:32:46. > :32:50.damage to Wales that could be caused. But what is the difference

:32:51. > :32:54.between extreme and hard? Anything that puts Welsh jobs at risk is

:32:55. > :32:58.either extreme or hard and unacceptable to Plaid Cymru, and we

:32:59. > :33:03.will do what we can to protect those jobs. You want Wales to remain a

:33:04. > :33:07.member of the single market even if the UK isn't, which would mean Wales

:33:08. > :33:19.having to accept the free movement of people, still being under the

:33:20. > :33:22.jurisdiction of the European Court, and you also want to stay in the

:33:23. > :33:24.customs union which means you could not do your own free trade deals.

:33:25. > :33:27.What is the difference between that and being a member of the European

:33:28. > :33:29.Union? We would be like Norway, outside the European Union and

:33:30. > :33:33.inside the single market. The key question is the issue of jobs and

:33:34. > :33:38.the ability to continue to trade. Wales exports, we are the biggest

:33:39. > :33:41.exporter in the whole of the UK, so there are many jobs reliant upon

:33:42. > :33:51.those goods being able to be sold to the single market. Is it central to

:33:52. > :33:59.the UK? Out of the four countries that make up the UK...

:34:00. > :34:03.Proportionally, yes. If you remain in the single market, it is hard to

:34:04. > :34:07.see how Wales could stay in the single market if the UK -- when the

:34:08. > :34:13.rest of the UK was not, you cite Norway, that has free movement, it

:34:14. > :34:16.has to be said, it effectively have to accept the jurisdiction of the

:34:17. > :34:24.European Court, it is not in the customs union so it can do some of

:34:25. > :34:28.its own free trade deals, but the Welsh people voted to leave. We have

:34:29. > :34:32.to accept the principle of free movement if there is not going to be

:34:33. > :34:37.a hard border between the north and south of Ireland. There is going to

:34:38. > :34:40.be free movement within Ireland and therefore freedom of movement, as we

:34:41. > :34:47.said in the referendum campaign, would be very, very difficult to

:34:48. > :34:51.rule out. You lost that campaign, as you know, Wales voted to leave, 17

:34:52. > :34:59.Council areas voted to leave, only five voted to remain. Doesn't it

:35:00. > :35:03.explain why your party is going nowhere? A majority in Wales voted

:35:04. > :35:09.to leave but you effectively want to support that and de facto remain in

:35:10. > :35:13.the EU? I don't accept that, we accepted the result but Plaid Cymru

:35:14. > :35:18.now is about defending Wales. There are so many risks facing our people

:35:19. > :35:22.from the jobs perspective, the privatisation perspective, the cuts

:35:23. > :35:26.perspective, and from the fact that the Tories would like to grab power

:35:27. > :35:31.was back from our National Assembly, so the key point... If you look at

:35:32. > :35:35.the Wales bill that went through recently, the list of reserved

:35:36. > :35:39.powers there suggests there are some powers currently within the Welsh

:35:40. > :35:45.Assembly jurisdiction that would be dragged back. Which power was will

:35:46. > :35:49.Westminster take back? They could take powers back over the NHS, for

:35:50. > :35:58.example. There is no indication they want to do that. The Tories have

:35:59. > :36:05.attacked the Welsh NHS. That is my point! Quite viciously. If they

:36:06. > :36:09.increase their mandate, I wouldn't put it past them to try to take

:36:10. > :36:15.power was back over the NHS and then of course we risk our NHS being

:36:16. > :36:18.privatised though this election is all about defending Wales,

:36:19. > :36:23.protecting Welsh people from further privatisation and cuts and a power

:36:24. > :36:27.grab from the Tories. Why is there never a breakthrough for your party,

:36:28. > :36:31.Plaid Cymru? Labour dominated in Wales for years, the Tories do quite

:36:32. > :36:35.well, Ukip had a surge for a while, it looks like the Tories will have

:36:36. > :36:40.another surge, never you, always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Wait

:36:41. > :36:43.until Thursday and I think you will see that in many parts of Wales we

:36:44. > :36:50.will increase our representation at a local council level. In the

:36:51. > :36:55.Rhondda, where I am assembly member, we are looking to increase our

:36:56. > :37:03.representation... You are only 13% in the polls will stop which is half

:37:04. > :37:10.of even the Tories in Wales! If you don't breakthrough in the selection,

:37:11. > :37:14.if the real problem is going nowhere, do you think you will pack

:37:15. > :37:19.it in? Robert Green not, I have a job to do, a vision of Wales which

:37:20. > :37:23.is about building up our nation and standing on our own two feet and my

:37:24. > :37:24.job is not done yet. Thank you for being with us as part of your job,

:37:25. > :37:28.we will see how it goes on Thursday. It's just gone 11.35,

:37:29. > :37:30.you're watching the Sunday Politics. We say goodbye to viewers

:37:31. > :37:33.in Scotland who leave us now Hello and welcome to your

:37:34. > :37:58.local part of the show. The clue is in the iconic

:37:59. > :37:59.transporter Bridge. We have come out of the studio

:38:00. > :38:02.and we are in Middlesbrough. Voters across much of the Northeast

:38:03. > :38:05.and all of Cumbria will go to the polls on Thursday

:38:06. > :38:07.to elect local councillors. But something different

:38:08. > :38:09.is happening here. People will be choosing

:38:10. > :38:11.the first ever elected mayor But are people

:38:12. > :38:15.interested in the role? Will they engage in a contest

:38:16. > :38:19.which could be drowned out by the hubbub of

:38:20. > :38:24.the general election campaign. Who better to ask than the four

:38:25. > :38:27.candidates who are standing who have hopefully talked to lots of voters

:38:28. > :38:33.over the last couple of weeks. Sue Jeffrey, Labour

:38:34. > :38:35.candidate, first of all. Now, it is a tough sell with any

:38:36. > :38:39.new job, but voters interested in this when you talk

:38:40. > :38:41.to them about it? In the first couple

:38:42. > :38:43.of weeks, perhaps not. But now I'm knocking on doors

:38:44. > :38:46.and getting a lot of responses People are actually seeing

:38:47. > :38:49.the benefits of us standing together, 660,000 people,

:38:50. > :38:51.actually starting to do something for the Tees Valley around jobs,

:38:52. > :38:55.the economy, skills, transport. So, yes, I think people

:38:56. > :38:58.are getting it now. Chris Foote Wood for the Liberal

:38:59. > :39:01.Democrats, you are a veteran What is engagement like in this one,

:39:02. > :39:04.compared to others? It is obvious that there

:39:05. > :39:07.is going to be a low turnout. It is something new and people don't

:39:08. > :39:11.understand what it is about. But I want to get across the point

:39:12. > :39:14.that this is something real. Scotland and Wales have done

:39:15. > :39:16.very well on devolution. Now Tees Valley is getting

:39:17. > :39:19.its own form of devolution. This is happening,

:39:20. > :39:21.whether you agree with it or not. You have an opportunity to choose

:39:22. > :39:24.someone who will have real power and bring real,

:39:25. > :39:26.new money into the area. Let's talk now to John Tennant,

:39:27. > :39:28.the Ukip candidates. You have said that you would hold

:39:29. > :39:31.a referendum on whether So presumably, you are not convinced

:39:32. > :39:35.the public are on board with this? Because we were never asked

:39:36. > :39:44.whether we wanted to be part I am the only candidate

:39:45. > :39:48.here offering a referendum to give people a chance to have their say

:39:49. > :39:50.on whether they want First and foremost,

:39:51. > :39:53.that is democracy. It should be upheld and I am

:39:54. > :39:56.the democracy candidate. We may discuss later whether that

:39:57. > :39:58.referendum would be binding But Ben Houchen,

:39:59. > :40:00.for the Conservatives, of course Theresa May called

:40:01. > :40:02.this general election. Does that make it a tougher

:40:03. > :40:05.sell for use yet people interested in your candidacy

:40:06. > :40:07.all the election in general? On top of my key pledge to buy

:40:08. > :40:13.back Teesside airport, We find that people are really

:40:14. > :40:17.engaging in it because we are now at a point, given that it is Sunday

:40:18. > :40:22.today, that we have less than a week We have had for too long,

:40:23. > :40:29.Labour politicians, local authorities that have destroyed

:40:30. > :40:31.the area for decades and no better example of that and the ruination

:40:32. > :40:33.of Teesside airport. So that has really engaged people

:40:34. > :40:36.and I think people have really Another issue on which we will be

:40:37. > :40:41.hearing from Labour later on that. Deals could not be agreed to bring

:40:42. > :40:43.these mayors to either Cumbria or the North East with ministers,

:40:44. > :40:46.but Tees Valley will join the likes of Manchester and the West Midlands

:40:47. > :40:49.who will be getting this new role. David McMillan has

:40:50. > :40:52.been taking a look. What is this place

:40:53. > :40:54.called the Tees Valley? Stockton and Middlesbrough

:40:55. > :40:57.in the middle, Cleveland in the east, Hartlepool in the north

:40:58. > :41:00.and in the west, Darlington. And the new mayor is going to get

:41:01. > :41:03.new powers over things I transport, skills and the economy and also

:41:04. > :41:05.getting new money. The mayor needs to engage

:41:06. > :41:14.in a new kind of conversation with electors in the region so that

:41:15. > :41:20.residents have really got a voice in how some part of that

:41:21. > :41:22.mayoral budget is spent. So what could the mayor do with this

:41:23. > :41:25.new money and power? Many people would like to

:41:26. > :41:28.see a new road bridge But the budget is not

:41:29. > :41:35.going to stretch that far. What it will pay for are detailed

:41:36. > :41:37.plans and architectural designs, giving the mayor more clout

:41:38. > :41:40.when they ask the government There are things that the mayor has

:41:41. > :41:44.direct control over. They can take charge of the buses

:41:45. > :41:47.if they want to and they will be in charge of adult skills,

:41:48. > :41:50.deciding what has to be taught to meet the demands

:41:51. > :41:52.of the local job market. The mayor will also be the face,

:41:53. > :41:55.the name, the chief ambassador of the Tees Valley, selling

:41:56. > :41:57.the region to potential visitors, The Tees Valley makes

:41:58. > :42:00.an important contribution It's part of the really successful

:42:01. > :42:05.story of exports of the North East. If we have a mayor who can talk

:42:06. > :42:10.about the whole of the Tees Valley, about all the places,

:42:11. > :42:11.their contributions, Finally, the mayor is a kind

:42:12. > :42:15.of Tees Valley tactician, deciding what sort of development

:42:16. > :42:17.should go where to benefit So they will need a strategy

:42:18. > :42:20.for business and industry. They will need a plan

:42:21. > :42:23.for culture and tourism. They will have to decide what sort

:42:24. > :42:25.of housing is required The mayor will be based

:42:26. > :42:29.here at Cavendish House in Stockton and ultimately,

:42:30. > :42:32.all of this is about insuring more of the decisions that matter

:42:33. > :42:34.to the Tees Valley are made We move inside to the Transporter

:42:35. > :42:41.Bridge Visitor Centre, Let's explore some of the issues

:42:42. > :42:47.and powers involved in this new job. Chris Foote Wood, we have already

:42:48. > :42:51.talked about a worrying lack of engagement from the public,

:42:52. > :42:54.but you have three years in your What is the one thing that

:42:55. > :42:58.you would say you could achieve in those three years that would make

:42:59. > :43:01.a difference to people's lives? There are so many things that

:43:02. > :43:05.you can do, even in three years. But in the first year,

:43:06. > :43:08.even in the first week, there are things that can be done,

:43:09. > :43:10.for example, the South Tees Development Corporation,

:43:11. > :43:13.which is one of a number which the mayor will be able to set

:43:14. > :43:16.up, it is already in being but it I want to see something happening

:43:17. > :43:23.on the SSI site of Redcar. We really need to get

:43:24. > :43:27.moving on that. And we need to lay plans

:43:28. > :43:30.for these new bridges across the Tees which will,

:43:31. > :43:32.in a few years' time, make a complete transformation

:43:33. > :43:35.for people to travel around the Tees Valley.

:43:36. > :43:38.OK. We will return to some

:43:39. > :43:44.of those is use. Ben Houchen, what is

:43:45. > :43:46.the one thing... I have a feeling I know

:43:47. > :43:49.what the answer is going to be! What is the one thing you think

:43:50. > :43:53.you can achieve in three years? Apart from the combined authorities'

:43:54. > :43:55.target that they have set themselves to create 25,000 jobs over the next

:43:56. > :43:58.period, I think we have But as a personal commitment that

:43:59. > :44:02.I want to achieve over the next three years,

:44:03. > :44:05.it is to buy back Teesside airport. I think the absolute disgrace

:44:06. > :44:12.that this has become under Labour run local authorities,

:44:13. > :44:14.the sell-off in the mid-2000s, has ruined our local airport

:44:15. > :44:17.and we are at the final stage where we have a last chance

:44:18. > :44:21.and within this week we have a final The service is going

:44:22. > :44:31.from the airport already. You don't know whether you can

:44:32. > :44:35.deliver it and there are other ways of getting that airport

:44:36. > :44:36.revived, aren't there? No, I think we really

:44:37. > :44:39.are at that last chance saloon. We have had for too long,

:44:40. > :44:41.Labour and authorities, for which all the leaders

:44:42. > :44:51.of the council says on the board authorities, for which the leaders

:44:52. > :45:02.of the council sit on the board, of the council sit

:45:03. > :45:05.on the board, of the airport, If we let this chance go,

:45:06. > :45:08.the airport will go. I have said it before,

:45:09. > :45:11.and I will say it again. We need a new, fresh idea and if I'm

:45:12. > :45:14.elected on the 4th of May, Sue Jeffrey for Labour,

:45:15. > :45:18.you might want to deal with that, but let's also hear what is the one

:45:19. > :45:22.thing you think you could deliver in three years that would make

:45:23. > :45:24.a difference to people? I have made it absolutely clear

:45:25. > :45:27.that my key priority is jobs, bringing jobs back to the Tees

:45:28. > :45:29.Valley. 25,000 new jobs over

:45:30. > :45:32.the next ten years. It is already in place,

:45:33. > :45:35.we have a strategic economic plan But more importantly,

:45:36. > :45:38.I have been working, leading the team that is revitalising

:45:39. > :45:40.the South Tees steel site And I am working with a range

:45:41. > :45:45.of business leaders, industrialists, to try and find ways to get

:45:46. > :45:47.that investment in. And I am also working

:45:48. > :45:50.with government on that and I think that is a key role for the mayor,

:45:51. > :45:53.work with partners, what with government,

:45:54. > :45:55.key people in the area This is crucial, can a mayor

:45:56. > :45:58.actually deliver jobs? Can it get somebody into work?

:45:59. > :45:59.Yes. Or can they just sit

:46:00. > :46:01.around planning things? What I'm already doing is I'm

:46:02. > :46:05.talking to the industry that are likely to want to come

:46:06. > :46:08.and invest on that site. I'm encouraging them to come

:46:09. > :46:10.and look at that site and work with me and to pull together

:46:11. > :46:13.packages of incentives that will enable them

:46:14. > :46:15.to want to bring their investment But I can't stop without

:46:16. > :46:18.mentioning the airport. The fact is, the airport

:46:19. > :46:21.is going to be a thriving airport. It will be one that will work

:46:22. > :46:24.with the people of the Tees Valley. But we won't do that by wasting

:46:25. > :46:28.the money of the Tees Valley people by buying that airport,

:46:29. > :46:31.we will do it by using the money of the Tees Valley people

:46:32. > :46:33.to invest in that airport. Where is the evidence that

:46:34. > :46:36.Durham Tees Valley Airport, Teesside Because we have seen

:46:37. > :46:39.a dramatci fall in passengers At least there is a plan there,

:46:40. > :46:43.your plan is just hope and wait for private companies

:46:44. > :46:45.to do something? I have a very clear plan,

:46:46. > :46:48.not just about investing in the airport itself,

:46:49. > :46:50.about investing in the business So there are a whole range

:46:51. > :46:53.of business opportunities. They can grow and thrive if we get

:46:54. > :46:56.the right incentives packages there. There is the whole issue around

:46:57. > :46:59.transport links to that airport, Already there are proposals

:47:00. > :47:03.on the cards for investment in that station to make sure that it comes

:47:04. > :47:07.back to a situation where we can start getting people

:47:08. > :47:09.going back to the airport. But most importantly,

:47:10. > :47:11.it is the links to the Heathrow expansion and again,

:47:12. > :47:13.I have been talking to people about how we can link

:47:14. > :47:16.into the Heathrow expansion But that won't happen

:47:17. > :47:19.in the first three years. Things are starting

:47:20. > :47:21.to happen around that now, since the decline started

:47:22. > :47:25.at Teesside airport. It is only now that she is standing

:47:26. > :47:29.at me that for some reason Can I say that that

:47:30. > :47:31.is complete nonsense. We have been working to deliver

:47:32. > :47:34.improvements in that airport over the last number of years

:47:35. > :47:37.and the fact is, we have been having to deal with a very

:47:38. > :47:39.difficult economic situation. We are now in a circumstance

:47:40. > :47:42.where we can see an opportunity It has been a one-party

:47:43. > :47:46.state in Teesside... There is no evidence of you guys

:47:47. > :47:49.ever doing anything. You, Sue, gave planning permission

:47:50. > :47:53.for 350 houses to be built right next to the airport,

:47:54. > :47:55.which is going to stop expansion of the airport.

:47:56. > :47:57.You are on the board. You made the application,

:47:58. > :48:00.and you are going to ruin I was not on the board

:48:01. > :48:06.when the decision was made to secure The issue is how do we invest

:48:07. > :48:11.in the airport to deliver a thriving airport that will secure the future

:48:12. > :48:14.that we all want for it? John Tennant, we will let you talk

:48:15. > :48:19.about the airport as well, but again, if you get this job,

:48:20. > :48:22.you have raised doubts about whether you think

:48:23. > :48:24.it is a worthwhile job, but let's say that

:48:25. > :48:26.you have to do it. What is the one thing you think

:48:27. > :48:29.you could achieve in three years First of all, I think it's very

:48:30. > :48:33.important that everybody has a say in whether they want to be part

:48:34. > :48:36.of this combined authority, so I would deliver that referendum

:48:37. > :48:39.before I was given a mandate... I want to check with

:48:40. > :48:42.you on that before we move on. It would not be binding,

:48:43. > :48:47.it would cost money. Because the government

:48:48. > :48:49.have the decision in the end. So you can give an indication of it,

:48:50. > :48:52.but what a waste of money. You have got two ways

:48:53. > :48:58.of looking at this. Either we use taxpayers' money

:48:59. > :49:09.to give people a real voice, all we waste it

:49:10. > :49:11.on buying an airport. Or we try and build a super bridge

:49:12. > :49:13.that we cannot afford. Or do we use some of that money

:49:14. > :49:17.to give people a voice? I think that is the most

:49:18. > :49:19.important thing. And you would be handing back

:49:20. > :49:21.this ?15 million a year ?15 million a year is a drop

:49:22. > :49:26.in the ocean for the entire region. Let's say you hold a referendum

:49:27. > :49:29.and people are suddenly enthusiastic about this job,

:49:30. > :49:32.you have to do it. What is the one thing you would do

:49:33. > :49:35.to make a difference in three years? I would like to see a Metro system

:49:36. > :49:38.delivered in this area. Obviously that will take

:49:39. > :49:43.longer than three years but I would like to get

:49:44. > :49:45.the groundwork going on that and that will help industry starts

:49:46. > :49:48.thriving again and get You would have to speak to various

:49:49. > :49:53.different companies, different parts of the private

:49:54. > :49:55.sector and speak to Westminster to put together a credible plan

:49:56. > :50:00.for building a Metro system. Somebody has to get it

:50:01. > :50:02.started and that can be me. But, John, you can't have a metro

:50:03. > :50:05.system without a bridge. You have rubbished the bridge,

:50:06. > :50:07.but without the bridge, we cannot have a Metro loop system

:50:08. > :50:10.around the Tees Valley. Chris Foote Wood, let's

:50:11. > :50:12.deal with the bridge. We are sat next to

:50:13. > :50:13.the Transporter Bridge. A Middlesbrough company started

:50:14. > :50:15.last century to fund But the truth is that

:50:16. > :50:19.you cannot fund a bridge You still have to go cap

:50:20. > :50:24.in hand to the government. Where is the power and independence

:50:25. > :50:26.of a mayor who says, I would like a bridge,

:50:27. > :50:29.I can draw up a plan, but I still have to persuade

:50:30. > :50:31.ministers to fund it? Well, whoever builds a bridge,

:50:32. > :50:34.it has got to come primarily I would say, look at

:50:35. > :50:39.the Humber Bridge which goes from nowhere to nowhere,

:50:40. > :50:41.which was still built. We have a bridge here that

:50:42. > :50:44.could bring prosperity to the region and have everybody travelling around

:50:45. > :50:47.on a Metro system. Every successful city

:50:48. > :50:50.as a Metro system. We need that, and to get that,

:50:51. > :50:54.we must have a bridge. It is an irrefutable argument

:50:55. > :50:57.and as long as we make that argument stronger,

:50:58. > :50:58.we have as much right as anybody else to have one

:50:59. > :51:02.of these structures built. We have built bridges all over

:51:03. > :51:04.the world, why can't Can I tell you the actual

:51:05. > :51:09.circumstances about the bridge? What has happened is that we have,

:51:10. > :51:11.as part of our involvement in an organisation called Transport

:51:12. > :51:14.for the North, we have secured funding from government

:51:15. > :51:16.to do a feasibility study Once we have completed

:51:17. > :51:20.that feasibility study, we will be making a bid

:51:21. > :51:23.to government for the It is really important

:51:24. > :51:27.that as the Tees Valley, we stand together and say that

:51:28. > :51:29.that is an essential part It is not about going cap in hand

:51:30. > :51:35.anywhere, we have already got ourselves in a situation

:51:36. > :51:38.that we have the I am now absolutely funding

:51:39. > :51:56.that we had to make their bid -- I am now absolutely certain that

:51:57. > :51:58.we have to make the bed and we will get the funding.

:51:59. > :52:01.Ben Houchen, it was the Conservative government to try to sell his idea

:52:02. > :52:06.But John Tennant is right, ?15 million a year in this fund

:52:07. > :52:10.In isolation, ?15 million a year is not a amount when you take

:52:11. > :52:13.But a lot of that money can be front-loaded.

:52:14. > :52:15.We are looking at leveraging that against the Northern

:52:16. > :52:19.I will be speaking to the operators of the Teesside pension fund.

:52:20. > :52:23.I think we can build a war chest of more than half ?1 billion

:52:24. > :52:26.which then gives us a critical mass to invest across the region.

:52:27. > :52:28.That sounds like a hell of a lot of borrowing.

:52:29. > :52:30.I thought the Conservatives didn't like borrowing.

:52:31. > :52:32.The borrowing is guaranteed against income the government

:52:33. > :52:36.So in the same way that if you know you have guaranteed income over 30

:52:37. > :52:40.years of which we get ?15 million a year, then what we are saying

:52:41. > :52:43.is that we are going to borrow that to get it sooner,

:52:44. > :52:45.to be able to invest more heavily in the short-term,

:52:46. > :52:47.knowing that we can guarantee that income in the long-term.

:52:48. > :52:49.John Tennant, you were not convinced by that?

:52:50. > :52:52.I'm not convinced because it is more borrowing while there are paying

:52:53. > :52:58.Debts to invest in the infrastructure of the area

:52:59. > :53:00.and benefit the economy, that has got to be a good thing?

:53:01. > :53:04.And you are in favour of turning them down and saying I don't

:53:05. > :53:08.No, I am in favour of saying that people have a voice first.

:53:09. > :53:12.We know that you personally am not convinced by the role.

:53:13. > :53:14.So you would turn down, if you had the choice,

:53:15. > :53:17.that ?15 million a year and powers to make a difference

:53:18. > :53:21.Know, in the short term I would have to accept it and get

:53:22. > :53:25.But crucially, people must have their say

:53:26. > :53:33.And there is no point all of us burying our heads in the sand

:53:34. > :53:39.First of all, a referendum would cost us ?1 million.

:53:40. > :53:42.And I firmly believe that that million pounds can be spent

:53:43. > :53:46.But secondly, there seems to be a complete misunderstanding

:53:47. > :53:48.about the money that is available to the combined authority

:53:49. > :53:54.There is actually an investment pot of ?450 million before we even start

:53:55. > :54:00.And that is made up of a range of funding pots including European

:54:01. > :54:02.money, skills money, money to support people

:54:03. > :54:06.A whole range of things and that ?450 million is earmarked,

:54:07. > :54:09.much of it, for schemes which I will be promoting

:54:10. > :54:14.In terms of the 15 million, that can be used to borrow,

:54:15. > :54:17.but unfortunately, this Conservative government has failed to give us

:54:18. > :54:20.the power to enable that borrowing to take place yet.

:54:21. > :54:23.And I have been talking to ministers over the last six months or so,

:54:24. > :54:26.saying, when we going to get these powers, and they

:54:27. > :54:32.I think one of the first thing is that the mayor will have to do

:54:33. > :54:35.is put pressure on the Conservative government, if there is one,

:54:36. > :54:37.to ensure that we get the borrowing powers.

:54:38. > :54:40.The next thing I was going to raise with Chris Foote Wood, is...

:54:41. > :54:43.We all accept that I have the mayor has not got the powers

:54:44. > :54:46.they need to do everything, but what is the one power

:54:47. > :54:55.unit of the government for if you were to become Mayor?

:54:56. > :55:00.-- what is the one power you would ask the government for?

:55:01. > :55:03.The extra power, and extra is quite right, we do need the power

:55:04. > :55:06.to borrow and every organisation that develops does it by borrowing.

:55:07. > :55:09.There is nothing wrong with that as long as it is secured.

:55:10. > :55:14.If you look at Scotland and Wales, they were set up with a certain

:55:15. > :55:17.They have both increased their powers and I'm certain that

:55:18. > :55:22.We are a long way from Scotland and Wales, we are a long way

:55:23. > :55:24.from London, in terms of the powers on offer!

:55:25. > :55:26.What I'm saying is, they increased those powers.

:55:27. > :55:29.And when we get this new system going and it is real devolution,

:55:30. > :55:33.not as much as Scotland and Wales but will make a difference,

:55:34. > :55:38.when we proven and I think three of the people around this table

:55:39. > :55:41.think it is going to work, and make it work, then we can say

:55:42. > :55:48.History has shown that when you set something up, extra powers come.

:55:49. > :55:50.Ben Houchen, you have heard the criticism of the government

:55:51. > :56:01.Would there be a power you would see?

:56:02. > :56:04.-- would that be a power that you would seek?

:56:05. > :56:06.What would be the extra power you would see?

:56:07. > :56:09.That is definitely a power that I would seek but it is important

:56:10. > :56:12.to look at as part of this package, rather than looking at specific

:56:13. > :56:18.Sue is in denial, on the 8th of June, we will re-elect

:56:19. > :56:19.the Conservative government with a vast increase majority.

:56:20. > :56:21.That means we will have a Conservative government

:56:22. > :56:24.and the best opportunity for this region to gain even more powers

:56:25. > :56:26.and more autonomy is to elect a Conservative mayor.

:56:27. > :56:28.So they will only deal with Conservatives?

:56:29. > :56:30.No, I don't think that is true at all.

:56:31. > :56:37.But I think anybody would be remiss to think that it would be easier

:56:38. > :56:46.into Whitehall with Conservative colleagues and say, I am leader

:56:47. > :56:50.across the Tees Valley, these are the powers that we need.

:56:51. > :56:53.It is easier putting out an open door rather than a closed door.

:56:54. > :56:57.You would, because you are head of the combined authority!

:56:58. > :56:59.I'm already having those conversations and I think the key

:57:00. > :57:02.is you that a mayor is having to deal with is dealing with people

:57:03. > :57:05.from all colours of the political spectrum and all places

:57:06. > :57:08.And that pragmatism to negotiate with whoever you need to is very

:57:09. > :57:11.important and I think that needs to be recognised.

:57:12. > :57:15.John Tennant, you're not a fan, but if there was one power

:57:16. > :57:18.you could deliver that would persuade you that the mayor

:57:19. > :57:23.It's not about powers, it's about representation.

:57:24. > :57:28.we have the Conservatives talking about having colleagues in

:57:29. > :57:37.Westminster, that means they will do their bidding. We have Labour who

:57:38. > :57:42.worry 1-party state in teeth Valley. -- in the Tees Valley. We have the

:57:43. > :57:49.ability to put pressure on to the government. We have succeeded in the

:57:50. > :57:55.past and we can do it again. In terms of my extra power... ? I think

:57:56. > :58:00.you told us! Very briefly. The really important one is funding for

:58:01. > :58:04.skills. We need to have control over skills funding if we are to give our

:58:05. > :58:10.young people opportunities to get the jobs we will create. Also, if

:58:11. > :58:14.you ask for more powers, you have to ask for a greater salary to deal

:58:15. > :58:22.with those powers... Lets not deal with that. Can I just say? No,

:58:23. > :58:29.because there is another issue I want to. The electoral system means

:58:30. > :58:34.that the voters have two votes. Who would be your second choice, Chris

:58:35. > :58:41.Foote Wood? Who would you advise voters to vote for? That is entirely

:58:42. > :58:46.for people to decide. Who is your personal preference? Everybody has a

:58:47. > :58:50.first and second preference. Would you cast your vote for the person

:58:51. > :58:54.you want to be mayor, then you look at the other three and by

:58:55. > :59:02.definition, you choose the least worst option. And in your view, who

:59:03. > :59:06.is that? I won't answer that but I urge people to use both their votes

:59:07. > :59:12.otherwise it will be danger -- there will be a danger as happened in

:59:13. > :59:15.Middlesbrough because the Labour candidate got one third of the boat

:59:16. > :59:21.and got elected because other people did not use their second boat. Full

:59:22. > :59:25.out of these esteemed colleagues would you put second? I think the

:59:26. > :59:30.people the watch and vote for it if you wouldn't believe is... Who would

:59:31. > :59:41.be your second choice? I wouldn't offer advice. Ben Houchen,? I don't

:59:42. > :59:46.do tactical voting. What I would say is if you want to have a sieve

:59:47. > :59:53.ensures it is overseeing the Labour Party because it is between me and

:59:54. > :59:56.the Labour Party. The Labour Party already run the five local

:59:57. > :00:00.authorities. If people are happy with the way the area has been run

:00:01. > :00:07.over the last 30 to 40 years, we need to look at that again. John

:00:08. > :00:13.Tennant? I take a similar view to Chris. You have to use your second

:00:14. > :00:17.vote. It should be the least worst. But you don't want them to vote

:00:18. > :00:24.Labour? I would urge feeble not to. And not Conservative either, because

:00:25. > :00:27.I don't -- I would urge people not to. And not Conservative either

:00:28. > :00:32.because I don't believe in wasting money on airport.

:00:33. > :00:35.Next week, there will be another election intruding on our

:00:36. > :00:40.we will take the mandate that we want. To all three of you, thank

:00:41. > :00:52.you. Andrew, back to you. So, how will Thursday's local

:00:53. > :00:54.election results affect Who's winning the

:00:55. > :00:56.election ground war? And as he celebrates 100

:00:57. > :01:14.days in the White House, We have the local elections, Metro

:01:15. > :01:19.elections in Liverpool, greater Birmingham, West Midlands, how will

:01:20. > :01:22.they play into the general election? Significantly, it is very unusual.

:01:23. > :01:27.People keep comparing this with the election in 83, not! Margaret

:01:28. > :01:31.Thatcher was nervous and to wait until after the local elections to

:01:32. > :01:35.call the election to see the result. We are getting these result in the

:01:36. > :01:41.middle of an election campaign so it will be important, whoever does

:01:42. > :01:44.badly will suffer a dent in confidence in terms of how they

:01:45. > :01:49.approach the election and we are also going to have mayoral figures

:01:50. > :01:54.as a reminder of another big difference with the 80s that however

:01:55. > :01:58.big, say, the Conservatives win in Westminster, there are now sectors

:01:59. > :02:01.of power in other parts of the United Kingdom which were not there

:02:02. > :02:06.in the 80s. One of the reasons niches that are rated in 83 was

:02:07. > :02:11.memories were still alive in political circles of 1970, Wilson

:02:12. > :02:16.saw the local election results and thought, I can win, he was told he

:02:17. > :02:20.would win by the Economist magazine, who had done the analysis, and of

:02:21. > :02:28.course he lost, so that is why she waited, Mrs May does not need to

:02:29. > :02:31.wait for that at all now, and on the Metro elections, the one she will be

:02:32. > :02:35.looking at is the West Midlands, that is the one that is a

:02:36. > :02:38.competition. I think she can really lose on Thursday in the local

:02:39. > :02:42.elections, governing parties are supposed to take effect again,

:02:43. > :02:49.losing lots of council seats. She is projected to put on 100 or so seats,

:02:50. > :02:53.Labour projected to lose around 200, the first time the main opposition

:02:54. > :02:56.party has shed seats since something like 83 so clearly the local

:02:57. > :03:00.elections give Mrs May great momentum going into the general

:03:01. > :03:03.election campaign but there is a downside in that, which is what we

:03:04. > :03:09.have already heard fighting about this morning, if it looks like it is

:03:10. > :03:13.going too well for the Tories, it says to voters, why bother turning

:03:14. > :03:16.up? Sushi comes up with totally unbelievable sound bites this

:03:17. > :03:22.morning that this is the most important general election in her

:03:23. > :03:29.lifetime. Really?! For her it is! It always is until the next one! I

:03:30. > :03:33.wonder if voter turnout is a problem? Tory voters are more likely

:03:34. > :03:39.to vote than Labour voters. If there is a sense that it is all over bar

:03:40. > :03:43.the shouting, the overall turnout will be low that Tory voters are

:03:44. > :03:47.still likely to turn out more than Labour voters so she would still win

:03:48. > :03:52.some. I don't think she needs to be too worried, I think there will be a

:03:53. > :03:59.significantly low turnout, even I am finding it hard to be that excited

:04:00. > :04:03.about this general election. Really, the policies, we have spent a lot of

:04:04. > :04:08.time talking about them today and we have to examine them, but all this

:04:09. > :04:12.is about is, do you want Theresa May or Jeremy Corbyn in Number Ten?

:04:13. > :04:15.Those are the only question is, apart from possibly how strong do

:04:16. > :04:21.you feel about Brexit, that will be on the voters' minds. You may say

:04:22. > :04:25.that but I will not be put off from going through a list of policies

:04:26. > :04:31.that we have already had in the last 24 hours. On the Conservatives, more

:04:32. > :04:39.powers to stop company bosses under pensions, of course Philip Green was

:04:40. > :04:44.in mind there. Labour has come up with quite a few policies, actually,

:04:45. > :04:53.give all work of equal rights, whether part-time or full-time,

:04:54. > :04:58.temporary or permanent. Ukip, scrap VAT or takeaway -- on takeaway food

:04:59. > :05:04.and end the BBC licence fee. The Liberal Democrats have come out

:05:05. > :05:11.posed to the runway at Heathrow. I thought I knew that already? Will

:05:12. > :05:17.any of these policies make a difference? They are all nice handy

:05:18. > :05:21.things that people quite liked but probably not, is the answer. They

:05:22. > :05:25.are an awful way away from polling day now for people to remember and

:05:26. > :05:31.latch onto. I don't think you make your mind up on small issues like

:05:32. > :05:34.Heathrow, unless you live in Richmond-upon-Thames, maybe, but the

:05:35. > :05:38.problem Labour have got with unfailing a lot of these retail type

:05:39. > :05:43.policies which, in themselves, are very popular, is no one will listen

:05:44. > :05:47.to them until they get over the leadership credibility issue. Jeremy

:05:48. > :05:50.Corbyn could the world on a stick, but if no one believes he can

:05:51. > :05:53.deliver it then he will not be listened to and he has not done much

:05:54. > :05:57.apart from a speech yesterday in which is claim to fame was getting

:05:58. > :06:03.arrested, I don't see how that would work for him getting to Number Ten.

:06:04. > :06:09.They are not making progress on it. Labour has rolled out a number of

:06:10. > :06:14.policies which, taken individually, would have certain traction in

:06:15. > :06:17.normal times, quite interesting ideas, this sense of unfairness, a

:06:18. > :06:23.feeling that ordinary workers have not done well out of the recovery,

:06:24. > :06:26.those who caused the crash have, 20 points, I went through some of them

:06:27. > :06:31.earlier, putting aside they are not costed, we are assured they will be.

:06:32. > :06:38.The problem I suggest is not the costing but the cut through? Every

:06:39. > :06:41.election has a context which is determined by opinion polls, however

:06:42. > :06:44.sceptical we are these days, and if one party is way ahead it is

:06:45. > :06:49.difficult for the other party to appear relevant, because if people

:06:50. > :06:54.assume they are not going to win, even some of its own MPs are saying,

:06:55. > :07:01.we are not going to win this, so you can vote for us, it is very hard to

:07:02. > :07:05.get attention and relevance. Where I think all the parties are bad with

:07:06. > :07:11.their current leaders is framing arguments, so those policies you

:07:12. > :07:14.have highlighted makes sense. The best leaders are brilliant framers

:07:15. > :07:21.of an argument and neither Theresa Maynor Jeremy Corbyn R. They have

:07:22. > :07:25.been campaigning, their manifestos are not out yet, both sides have

:07:26. > :07:29.been telling us we have to wait for costings, but it has not stopped

:07:30. > :07:34.them campaigning. Let's remind you of where they have been and what

:07:35. > :07:39.they have been doing so far. Let's start with Jeremy Corbyn, his

:07:40. > :07:43.first official visit was in the ultra-marginal Conservative seat of

:07:44. > :07:48.Croydon Central where the MP Gavin Barwell has a lead of just 165. That

:07:49. > :07:52.is not the only Conservative seat he has visited, along the way he popped

:07:53. > :07:59.in on Bristol North West, a Conservative majority of nearly

:08:00. > :08:06.5000. The Tory seat of Cardiff North, a lead of just over 2000,

:08:07. > :08:11.Warrington South, just over 2700, and Crewe and Nantwich, Tory

:08:12. > :08:16.majority of three and a half thousand. Yesterday he visited

:08:17. > :08:22.Bethnal greed and Bob, a Labour lead of 20 4000. Theresa May kicked off

:08:23. > :08:26.her campaign in Bolton, Labour majority of over 4000. On her way

:08:27. > :08:31.round the UK she had a comfy stop in her own maidenhead seat, where she

:08:32. > :08:34.is defending a majority of nearly 30,000, before travelling to other

:08:35. > :08:42.Labour marginals including Dudley North, a Labour lead of 4000.

:08:43. > :08:43.Bridgend, a lead of just under 2004 Labour, before becoming ambitious

:08:44. > :08:59.and visiting shadow minister Richard Bergen's Leeds East seat, which he

:09:00. > :09:02.won by over 12,500 votes. Yesterday she went north of the border to

:09:03. > :09:04.Aberdeenshire, where amongst other places she visited the SNP seat of

:09:05. > :09:05.West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, where the Tories would have to gain

:09:06. > :09:13.over 7000 votes to unseat the NP. What do you make of it all so far?

:09:14. > :09:17.It is remarkable she is doing these visits in Scotland. Past but even

:09:18. > :09:20.five years and the idea of a Tory Prime Minister going round Scotland

:09:21. > :09:25.would be utterly counter-productive, and actually they are ambitious for

:09:26. > :09:29.Scotland now under with Davidson, a prospect of multiple seats, and that

:09:30. > :09:32.would be a real genuine shift in Scottish politics, the likes of

:09:33. > :09:42.which we have not seen for 15 or 20 years. If she gets that, that helps

:09:43. > :09:47.towards 100 seats, because if she wins ten in Scotland, it is

:09:48. > :09:51.effectively 20, the SNP lose ten, she gains ten, she wants to do that

:09:52. > :09:57.in the Midlands with Labour, and the North. To get the 100 majority,

:09:58. > :10:02.other than Scotland, she has to win Labour seats, that is all that is

:10:03. > :10:06.there. And clearly she has been told, it is obvious, that she has a

:10:07. > :10:09.chance of doing so, otherwise you don't go to these parts of the

:10:10. > :10:14.country in the first few days of the campaign. All logic points to her

:10:15. > :10:19.being able to pull it off as well. The opinion polls, the state of the

:10:20. > :10:23.Labour Party. The only qualification I have in this is that politics is

:10:24. > :10:30.so wild and free Braille at the moment, it doesn't feel like

:10:31. > :10:36.landslide to rain. That is true, it doesn't. It is early days, we

:10:37. > :10:39.haven't yet had the manifestos, the campaign is yet to gather momentum.

:10:40. > :10:48.It doesn't feel like landslide territory. I disagree, look at every

:10:49. > :10:53.single poll, the Tory lead is 10% in Wales, you can see her picking up 20

:10:54. > :10:57.seat there. Put this together, I am told by the way she is going into

:10:58. > :11:03.traditional Labour heartland again tomorrow, the key is the Ukip vote.

:11:04. > :11:22.That will implode... Crumble towards Tories? If she can hoover that up

:11:23. > :11:22.and retain the Tory vote, she will have a majority of 150.

:11:23. > :11:23.I cannot let you go without reminding you that it is Donald

:11:24. > :11:24.Trump's 100 days. He's not making a lot of it now, this is what he said

:11:25. > :11:26.last night. We are just beginning in our fight

:11:27. > :11:29.to make America great again. Now, before we talk about my first

:11:30. > :11:38.100 days, which has been very exciting and very productive,

:11:39. > :11:43.let's rate the media's 100 days. Because, as you know,

:11:44. > :12:03.they are a disgrace. There you go, still bashing the

:12:04. > :12:08.media, that was at a rally in Virginia, the 100 days was last

:12:09. > :12:11.night. He seems happier campaigning than running the country. You each

:12:12. > :12:20.have 20 seconds to give me your board on the first 100 days.

:12:21. > :12:25.Remarkable, he will not stop slagging off the media but America

:12:26. > :12:28.first has not meant America first in terms of national policy, he has

:12:29. > :12:33.reneges on what he said about Nato being obsolete. He is moving from

:12:34. > :12:41.the old right to the centre because that is where you get things done,

:12:42. > :12:47.he is a pragmatist, also is about's friend Nigel Parrott is no longer

:12:48. > :12:52.welcome, we read this morning! Allegedly! He loves campaigning but

:12:53. > :12:56.finds governing much more difficult. Who would have thought being

:12:57. > :13:00.president of the United States was a difficult job?! He loves rallies but

:13:01. > :13:05.being president and politics is a very difficult thing indeed. Thank

:13:06. > :13:07.you, there we go, Mr Trump's 100 days, we will see what the next 100

:13:08. > :13:10.brings. The Daily Politics is back

:13:11. > :13:13.on BBC Two after the bank holiday on Tuesday at midday,

:13:14. > :13:15.with all the latest And I'll be back here

:13:16. > :13:18.on BBC One next Sunday Remember - if it's Sunday,

:13:19. > :14:25.it's the Sunday Politics. The East End girl who became the

:14:26. > :14:27.nation's favourite. We don't know what it is,

:14:28. > :14:32.but she definitely has... Something. From stage to screen

:14:33. > :14:37.and into our hearts. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

:14:38. > :14:44.Ooh, in't she wonderful? If you're not careful, you'll end up

:14:45. > :14:49.playing this sexy little blonde