0:01:22 > 0:01:32And, we take a closer look at the parties, large and small, all vying
0:01:32 > 0:01:32
0:01:32 > 0:29:57Apology for the loss of subtitles for 1705 seconds
0:29:57 > 0:30:01for your votes in the local In the next 20 minutes: We take a
0:30:01 > 0:30:04closer look at the parties vying for your vote in next week's local
0:30:04 > 0:30:06elections. But first, as ever, let me introduce our guests for today.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10Political Commentator, Professor Jon Tonge from Liverpool University,
0:30:10 > 0:30:12Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies, Mark Hendrick, the Labour MP for
0:30:12 > 0:30:16Preston, and from Blackpool North, the Conservative MP Paul Maynard.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19After weeks of campaigning, voters will go to the polls on Thursday in
0:30:19 > 0:30:22the local elections. Much of the interest this year is concentrated
0:30:22 > 0:30:25on the region's first mayoral elections in Liverpool and Salford.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28But there are still dozens of councils and hundreds of council
0:30:28 > 0:30:32seats at stake. Our political editor, Arif Ansari, has been to
0:30:32 > 0:30:42the Lady Lever Art Gallery at Port Sunlight on the Wirral to consider
0:30:42 > 0:30:48the battleground. Labour holds the majority of
0:30:49 > 0:30:54councils in the region but There are seven under no overall control.
0:30:54 > 0:31:00Those are going to be fiercely contested. A last year we saw a
0:31:00 > 0:31:07huge swing towards Labour but in many places, it didn't swing enough
0:31:07 > 0:31:12so will they make further gains, is the big question. Some places could
0:31:12 > 0:31:16fall to Labour. Last year was a bit of a contradiction for the
0:31:16 > 0:31:22Conservatives. They did well nationally but here in the region
0:31:22 > 0:31:27they did badly, losing control of for councils. This time, they are
0:31:27 > 0:31:31left defending Trafford and West Lancashire. We are standing here at
0:31:31 > 0:31:37a Conservative council that has frozen council tax yet again. Under
0:31:37 > 0:31:40Labour it doubled. So if you care about the cost of living, vesting
0:31:41 > 0:31:44Conservative is right. When these seats were last contested four
0:31:44 > 0:31:47years ago, Labour was very unpopular. So this time there's
0:31:47 > 0:31:51plenty of potential to win seats back. The party's already on
0:31:51 > 0:31:55something of a roll, winning nine councils last time round and this
0:31:55 > 0:32:05time they are targeting another handful. Many of them in Lancashire,
0:32:05 > 0:32:11
0:32:11 > 0:32:14places like Burnley, Chorley and Rossendale. -- Pendle. He Labour
0:32:14 > 0:32:18councils are up acting to keep community safety officers, protect
0:32:18 > 0:32:27care for the elderly, to get jobs and apprenticeships for the young
0:32:27 > 0:32:30people. But we cannot stop police cuts going. The recession is the
0:32:30 > 0:32:32fault of the Coalition government. Now, the Liberal Democrats had a
0:32:32 > 0:32:36disastrous performance last time, losing one third of their
0:32:36 > 0:32:39councillors in the region. They are left with control of just one
0:32:39 > 0:32:49council, that's South Lakeland. But they do remain strong on Stockport
0:32:49 > 0:32:54and Burnley. We found the economy in a complete mess. As Labour said,
0:32:54 > 0:32:58there is no money left as they famously said when they left office.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02What we are discovering on the doorstep is that, with the passage
0:33:03 > 0:33:06of time, people are seeing what we deliver in government for ordinary
0:33:06 > 0:33:09people in the north-west. And as if that wasn't enough, there'll also
0:33:09 > 0:33:13be mayoral elections in Liverpool and Salford - the first in the
0:33:13 > 0:33:20North West. Plus a referendum in Manchester to see if voters want
0:33:20 > 0:33:24one there too. That's the excitement of election night.
0:33:24 > 0:33:29Everyone here might get excited but do you think the local elections
0:33:29 > 0:33:35have been slightly overlooked by the May oral elections? But they
0:33:35 > 0:33:41are still very important. It is a big test for Labour. They won big
0:33:41 > 0:33:46in 2011, capturing nine councils - one third of councils they gained
0:33:46 > 0:33:53across the country. But they have to win again and take places like
0:33:53 > 0:34:01Burnley, Chorley, Ben -- Pendle and Wirral because otherwise beg Labour
0:34:01 > 0:34:06that -- Ed Miliband's future as leader may be put into question. He
0:34:06 > 0:34:13wants to be the undisputed leader and that's what he needs. Do you
0:34:13 > 0:34:18agree? I think it is true. Ed has really improved over the last year.
0:34:18 > 0:34:25I think we have moved away from are unpopular position. We are not
0:34:25 > 0:34:29taking anything for granted. We did well in Blackpool last year but we
0:34:29 > 0:34:34need Chawleigh, Rossendale and we are scrapping for every vote. We
0:34:34 > 0:34:40will continue to do that until the polls close on May 3rd. Do you have
0:34:40 > 0:34:45to prove that Bradford was just a blip? It was a blip. By-elections
0:34:45 > 0:34:51are different from other elections. What happens in a by-election is
0:34:51 > 0:34:55everyone focuses on one plate -- place. With elections all over the
0:34:55 > 0:35:02country, you get a truer picture of what people believe and they are
0:35:02 > 0:35:07voting for who runs they council. Not the general government. Moving
0:35:07 > 0:35:14away from Labour, Lib Dems have to do a lot, don't they, because it
0:35:14 > 0:35:18was a bloodbath last J? It was awful. No one ever said being part
0:35:18 > 0:35:22of a government picking up the worst financial mess that any
0:35:22 > 0:35:29government in the past financial look -- 100 years has ever had to
0:35:29 > 0:35:34face... Is that what it was? People have been coming to us for our
0:35:34 > 0:35:39position as a protest party. Governing is different. We took the
0:35:39 > 0:35:43worst of the blow last year but let us be clear, we are still reeling.
0:35:43 > 0:35:49We have still lost people who cannot cope with the idea that we
0:35:49 > 0:35:56are in government and have to make unpopular decisions. It is easy to
0:35:56 > 0:36:03score points like Ed Balls was doing but to govern is to decide.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07It sounds like it could be another disastrous night. The not as many
0:36:07 > 0:36:16seats but you only have to know by going on the doorstep that there
0:36:16 > 0:36:25was a degree of anger last year. That is not there. A is it not?
0:36:25 > 0:36:32Have you won back the grass roots? I'm not saying that. It is nothing
0:36:32 > 0:36:36like the same as last year. People have said... They promised to scrap
0:36:36 > 0:36:41tuition fees and we have seen the Prime Minister walked away from
0:36:41 > 0:36:45Europe. Everything that has been promised has not been delivered.
0:36:45 > 0:36:52That is not the case. We protected the poorest people putting more
0:36:52 > 0:36:55money into the pockets of pensioners and the low paid. For
0:36:55 > 0:37:02the low-paid pensioners, they are doing better under this government
0:37:03 > 0:37:08than yours. Let us not miss the Conservatives at the end. They must
0:37:08 > 0:37:13be some anger directed at your party? Are you picking up on that?
0:37:13 > 0:37:192008 was a high point for the Conservatives. Labour had abolished
0:37:19 > 0:37:23the 10 pence rate of tax. We are defending quite a high point in
0:37:23 > 0:37:27terms of local government representation. It will not be easy
0:37:27 > 0:37:31but if we look at last year, we were gaining seats from the Liberal
0:37:31 > 0:37:37Democrats in some of the more affluent parts of the north-west
0:37:37 > 0:37:43because people realised that, in government, many of their fears
0:37:43 > 0:37:48weren't applicable. We will not yet see one clear consistent narrative
0:37:48 > 0:37:53across the region. Local elections will be local not just because of
0:37:53 > 0:37:58the mayor's in Liverpool but because people are now trying to
0:37:58 > 0:38:06assess what their own local councils are doing. Do you think
0:38:06 > 0:38:11people in local elections... It is not just local issues, is it?
0:38:11 > 0:38:17Evidence suggests that people vote on national issues at local
0:38:17 > 0:38:20elections. It may be regrettable but people will not fought - might
0:38:20 > 0:38:24vote on the performance of their local councils although there are
0:38:24 > 0:38:31exceptions. The Conservatives have had a dreadful few weeks and it has
0:38:31 > 0:38:39got worse in the last week so that will be strong in people's minds?
0:38:39 > 0:38:49Any government has tricky weeks. And OK, not eight Chichi week but
0:38:49 > 0:38:57the double dipped -- but the double dip recession? People expect to
0:38:57 > 0:39:04seek a government that may not be perfect day-in day-out. We are the
0:39:04 > 0:39:09party which is delivering a low council taxes and higher quality
0:39:10 > 0:39:16services we are delivering a weekly been collections in many parts of
0:39:16 > 0:39:24the region. We are putting our money where our mouth is.
0:39:24 > 0:39:32Lancashire is losing 550 police. We already lost 6000 police and
0:39:32 > 0:39:38another number... The Labour Party is not promising to change any of
0:39:39 > 0:39:43this. You can criticise but you are offering no practical alternative.
0:39:43 > 0:39:48You are playing with words. The fact is you are not putting into
0:39:48 > 0:39:53place policies which will reverse the decisions of that government.
0:39:53 > 0:40:00We have said we would cut VAT which has risen. Doesn't that involve
0:40:00 > 0:40:05more spending though? We can bring down spending in some areas and in
0:40:05 > 0:40:08others they have to increase. With VAT, we would not be in this
0:40:08 > 0:40:14position if our budget from day one after the general election had been
0:40:14 > 0:40:18implemented. The government has given the economy into the ground.
0:40:18 > 0:40:25David Cameron and George Osborne said over and over again, we are
0:40:25 > 0:40:29out of the danger zone. We are not. It is the first double-dip
0:40:29 > 0:40:35recession since 1975. The 80 reductions is our policy number-one
0:40:35 > 0:40:39and reversing the "granny tax". That is another policy. It is all
0:40:39 > 0:40:46well and good to come up with these ideas, but where would the money
0:40:46 > 0:40:49come from to pay for all of this? Our problem has been caused by
0:40:49 > 0:40:59government borrowing and when you borrowed too much, the answer is
0:40:59 > 0:41:01
0:41:01 > 0:41:06not to go out and borrow more. not going on the doorstep but I
0:41:06 > 0:41:11would imagine that, particularly this week with the double-dip
0:41:11 > 0:41:15recession, that people will want to know what the Conservatives and it
0:41:15 > 0:41:21Dems are going to do in Coalition. What will you do to get as out of
0:41:21 > 0:41:25recession? I have come from meeting with local businesses in my
0:41:25 > 0:41:32constituency who want to hear what we are going to do about growth.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36They want to hear about plans for growth and not bickering. Transport
0:41:36 > 0:41:41and infrastructure is crucial to economic development and we are at
0:41:42 > 0:41:46the any party putting money into that. I will move on now. I suppose
0:41:46 > 0:41:49we are here with the three main parties Voters becoming
0:41:49 > 0:41:55disillusioned with mainstream politics, is one of the political
0:41:55 > 0:41:59trends of the age. But with local elections on the way, the question
0:41:59 > 0:42:02is whether that popularity for more targeted groups will translate into
0:42:02 > 0:42:08votes and seats. We've been hearing from some of the smaller parties
0:42:08 > 0:42:15about the issues they want to tackle.
0:42:15 > 0:42:21These council election are not policies of to polls. They need to
0:42:21 > 0:42:24bring back derelict properties into use. The role of our anti-social
0:42:24 > 0:42:31behaviour unit needs to be expanded so it is possible for private
0:42:31 > 0:42:35landlords to get information about tenants. People should vote for the
0:42:35 > 0:42:41British National Party because we have the best solutions for the
0:42:41 > 0:42:46housing crisis to get British jobs for British people. It is a scandal
0:42:46 > 0:42:55we have 5 million people on housing lists. We would put our own first
0:42:55 > 0:43:00every time. But for the Green Party for New Hope End local economies.
0:43:00 > 0:43:05We are not going to be putting money into high-speed rail two or
0:43:05 > 0:43:08into renewing Trident missiles. We want the money to be reinvested in
0:43:08 > 0:43:16local communities to protect services and make sure local people
0:43:16 > 0:43:20get a better deal. We like an English parliament for
0:43:20 > 0:43:25English people because England was ignored during devolution. We have
0:43:25 > 0:43:29had tuition fees and prescription charges forced on us. We have
0:43:29 > 0:43:38plenty of green policies where we don't want building on green belt
0:43:38 > 0:43:42land. Our environmental policies are excellent.
0:43:42 > 0:43:49What you kick is offering is that localism. We want to give local
0:43:49 > 0:43:53recommend comes on contentious issues so local people have a seat
0:43:53 > 0:43:59- might say and we want to give business rates back to councils. We
0:43:59 > 0:44:03want to do away with the racket that is fat cat jobs in councils,
0:44:03 > 0:44:09particularly the chief executive's pay. Some get twice as much as the
0:44:09 > 0:44:15Prime Minister. Some even close to Barack Obama. We say no to be cut
0:44:15 > 0:44:20and austerity. We stayed with those who are marching against cuts. We
0:44:20 > 0:44:28do not see why ordinary people should pay the price while the
0:44:28 > 0:44:33bankers pay their bonuses and the corporation's avoid paying taxes.
0:44:33 > 0:44:40So what impact do you think, if any, can these smaller parties make?
0:44:40 > 0:44:44They can make an impact when you have no overall control in councils.
0:44:44 > 0:44:50They can hold the balance of power. The electorate is searching for an
0:44:50 > 0:44:54alternative. With the Lib Dems in all sorts of trouble the search is
0:44:54 > 0:44:59on for an alternative. The problem is that they tend to be here today
0:44:59 > 0:45:06and gone tomorrow parties, prone to splits and maverick figures. None
0:45:06 > 0:45:12the less, the Greens and you kept are fielding more councils than the
0:45:12 > 0:45:16Lib Dems so if they are going to make an impact it is that this set
0:45:16 > 0:45:21of lower let it -- local elections because people are searching for
0:45:21 > 0:45:25credible alternatives. Do the Lib Dems worry about them in certain
0:45:25 > 0:45:33seats like Burnley? I wouldn't say Burnley because it is clear what
0:45:33 > 0:45:38the arguments are. Because we have a first-past-the-post system, it it
0:45:38 > 0:45:43comes down to be took top parties in the area battling it out. It is
0:45:43 > 0:45:47hard for other parties, sometimes the Liberals or sometimes the
0:45:47 > 0:45:51Conservatives and Labour in other areas, it is hard. If they can
0:45:51 > 0:45:56sneak a seat it can make a difference? Yes it is the reason
0:45:56 > 0:46:01why liberals have moved forwards in the past year is because we have
0:46:01 > 0:46:05made a breakthrough at local level. Of course it is important for us to
0:46:05 > 0:46:13try and fight for every seat and every boat. Do you take them
0:46:13 > 0:46:18seriously? Yes because they are votes, in some cases, and we would
0:46:18 > 0:46:23like them to vote for us. Paul, what do you think about the smaller
0:46:23 > 0:46:27parties because you cannot ignore what they are saying, can you, when
0:46:27 > 0:46:32they talk about cutting bankers bonuses because they are issues
0:46:32 > 0:46:39that resonate? I think councillors are learning what MPs have to learn
0:46:39 > 0:46:43the hard way, which is that people don't just vote on party lines but
0:46:44 > 0:46:51they vote on the individual. They want to see whether he is a good
0:46:51 > 0:46:58local representative or... It not is the rosette a good colour? As
0:46:58 > 0:47:08John said, we have seen the BNP come to know where and I don't
0:47:08 > 0:47:12
0:47:12 > 0:47:18think anyone would claim that UKIP had any success in Europe but they
0:47:18 > 0:47:22symbolise that the people going into politics aren't people that
0:47:22 > 0:47:29the public wants representing them. That is the challenge. Things are
0:47:29 > 0:47:34changing. Support for the mainstream parties is coming down
0:47:34 > 0:47:38but the nature of the media is changing. People have got far more
0:47:38 > 0:47:42sources of information in order to make a choice and the public are
0:47:42 > 0:47:46far more sophisticated. They know what their local MP or counsellor
0:47:46 > 0:47:50is doing because there are so many different ways of finding out. They
0:47:50 > 0:47:54will make their choices based on a lot of things not just the party
0:47:54 > 0:47:57colour. And you very much Well, let's stop there because it's time
0:47:57 > 0:48:00for a 60-second round-up of the week's other news with Gill
0:48:00 > 0:48:03Dummigan. A North West MP has urged mobile
0:48:03 > 0:48:06phone companies to do more to advise young people about the
0:48:06 > 0:48:09dangers of taking and sending explicit pictures. It's known as
0:48:09 > 0:48:12"sexting" and research has shown nearly two in five schoolchildren
0:48:12 > 0:48:15have received an offensive or distressing image via text or email.
0:48:15 > 0:48:22The Labour MP for Stockport says children are unaware how quickly
0:48:22 > 0:48:28things can get out of control. problem is the sender loses control
0:48:28 > 0:48:31of the images and they could end up anywhere, school or being viewed or
0:48:31 > 0:48:34passed on by if paedophiles. This week brought the grim news
0:48:34 > 0:48:38that the country's slipped back into recesson. These boarded-up
0:48:38 > 0:48:43shops in Crewe tell their own story. We're now in what's known as a
0:48:43 > 0:48:47double dip recession for the first time since the 1970s. When people
0:48:47 > 0:48:51say recession, they tend to panic. Chester city's received plaudits
0:48:51 > 0:48:53from a MP 200 miles away. Labour's John McDonnell has tabled a Commons
0:48:53 > 0:48:56motion, congratulating the club on winning a second successive
0:48:56 > 0:49:06championship since being formed two years ago. Although his
0:49:06 > 0:49:14