07/07/2013 Sunday Politics South

leads the way in the plans to stop of the programme. Coming up, it has

been described in a revolution in the way we manage defenders. And

forging the way ahead is Peterborough prison. It is the speed

backbenchers. This is one of the most vital questions. The Bill

doesn't guarantee a referendum. If David Cameron had been dragged there

by his backbenchers, the Tory party is divided between people who want

to leave the European Union and people who want to bring some powers

back here. I was making the point that the real national interest lies

firstly in reforming Europe so that it works better for us. Let's have a

real choice between a clear vision of the future of the European Union

and people who want to leave. That is not what is on offer and not what

David Cameron wants to offer. are these terrible Tory back benches

who have pushed David Cameron into this position? A referendum will go

one way or the other. John will make his case, I will make mine and I

will abide by the results. What is disgraceful is not for people to

have a say. Not a single MP voted against this Bill. It will be

scandalous and cowardly if Labour or Lib Dem opponents who don't want a

referendum and are afraid to say so in public now try to strangle the

Bill in health -- House of Lords and deny people their say. This is only

happening because the Tory backbenchers don't trust their own

leader. They listen to their constituents. It is not something

that has been cooked up in the basement of the House of Commons.

People are supposed to do what their constituents want. There is massive

support for this referendum which is why nobody was prepared to vote

against it on Friday. Negotiation first for reform. I am perfectly

happy about the timing of the thing. We are likely either to leave the

European Union or to be negotiated to some Swiss star -- Swiss type

status. My main concern is that process should be amicable. It is

important for us that we retain the goodwill and a decent working

relationship with our immediate neighbours. I am perfectly happy to

have a reasonable adult protracted negotiation. People like Daniel have

made up their mind and he would like you to believe that everybody who

says they would like a referendum also want to leave the European

Union. There are lots of people that want to have a clear choice and want

to know what Europe is going to look like. In the debates, William Hague

said Europe would be very different in future. If you are going to have

a referendum and a choice, do it when are clear what Europe is going

to look like. Because of the Eurozone and lots of countries want

to have more powers decided at national level, Europe will be

different. It needs to be a choice that is clear. What is happening is

David Cameron has been railroaded by people who are fanatically against

the European Union and only care about getting out. Those who whose

jobs and investment depend on it, are much more cautious about Britain

just leaving in haste which is what these people want. David Cameron

says he will campaign heart and soul to stay in the EU and yet you was

still backing him. Neither he or I get to decide this. The British

people get to decide this. It is always supposed to be the wrong

time. The people who don't want a referendum don't admit to there

being a referendum. They used to say that now is the wrong time for a

referendum. Now we mustn't have one because Europe is the issue, some

say. It sets a reasonable timetable four years from now. If John says he

favours a referendum, back the Bill. This paled -- this Bill does

nothing. I you going to vote against it? Have the courage. The mover of

it is not asking for a referendum. Let us see how we go into the next

election. It doesn't buy the next Parliament. It has achieved nothing.

What we need is a Labour government that will seriously negotiate for

real reform for a Europe that works. If that happens, have a referendum.

In a fortnight, the Ford factory will close its doors for the last

time. It has been at the plant and the home of the Transit van for the

last 40 years. The workforce has dwindled over the years to just 500

and that production is now moving to Turkey because the workforce there

is cheaper and with it will go the last remaining major manufacturing

of the south coast. Joining me is Doug Morris and you are involved in

working out what happens after Ford. -- Doug Morrison. We have to

recognise it is a great location. The one thing we don't want is we

don't want a residential site in its place. What we have to do is

protected for jobs going forward in the future. It is close to the

airport, the port, the mail -- the motorway and it ticks all the boxes.

There is talk about keeping a balance in the economy. Let's be

honest, that is not going to happen overnight. We have to convene with

all the relevant stakeholders and take some views on how we have will

have to take that forward. Haven't you done that yet? We are working on

that. This is a complicated site because there are three different

owners involved in the site. We have to look towards the mediation in the

site. There will not be one owner that will take over the site. There

is a combination of various owners. It could be a science park, business

Park, warehousing, distribution site. We have to provide jobs as

soon as is. Also there is the business about the Turkish loan, the

�80 million which came from the European investment bank. Ford's

promises were made. I am not here to criticise Ford. The car

manufacturing is in a boom at the moment and Ford seem to be the odd

ones out. Here is a global manufacturer who can make whatever

decisions they like and if one area suffers, tough. Ford's main market

was mainly Europe and Europe has been through a recession. Major

manufacturers, Jaguar, Land Rover, they are doing extremely well and

export to the far east. It may be a combination of various factors that

have affected Ford. I want to protect jobs going forward in the

future. To do that, little bit of money to clean up the site. Is that

the subsidy you are against? I agree with what Doug has done. He is a

great local champion. I don't think Southampton needs subsidies. It

needs a level playing field and twice now it has been hit by unfair

subsidies to someone else. Liverpool ports and now the green investment

bank to Turkey. Given a chance to compete, people will hold their own

with anyone. What is outrages is to have British taxpayers, people

watching this programme now, funding our direct competitors across the

Channel. That is a scandalous situation. In our last section, John

was talking about jobs in Europe. Tell that to the people whose jobs

were tied up directly or indirectly and there are a lot in Southampton

either with the port or the Ford plant. It becomes a race to the

bottom if everyone is being subsidised. The way the commission

works is one of the things that needs change. The key thing about

Ford is we need to have the jobs of the future. There is a factory near

Portsmouth that employs 1000 people but they make satellites and not

Transit vans. We have incredible expertise at the University in

engineering, optical fibres. The idea that we could attract companies

to this region that wants to be close to those types centres of

excellence is what we have to go for. If we can put it together, we

should go to the government and say, if it is going to take money to

clean up the site, that would be worth having. Why has it not

happened yet? There are different partners that have to be brought

together. The City Council, the local enterprise partnership, they

are coming together to look at these things. You couldn't go to early

because Ford are not going to talk about the future of the site until

the closure is pretty imminent. We are at a time when the challenge for

everybody is to come up with the best deal and push it as hard as we

can. What levers do you need to get this to happen? One thing that we

have managed to secure is getting some money out of the government and

the Regional Growth Fund. We were successful in bridging the gap. For

existing businesses to tap into some money, also for new start up

businesses. We were successful to get that for Southampton and the

Isle of Wight. We ring fenced off �1 million for Ford employees to apply

for four new start-up businesses and grants. Have they been taken up?The

applications have been so small. It is disappointing. It may be an issue

of communication but hopefully some Ford employees are watching this

today and recognise that there is an opportunity for them to tap in and

get some money that they could use for start-up businesses. From

January to March this year, there were over 1 million youngsters

between 16 and 24 who were not in education and employment or

training. NEETS. There is a problem with producing a lost generation

that will never get into work. A scheming Banbury is having some

work. She is a business Administration apprentice at the

district council but a year ago her future direction was less clear

after she dropped out of sixth form. I was living -- I was studying

social care and other subjects. I was looking for jobs but I wasn't

doing anything for three months. I was at home. It was quite difficult.

Even if you haven't got the right grades or experience, no one will

take you. She was put in touch with the YMCA's training arm. They said

it was like school but it wasn't. They would help me get my maths and

English and get it up to a standard grain -- standard grade. YMCA is one

of several groups working with groups to help people in Banbury. It

is paying off. The number of NEETS in the town has fallen 40% in the

last year. It is about people and when we can identify those people,

we can do something about it. It doesn't matter how you do that. It

is getting to those young people and encouraging them to get involved.

you take a closer look at the figures, Oxfordshire has 5.6% of its

16 to 18-year-olds currently out the workforce who could go in. That

compares with 8.2 across England. In the South, said points -- 7.4 and 4%

in Dorset. That is not the whole story. In Oxfordshire, they have a

high number of not knowns. Authorities here don't know the

status of more than a quarter of 16 to 18-year-olds compared to 2% in

Dorset and resin. Oxfordshire county council says it is working to

improve monitoring. If students like these are still in college, it is

vital. We tend to think of young people who leave school at 16 and a

lot of work is done with those 16-year-olds but it is they give

people who stay on for a year and decide things aren't for them and go

into the job market and don't get one. They can be lost in the system

and we work to get sure -- get -- to make sure those 17-year-old don't

fall between the cracks. students are studying for a

qualification in print -- food preparation. There are many who were

getting no further training. From this summer, the government says

that is not good enough. From now on, 17 is the youngest age at which

you can leave learning. 16-year-olds can get a job they have to do 20

hours training a week or so. If you are a disenfranchised or

disinterested young person, the thought of going for more education

turns your stomach. What we have got to say is, what do you want to do

with life? If you want to many there are lots of opportunities. Let's

start with what you have and how can we use your skills? It will improve

the aspirations of these young people. They will get the training

and education and it will all work in the right direction.

government doesn't have any plans to take action against any 16-year-olds

who don't comply. I am a 16-year-old and I decide to stay at home. Where

is the legislation and who is going to find out that I am not in

education and training if we are not careful? We may pick up that we may

not pick up the vulnerable and needy. No such worries for Amy. She

is confident she has made the right choice. I was looking for jobs and

this came along and I applied for it. I actually got it. Amy in

Banbury. The one that got lucky. Dan Hannan, Michael Gove wants to make

the curriculum even more academic. It is going to be more difficult for

these youngsters. He is also boosting apprenticeships and

providing a wider range of opportunities. The hard thing is to

accept the limitations of what ministers can do. The easy thing is

to say, we have a scheme and we will create X amount of jobs. I hear that

every day in the European Parliament. Look at where that has

led. We have jobless rates for young people on the constant and the

Eurozone that go beyond anything we dreamt of. Is it about an attitude

of entitlement for young people? It requires a self-awareness and the

reason on behalf of lawmakers to say, we don't create the jobs.

People who create the jobs are those who are setting up businesses and

running shops and growing small companies. That is where most growth

is. The best thing that government can do is to make life easier for

them. We had a good scheme that stops people becoming long-term

unemployed. It was cute -- it was called the future jobs fund. Even if

you create jobs and there is danger of part of each generation of young

people never getting into work and also -- always claimed benefits. We

should do something similar now which attacks the bankers bonus. Any

young person that has been out for 12 months, there will be a job and

there will not be an option of claiming benefits. You will have to

take the job. It is tough but it is the right thing to do because the

cost of young people drifting into benefits is far, far too high.

all pay the price. I like John very much. I like you but you are

completely wrong about this. It is the same phrase that there isn't

going to be a staying in bed option. Gordon Brown said the same thing.

is one of the more disastrous decisions that your government talk.

Instead of looking at it and asking if it works, they scrapped it and

since then we have seen long-term youth unemployment rocket. If it was

all working so well, that wouldn't be happening now. What companies

need in modern subsidies or special deals, they need customers. The

problem is we don't have them on our doorstep any more. The Ford factory,

it has been dragged down by the Euro crisis. That is bound to affect us.

Not everything is Europe. It is about time you recognised that.

can't abandon these young people. Let us look at our regular round-up

of the political week. This week mile an hour speed limit in

Chichester after a campaign by local residents but outrage at the slow

speed of cars in Portsmouth on Saturday after roadworks caused

gridlock. The council has promised to cancel all parking fines. By

contrast, a �50 fine has been introduced by Cherwell council if

you make a mistake at a benefit claim. The city's libel fines are

being put to good news through the military covenant. Queen Alexandra

nursing home is helping veterans. have a computer and a television in

my room. I read a lot of books. easy life or more earlier batches as

the government said there was an expansion of forces. A report

revealed many bays were charging electric cars in Oxford are hardly

used while the M4's, shoulder is being taken to provide more space

for the rest of us. Something happening next Sunday,

your replacement. As you got down to agree, you are off. It is an all

woman shortlist. Members of the Labour Party will vote and they have

a fantastic selection. Four very different women with different

backgrounds and skills. And at -- I am absolutely confident the Labour

Party will put a good candidate for the people of Southampton. How is Ed

Miliband Hell -- handling this Len McCluskey pressure? He is moving

very well. Things have clearly gone wrong in Falkirk and Ed Miliband

said we're not going to have this happening. If anyone is abusing the

system, were. It. In my home constituency, on the day that a

Labour selected its candidates, Len McCluskey Grey tweeted,

congratulations to our unite breaking the rules to favour

candidates. Whoever is behind something like that, we will not

tolerate it. Richard Ashworth has his issues and is not top of the

list and not likely to make it through the European election.

Depends on how many MEPs we select. I was against this silly system. We

allow the incompetence to leapfrog to the top of the list. Including

you? Including me. I was against it. I would much rather take our

chances. We are reaching the end of the programme. Open primaries.