11/05/2014 Sunday Politics Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

Morning, folks. Welcome to the Sunday Politics, where we're talking

about the Europe-wide contest that really matters. No, not Eurovision.

The European elections. There are local elections across England too

on May 22nd. The party leaders are campaigning ahead of polling day.

The results could be a pointer to the Big One, May 2015. We'll be

speaking to the man in charge of Labour's election battle plan. Has

the opposition really got its sights set on all-out victory in 2015? Or

will it just be content with squeaking home? And you can't

mention elections these days without talking about the impact of this

Later on the Sunday politics, the him if UKIP really

Later on the Sunday politics, the candidates hoping to become Euro MPs

for Yorkshire and Humber take part in special

candidates hoping to become Euro MPs for Yorkshire and Humber take part

in special debate ahead of elections And I'm joined by three journalists

guaranteed to bring a touch of Eurovision glamour to your Sunday

morning. With views more controversial than a bearded

Austrian drag act and twice the dress sense, it's Nick Watt, Helen

Lewis and Janan Ganesh. So you might have thought you've already heard

David Cameron promise an in-out referendum on EU membership in 2017

if he's still Prime Minister. Many times. Many, many times. Well he

obviously doesn't think you've been listening, because he's been saying

it again today. Here he is speaking to the BBC earlier. We will hold a

referendum by the end of 2017. It will be a referendum on an in-out

basis. Do we stay in a reformed European Union or do we leave? And

I've said very clearly that whatever the outcome of the next election,

and of course I want an overall majority and I'm hoping and

believing I can win an overall majority, that people should be in

no doubt I will not become Prime Minister unless I can guarantee that

we will hold a referendum. Here's saying there that an overall

majority there will definitely be a referendum. If these are the

minority position, he won't form a new coalition unless they agree to a

referendum, too. The Lib Dems a pulmonary agree to that. They

probably will because the Prime ministers have a strong argument

which is I gave you a referendum back in 2010 so the least I need is

theirs and the Lib Dems are the only party who have stood in recent

elections on a clear mandate to hold a referendum, so it is difficult for

them to say no, there was interesting the interview he did

earlier today. He named everything was going to ask for. The most

controversial with him, as he said in his speech last year, he wants to

take Britain out of the commitment to make the European Union and ever

closer union. That is a very big ask, but the point is, he may well

get it because the choice for the European Union now, France and

Germany, is a clear wonderful do Britain in or out? Previously, it

was can you put up with a British prime ministers being annoying? I

think you'll find the answer is they are willing to pay a price but not

any price to keep Britain in. In this scenario, Labour would have

lost the election again because we are talking the slowly happen if Mr

Cameron is the largest party or has an overall majority. Could you then

see Labour deciding we had better go along with a referendum, too? I

think that's unlikely because as I think that's unlikely because

there's a huge upside for that for I think what's interesting is the idea

he would for minority government. Would you get confidence and look at

other options that might well happen with the way the arithmetic is going

or is he going to hold out and say the only way I will be Prime

Minister is in a majority Conservative government? No, the

implication of his remarks was I wouldn't form a coalition government

unless my coalition partners would also agree to vote for a referendum.

He's basically talking about is negotiating strategy in those

coalition talks. It's a red line and a huge opportunity for the Lib Dems,

because they know David Cameron absolutely has to do, for accidental

reasons, as a person who survives as Tory leader, to ask for that

referendum, so they can ask anything they want in return and if I was

Nick Clegg, I would work out in the next year one absolute colossal

negotiating demand for those coalition talks. For a party around

10% in the polls, they will do have the Prime Minister over a barrel on

this one, assuming that coalition talks goes well. They could make

Michael Gove Tbyte meeting. OK, we need to move on. So, the politicians

are out and about on what used to be called the stump ahead of local and

European elections in less than two weeks' time. But, without wanting to

depress you on a damp Sunday morning, the party strategists are

already hard at work on their campaign plans for the General

Election next May. Yes, it's less than a year to go. They may have

taken their time, but Labour's battleplan for 2015 is starting to

take shape. As well as take promising to freeze your energy

bills, and reintroduce the 50p rate of tax, Ed Miliband now says he

wants to intervene in the housing market to keep rents down. There's

even talk that the party leadership wants to bring more railway lines

into public ownership. And Labour is gambling that its big push on the

cost of living will see it through to the general election despite

evidence that growth is firmly back. Labour's campaign chief Douglas

Alexander hopes it all adds up to victory next May. But so far, the

evidence is hitting home very thin. One survey today shows that 56% of

people don't think Mr Miliband is up to the job of Prime Minister. As we

head towards one of the least predictable general elections in 70

years, has Labour got a message to win seats up and down the country?

And Labour's election co-ordinator and Shadow Foreign Secretary,

Douglas Alexander, joins me now. Welcome to Sunday Politics. A lot of

these policies announced polar pretty well. By popular with the

country. When you add them together, it's a move to the left and what

would be wrong with that? I think is your packet suggests, the contours

in the coming campaign are becoming clear. Our judgement is the defining

issue of the year in British politics will be the widening gap

between the wealth of the country and the finances of ordinary

families. We believe it will be a cost of living election and we have

been setting out our thinking in relation to energy prices and rent,

but you will hear more from Labour Party in the coming months because

we're now less than one year away from a decisive moment. If the

leftish think tank suggested any of his policies in that Tony Blair

years, you would have opposed them. Let's be clear, when not going for

an interest but seeking to secure a majority for the only way to do that

is not simply to appeal to your base, but to the centre ground. I

believe we got genuine opportunities in the next year. You have the

Conservatives in a struggle with UKIP on the right of politics. The

Lib Dems 9% of trying to find their base, and there's a genuine

opportunity in the next year for Labour to dominate the centre ground

of politics and secure the majority Labour government we are planning

for in the coming year. I notice you didn't deny you wouldn't have

opposed. You say you have got an message for aspirational voters in

the South. This is what John Denham said. He thinks you're talking too

much to your core vote. He is right to recognise we took a

terrible beating in 2010. 29%. If you look at what we've done in the

last week, for example, the signature policy on rent Ed Miliband

announced to launch the campaign, there's now more than 9 million

people in the country in the private rented sector, more than 1 million

families. Many of them are in the south-east. They are seeing

circumstances where, suddenly, landlord will increase the rent and

they put the pressure involved in schooling, health care facing the

families, so it is important both in terms of policy and in terms of

politics that we speak to the whole country, not simply to one part of

it falls up what is the average rise in event last year? I don't know.

Can you tell me? 1%. 1% not in real terms. I'm not sure what the problem

is. It will happen to wages in last year, we are facing circumstances

where people will be worse off, up to ?1600 off worse and frankly, if

our opponents want to argue that the economy has healed and they deserve

a victory lap, good luck to them because actually, what we are

hearing from the Buddhist public, not just in the north and south, is

not the cost living crisis is continuing and it affects families.

There was nothing aspirational about your party election broadcast for

the European elections. It looked like crude class war to money

people. That's a bit of it. Bedroom tax. Isn't it going to look bad that

two thirds of those affected are disabled? Who cares? They can't

fight back. Shall be lay-offs and NHS nurses? The National Health

Service? Oh yes. Mr Cameron? Who said that? Me. My gosh. The man has

shrunk. He's actually shrunk. What shall we do with him? Can we hunt

him? Nothing about Europe, Labour policy. News that the Tories would

result in negative campaigning and smear. You didn't tell you would be

just as bad. Let's start the party broadcast. The one thing guaranteed

to have most people reaching for the remote control these days are the

words, there now follows a party but the broadcast. I make no apology in

the factory to be innovative in how we presented. It's factual. It was a

policy -based critic of this government. And the Lib Dems role

within it. So you're claiming it's factual to betray the camera and

cabinet is not even knowing what the NHS is, -- the Cameron Cabinet. They

attack the disabled because they can't fight back. The Pinellas

Tanner severely Prime Minister Sun and he was treated during a short

life by the NHS. It's a fact many disabled people across the country

including in my constituency have been directly affected by the

bedroom tax. And ultimately, this Conservative led government,

including the Lib Dems, will be held accountable by the politicians. You

say that, the Prime Minister, who had a severely disabled son of. I

you not ashamed about? I shadowed Iain Duncan Smith of five months

also they don't have the excuses of seeing that saying nobody told them

the consequences of the bedroom tax. They went into this with their eyes

open. They knew about the hardship and difficulty. If they were

one-bedroom properties available across the country for people to

move into, their argument would be OK but they knew they were dealing

with the most vulnerable people. Did you sign off that part of the

broadcast? Of course I stand by the fact of it. I wish David Cameron and

Iain Duncan Smith would apologise to the disabled people of the country

and the poorest people for the effects of the bedroom tax. I hope

we get that apology between now and election. As someone who thinks

integrity is important in politics, not ashamed of this kind of thing?

It's important we scrutinise the policies of this government as well

as adding a positive agenda for change. You want that you won't

promise this is the last time we'll see such a negative press campaign?

I don't think it is negative or personal to scrutinise the

government. So we'll get more of this? I'm less interested in the

background of the cabinet than their views. You call the upper-class

twits. It's for the British public to make a judgement in terms of the

British... That's how you depicted them. We are held in accountable for

the bedroom tax, the NHS, taxation, and our record they have to defend.

One reason are so fearful in this election is actually because they

know they have a poor record. Let's look at other part of the election

campaign. This poster. Particularly digitally doing the rounds. On that

shopping basket, can you tell us which items take the full 20% VAT?

It's representative of household shopping, which includes items like

cleaning products, and we know that food is not that trouble. People

don't go to the supermarket and say this is -- vatable. So you are

denying that ?450 extra is being paid? Yes, where'd you get that

figure? For an average family to pay ?450 a year extra VAT, they would

have to spend ?21,600 a year on vatable products at 20%. The average

take-home pay is only 21,009. They vatable products at 20%. The average

have got to spend on all sorts of things which are zero VAT. So in

addition to the items, has a range of products people face in terms of

VAT. How could an average family of ?21,000 a year spent 21,006 and the

pound a year on 20% vatable items? It's not an annual figure, is it? So

what is it then? If it's an annual, what is it? The increased VAT in

this parliament is calculated over the course of a Parliament. For the

whole of the Parliament? And you're illustrated this with a shopping

basket which almost has no VAT on it at all? People will be buying a

weekly shop in the course of this Parliament every week. Did you sign

off on this as well? Of course. It didn't dawn on you you're putting

things on it which have no VAT? If you want to argue some people go to

the shops and say these are vatable or not, I disagree. Even your rent

cap announcement went wrong. You're working on the rent rises and it

turns out it wasn't. It was a post your policy. It is the exception

rather than the rule to have the position we have at the moment. In

Northern Ireland we have seen the continued rise in terms of the

rented sector but there is a widespread recognition that for

those people in the rented sector, change is necessary. Are you

coordinating this campaign? It seems accident prone. This is a party that

has set the agenda more effectively than a Conservative party that said

when David Cameron was elected he wasn't going to bang on about

Europe. The day after the election we expect the Conservative party to

be engulfed in crisis. I'm proud of what we talk about and I think there

is a clear contrast about a party talking about issues people care

about, and a Conservative party talking about exclusively a

referendum. Are you in charge of the campaign? I am coordinating the

campaign is, yes. The expensive election guru you have hired, has he

been involved in any of this? We have started our discussions with

him. You are going to have to brief him about British politics because

he doesn't know anything about it. I make no apology for hiring him. He

has a lot of experience in winning tight elections and that is what we

are expecting. If you are expecting us to say, they have passed and we

have to hold them accountable, then I am sorry but we have a campaign

that holds the Government and the Conservatives to account for what I

think is a very hopeless record in government. Thank you.

He leads a party with zero MPs but his media presence is huge. He's had

an expenses scandal, but the public didn't seem to mind. He's got a

privileged background but he's seen as an anti-establishment champion.

Nothing seems to stick to him, not even eggs. I speak of course of

Nigel Farage. We'll talk to him in a moment, but first Giles has been out

on the campaign trail ahead of elections that could make or break

the UKIP leader. Nigel Farage likes a stage, and at

this stage of the Euro and local election campaign he is, like his

party, in buoyant mood. They feel they are on the verge of what they

see as causing an earthquake in British politics. Today Nigel is

filling thousands seat venues and bigger. Not that there's much sign

of that at this press launch. But it's a threat with serious money

behind it, that they believe the media and the political elite just

haven't realised yet, much less learned how to counter it. Not that

it's all been plain sailing. Offensive comments from some

candidates has not only seen UKIP labelled as racist, but necessitated

a rally by the party to visibly and verbally challenge that. The

offensive idiotic statements made by this handful of people have been

lifted up and presented to the great British public as if they represent

the view of this party, which they do not. They never have and they

never will. APPLAUSE I don't care what you call us, but

from this moment on, please do not call must trust a racist party. We

are not a racist party. The need to say that is not just

about the European and local elections even at that campaign

launch it's clear UKIP's leader has set his sights firmly on the

ultimate prize. I come from the south of England and I would not

want to be seen as an opportunist heading to the north, north Norfolk

or whatever it will be. I will make my mind up and stand in the general

election for somewhere in Kent, East Sussex, Hampshire, somewhere in my

home patch. Back at UKIP HQ they are still drilling down how the last

home patch. Back at UKIP HQ they are fortnight of campaigning should go.

They aren't taking any chances, and one imagines having offices above

those of Max Clifford is a reminder how fragile built reputations can be

of the bubble bursting. They want their reputation to be built on

votes and they know anything but significant success on May 22nd and

some seats in Westminster in 2015 isn't going to be good enough. And

after that, having sold yourselves as the honest outsiders, that stance

is harder to maintain once your people are on the inside. And subtle

changes from the past are already noticeable. The ordinary man of the

people stance is still working. Characteristically outside a pub,

Nigel Farage is glad handed by a customer. Two weeks to go, let's

cause an upset. Wouldn't that be great? The only sign that such an

interaction is different now is the ever presence of bodyguards who

shadow his every move. Over lunch ahead of Question Time, a radio

appearance, and then off to Scotland, I ask him if some of those

minded to vote UKIP who see him as a man they'd be comfortable having a

drink with are the sort of people he'd be entirely comfortable sitting

down with. Every political party attracts support from across the

spectrum and there will be some magnificent people who vote for us

and some ne'er-do-wells. The one common thing about UKIP voters is

that they are often not very political. And it's that people's

army that if UKIP can get to a polling booth might just create that

earthquake they want. Nigel Farage joins me now. When you

decided not to stand at the new work by election coming said if you lost

it that the bubble would have burst. What did you mean by that? I

was asked at seven 20p -- at 7:21pm if I would stand, I have decided by

the next morning that I would not. I didn't know he was going to resign.

You claim only a handful of UKIP candidates have ever said things

that are either stupid or offensive, I'm right on that, yes? 0.1%, I'd

rather it was non-. But why have you chosen a candidate to fight this

by-election that has said many things most people would regard as

stupid or offensive? Roger is fighting this for us, someone of 70

years of age who grew up with a strong Christian Bible background,

in an age when homosexuality was imprisonable. He had a certain set

of views which he maintained for many years which he now says he

accepts the world has moved on and he is relaxed about it. The comments

about homosexuality are not from the dark ages, they are from two or

three years ago. From when he was a Conservative, yes, so will you be

asking David Cameron that question? I have never seen a single comment

from Roger that would be deemed to be offensive. Do you regard his

comments on homosexuality as offensive? When he grew up,

homosexuality was illegal in this country. But this was in 2012 but he

said that. Most people have his age still feel uncomfortable about it --

of his age. In 2012 he said, if two men can be married, why not three,

why not a commune. Many people in this country are disconcerted by the

change in the meaning of marriage and in a tolerant society we

understand that some people have different views. But he has changed

his views now in only two years? He says he is more relaxed about it.

Was he your candidate? He is a first-class campaigner who has had

30 years in industry, he served in the European Parliament, he is a

good candidate. This morning's papers suggest you are about to

select Victoria Ayling for Grimsby, but she is on camera saying that, of

immigrants, I just want to send a lot back. This is all very

interesting, and we can talk about it, all we could talk about the fact

that in 12 days we have a European election and every voter across the

UK can vote on it and it is really interesting. Are you happy to pick a

candidate that says of immigrants, I just want to send a lot back? I have

seen the tape, it is a complete misquote and she says it in the

context of illegal immigrants. I have seen the full quote and in the

context it is not about illegal immigrants. Let's come onto the

European campaign, you have used a company that employs Eastern

European is to deliver leaflets in London and the Home Counties. Have

we? I'm told that in Croydon one branch might have done that. Have

you found some indigenous Brits to deliver leaflets in Europe? We have

thousands joining the party every month and they are not all

indigenous because what is interesting is that in today's

opinion polls, UKIP is above the Lib Dems and the Conservatives amongst

the indigenous voting. We have not agreed a manifesto for

the general election, we will do over the course of the summer. This

is in your local election. We are having local elections in some part

of the country but we are fighting a European election. It is impossible

with the British media to have an intelligent debate on the European

question. But as I say, we are also fighting the local elections too.

You have promised these tax cuts, how much will they cost? I have met

-- read the local election manifesto and it doesn't make those promises.

We do talk about local services, we do talk about the need to keep

council tax down but we don't talk about income tax. Absolutely not. In

local election campaigning you say you would restore cuts to policing,

double prison places, restore cuts to front line NHS, spend more on

roads, how much would that cost? You are obviously reading different

documents to me. We are voting for local councillors in district

councils who have got little local budgets. Every party in a manifesto

puts his aspirations in it. Have you read it? Of course I have, cover to

cover, which is why I'm saying you are misquoting it. By the way, on

the bubble bursting, you told that to Norman Smith of the BBC. 75% of

British laws are now made in the European Union. Now AstraZeneca is

potentially going to be taken over by Pfizer. The BBC is refusing to

show the public that that decision cannot be taken here but by an

elected European commissioner, and we sit and argue about what is in or

not in the local election manifesto. It is my job, but let me come on to

AstraZeneca. Is it your view that a British government should stop the

takeover of AstraZeneca? It cannot. Can we please get this clear. I sat

next to Chuka Umunna the other day at question time and he said what

could and couldn't be done. He said I am being studiously neutral, and

the reason is we don't have this power. That is what the European

elections is about. Should France have the takeover of the food

company Danan? We seem to do things to the Nth degree and nobody else

does, perhaps because we have this culture and we obey it. In your

view, you don't think Pfizer should be able to take over AstraZeneca?

There is some good science within AstraZeneca which is in danger of

being asset stripped and lost. Because it is run by a Swede and a

Frenchman and most of its employees are overseas. I understand that but

there are still some good science being produced here. What did you

think of the Prime Minister saying he would not form a government after

the election unless he was able to have a referendum in 2017? I sat

here talking to you and you said to me that David Cameron had given a

cast-iron guarantee that if David Cameron becomes Prime Minister he

will have a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, but he didn't deliver on

that. He knows that people struggle to believe the renegotiation is

worth a row of beans. He is saying he will not form a government unless

he can go forward with the referendum. I know he is desperately

trying to pretend to be Eurosceptic whilst at the same time saying he

will campaign for Britain to remain in. In a sense, that is what this

election is about. We have three traditional parties, all of whom

passionately believe in the continued membership of the European

Union and we have UKIP saying we want trade and cooperation but there

is a bigger and better world out there. You are now travelling with I

think four bodyguards, has this affected you and your family life? I

can't stand it. I've always wondered about the place and on my own thing.

Sadly we have a couple of organisations out there headed up by

senior Labour Party figures who purport to be against fascism and

extremism, who received funding from the Department of communities, from

the trade unions, who have acted in a violent wait more than once. You

are saying the Labour Party is behind the threats? No, I said a

taxpayer funded, trade union funded and headed by senior Labour Party

figures, and I'm happy for them to come to my meetings and have an

itinerant with me, but it's not so much fun when there are banging you

over the head. I is still keen to be an MP? Yes, what UKIP will then do

is target before the general election next year for the one life

be easier if you just went to the Lords? That's the last thing I want

to do. There's an awful lot to do. Most of all, I will not rest until

we are free from political union and government from Brussels. Nigel

Farage, thank you for being with us. It's just gone 11.30am. You're

watching the Sunday Politics. We say goodbye to viewers in Scotland, who

leave us now for Sunday Politics Scotland. Coming up here in 20

minutes, our panel talks about the big stories of the week. First

You are watching Yorkshire and though,

You are watching Yorkshire and Humber, today we bring together the

candidates hoping to become MEPs for Yorkshire and the Humber. It is a

special debate here at BBC Yorkshire.

Our guests today are Conservative Timothy Kirkhope, Labour's Linda

McAvan, Liberal Democrat Edward McMillan`Scott and UKIP's Jane

Collins. Later we'll also hear from candidates representing some of the

other parties standing in the European elections on May 22nd.

First, South Yorkshire is an area that has benefited from hundreds of

millions of pounds worth of EU funding in recent years, so we asked

voters in Mexborough what they thought Europe had ever done for

them. Can you think of anything that the

EU has done for Mexborough, South Yorkshire generally? No. The best

thing we can do, have a referendum to get out of the common market. We

should not be in it. I think a lot of people think that a lot of

decisions are made in Brussels, not in the local community. If we pulled

out of Europe, would people round here notice? I think so, a lot of

money has been spent on IT programmes, a lot of money has been

put into infrastructure, I think they would. The little people don't

get heard. I get up, I go to work, and I do the same day in day out.

What about Brussels and the politicians there, that they have

any role in your life? No, I don't think so.

So, Linda McAvan, this is what you are up against. People struggle to

understand how the European Parliament affects them. The last

speaker there, he says, just goes to work every day. The public does not

know that a lot of laws that protect him at work, his right to have four

weeks holiday, one`day offer we, his rights in health and safety, they

are made in the European Parliament. Also, the Dearne Valley has been

transformed with European funding of the last 20 years. I remember when

it was a door `` derelict coalfield area and now we have new jobs and

houses. A lot of things happen but people, times are tough for people

and what they see is falling standard of living, they worry about

paying their bills that is what is foremost in their minds. So why is

the EU such a tough sell in these areas? I think because the EU is

regarded by most people is rather a moat. Is it remained? `` as rather

remote. Is it remote? Identikit is as remote as people think. I think

some people think it is not suited for the 21st century, and I would

agree with them. We do need to reform and change it but we also

need to act knowledge the fact that as a result of our membership of the

EU, we have brought more prosperity in our region. Our concern as MEPs

would always be to look after the interests of our region first. So

how do you convince people like we saw that on the street South

Yorkshire that the EU said `` benefit their daily life? The man

wearing the soldier uniform said it was about the economy, and that is.

Being part of the single market means one in ten jobs in the region

depend on the EU. There are about 300,000 people there. When the CBI

business organisation did a survey last year, they found eight out of

ten firms want to stay in, and the Liberal Democrats are the party of

in, in Europe, in work. So what if that argument is that if we left the

EU, it would cost jobs? What you think? I do not think so, if we

leave the EU, it will make us more correct `` competitive and we can

develop trade agreements. It means we can go to the world as well as

Europe. If we look at what we export to Europe, since 1973, they have not

increased. For our ?55 million per day, what do we get? I want to say

about work directives and implement law, it comes from the EU, but what

do our MPs do? Why can't they organise the work directors? This is

the point, why can't we make these laws in Westminster, why can't ``

why do they have to be made in Brussels? We do not want to have a

race to the bottom. We do not want to be undercut by competitors. Most

companies want a level playing field, they want to be able to sell

their products across Europe, and I do not want people in our region

competing by having no paid holidays, having worse working

conditions. That is not the way. We need to have good minimum standards

across Europe then we can compete on an equal footing. So are we better

off in or out? We are better off in if we can get the reforms and

changes to bring Europe into the 21st century. It is very dishonest

of UKIP to constantly talk about the laws of Europe when in fact the vast

majority of things that come from Europe come first to our own British

Parliament to be determined before they are implement it. And how they

are to be invented in affecting our daily lives. That is not true and it

is just another one of those things which I am afraid, unfortunately, is

being put out, this disinformation, the wrong information being put out

to the people. We need an honest discussion but we do need a reformed

Europe. And a referendum. We shall see whether that happens or not.

UKIP claim that 75% of our laws originate from Brussels, is that

correct? Absolutely not, it is one of the many misleading part of their

campaign which need to be addressed and is being addressed, primarily by

the Liberal Democrats because we are the party in, whereas UKIP is the

party out. There is a simple choice, the Labour Party and the

Conservatives are sitting it out, their broadcasts do not deal with

the issues, the Tory manifesto does not even mention the European

Parliament. This is about your future being in Europe in work. In

my view, the figure more accurately about how much comes from Brussels

in terms of legislation is from the House of Commons library, says 15%

of British laws are made in Brussels. We will chat more about

that in the moment. Let's get more views from voters. This time in

Grimsby, which has traditionally been seen as one of the most

Eurosceptic towns in our region since the demise the fishing

industry. `` the demise of the fishing

industry. Nigel Farage coach `` should come to

Grimsby, I think he would win hands down. I think immigration is always

going to be sensitive topic, in any town or community. I can see why

some people may be in a position to look for a political movement which

would assist them with less immigrants taking our jobs, but at

the end of the day they work hard. I was made redundant from my job last

year. Should there be every movement of labour around the European Union?

There should, I think I do agree with that. The immigration in this

town is matter, it is out of control. I am not sure UKIP could do

anything realistically about it. Jane Collins, UKIP's opponents

accuse you of peddling myths about the EU. Is that true on issues such

as immigration? No, it just is not true. UKIP's stance on immigration

is that no country should lose control of its own borders. I think

that is very important and we have. We cannot control who comes in and

out of the country with free movement of migrants. And open`door

mass immigration is not good for the economy. But don't get me wrong,

UKIP is not against immigration, or migration, but it has to be

controlled. It is just strict talking common sense. Timothy

Kirkhope, you are a former immigration minister, have we lost

control of our borders? No, our immigration rules are getting

stronger in our government, UKIP mixes up the issues of immigration

and the issue of freedom of movement which is the part of the internal

market, people moving in order to work. The government has toughened

up on things like benefit and the right of people to come here and

draw benefit of EU countries, as is very important with the greater

number of member states in the European Union. It is not fair to do

these very unpleasant advertising measures by UKIP, which I think is

not helpful in terms of good relations, good community

relations. I will let Jane Collins respond in a minute, but immigration

is a huge issue, especially many working class traditional Labour

heartlands. Yes, and I think most people in Britain accept that they

want a fair immigration system but they accept that the vast majority

of immigrants who come to Britain come here to work, they pay taxes,

and they work hard. The issue that we are not talking about enough is

why do they come. We have got some unscrupulous employers who are going

abroad and bringing in migrant workers from other countries and

they are working for very low wages and that is causing tensions in

communities. We need to close loopholes that allow that to happen

and if we were able to tackle those issues, all the party should work

towards it, because that can give rise to community tensions. There is

a perception that when it comes to letting in people from other

countries, we are seen as a soft touch. I think the coalition

government has taken measures to control the amount of immigration,

there is more to come. For example, children living abroad will not get

benefits from this government. But when you are the last intervene on

that clip in `` when that last person on the clip said, what can

UKIP do about it, but is a good point, they can do nothing in the

European Parliament. There were 12 MEPs elected, there are six left,

some are imprisoned, some have left the party. My counterpart in the

area, his voting record is 25%, `75%. `` mine is 75%. Your

accusation, Jane Collins, is that you are running a very negative

campaign, financed by a multi`million pound business man. Is

this negative politics? I do not see this, the posters are hard`hitting,

but it is about time someone got hard`hitting and said the facts and

did something about it. I do not agree that UKIP cannot action

anything, we are now dictating British, politics, making things

being discussed that have not been discussed before. I think the

Parliament Parliament should be more `` the European Parliament should be

more open, find out why the books have not been signed for 19 years.

Do you think that everybody in Britain will migrate to other

countries? Everybody? That is what your posters are saying. You are

twisting them message. You say, every pensioner will go and did in

Spain, that is what they say. 1.4 million people have left the country

and 1.4 million people have come in, over the last ten years. The

statistics show that immigration is a net in the `` is a net economic

benefit to the country. We know there is a problem, Ukraine is not

in the European Union, and they are coming in record numbers. So we are

not controlling our borders. UKIP MPs are not there to play the game.

They are there to take the money. They are the eyes and ears of the

British public. They are here, they should be there having influence.

How much influence do the MEPs have in that parliament? We have a

fisheries committee, he appeared once on that in one year. By not

attending, Nigel Farage, how much influence does he have? He is

actually the leader of a party, and he has a busy schedule so it is an

unfair. He is the worst the tender but he had a much different from the

others. It is very easy to gang up on UKIP, but they are setting the

momentum at the moment, they are leading the polls. How worried are

you personally that they are going to take masses of votes from the

Tories? I am not worried at all, we are giving a very positive

impression for Europe, the right message, a sensible message and we

intend to get as many people elected as we can. I think it is right that

people know, we are not going up a new `` on UKIP, I have not discussed

this with my colleagues before the programme, the facts are that UKIP

members do not turn up in Brussels, they do not take part in discussions

and committee work enough and they think that is clever. What is the

good of that, electing anybody who is going to do nothing? There is a

perception that UKIP politicians are saying the things that other

politicians then defender, `` dare not say in the current climate. They

have become the party of protest, they were what the Liberals were in

the past, people think, give them a go. They have a very simple answer.

But they talk about... If we lift the EU, that is the answer to all

our problems, but we have got huge economic crisis. That did not start

because we were members of the European Union, it started with the

global banking crisis. Those issues about people 's jobs and the economy

and getting the country back on its feet, they are much more complex

than a simple issue on in or out of the EU or immigration. It is too

easy to claim simple answers when things are complicated. As some

commentators are predicting a Lib Dem decapitation at this election,

do you fear the worst? The important poll is on the day itself. I do

think it is important, I think the public began to understand that UKIP

does have misleading advertising and it is not dealing with the future

which is about jobs. It is about the economy, about the environment,

transport, a better Europe. A better Britain in Europe, that is all we

are concerned about. Let's hear from some of the other parties standing

in the European elections. We have been out and about on the campaign

trail. We have come to launch our original

manifesto. Arguably, the Greens are having the most visible campaign in

Yorkshire and it is paying off. Some opinion polls say they are pushing

the Liberal Democrats down into fifth place. The Green party is very

strong in Yorkshire and Humber, we have got councillors in Leeds,

Bradford, York, Sheffield, Scarborough, Kirklees, were around

the counsellor. We have built up the strength of the local parties, we

have got people campaigning. We are a lot more visible than we have been

in the past. There is a queue of other minor parties wanting us out.

These are the industry is, right wing and wider immigration. `` the

English Democrats. Opinion poll asked opinion poll shows that people

are sick of mass immigration, and we are a party that campaigns against

it. And from the left, the trade union campaign group, no to EU. They

say the EU supports big business at the expense of workers. Capitalism

is destroying people 's livelihoods. This is the 21st century when 1

million people need to rely on food banks. We have other parties

campaigning, such as the BNP, whose league candidate was ill and could

not be interviews. `` whose lead candidate.

People should vote Conservative because they are going to get reform

in Europe and we are going to give the opportunity through a referendum

which we guarantee, unlike UKIP who would simply leave Europe without

any further debate or indeed the Liberal Democrats who are happy to

put up with anything that Europe throws at us. We have the pragmatic,

practical, best support on this. When people vote they vote on who

represents them on taking decisions on food safety, rights at work, the

enrolment and consuming affairs. They should look at the which best

represents their values. I am very pragmatic and I work on technical

details on legislation, but like the Labour Party, we do that to look

after the best interest of the average working person to make sure

that Europe works for them. I think this is an election between UKIP and

the Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dems believe we should stay in Europe, we

would offer a referendum if there was a change in our relationship

with Europe. This election is about the future and the economy. People

should remember that one in ten jobs in this region depends on the

membership in the single market, and eight out of ten firms in this

country, according to a CBI survey, want us to stay in the European

Union. Then you think about the inward investment, money coming in,

investment in this region, it all depends on our member ship of the

European Union. UKIP wants Britain to be self`governing. It is absurd

to say that you have to be part of a political union to trade. We want to

come out of the EU, into the world, and don't like the other three

parties dressed this up. `` don't let. We want lawmaking bringing at

Westminster and we need to look after the working man and woman in

this country. We are out of time, thank you for your time today.

Voters in the Yorkshire and Humber region, as well as the other regions

across the country, will decide who represents them in the European

Parliament on May 22. Now back to London.

after the working man and woman in this country. We are

Welcome back, let's go straight to our panel. What did you make of Mr

Alexander's defence of the Labour party election broadcast? It is

difficult for them because they started by saying they were not

going to do negative campaigning and they have thrown that away for an

advert which is funny but crude in the class war sense. He didn't look

thrilled to be defending it. There is a page in Tony Blair's memoirs

talking about negative campaigning, and he says that anything too

extreme turns off the average voter so his line of attack on Hague was

funny jokes but... I think this failed the Blair test, it was too

vicious. If your strategy is to shore up your car vote, that advert

was genius. If your strategy is to reach out to a broader number of

voters, Middle Britain, then that advert was a complete disaster. It

looks like there is a lot of negativity and smears all round in

the next year. That definitely looks the way we are going. They will be

essentially trying to re-run by -- the American election. I am slightly

puzzled why we cannot have our own election gurus who live here and

understand the country. I should point out that the ?450 extra VAT

that was claimed in that Labour poster, both Ed Balls and the Labour

Treasury team have said that is ?450 per year. Nonsense the VAT rise, one

year. I should also point out that Nigel Farage said to Norman Smith,

the BBC is always reliable Norman Smith that if you run in Newark and

lost the bubble would burst. I should also point out that although

a number of the tax rises I mentioned on council tax, minimum

wage tax and some other things that UKIP wants to cuts, a couple of

these are in the local manifesto but several are not. They are on the

UKIP website, which is still current and dated 2014. We like to make sure

we are absolutely right. Let's talk about Nick Clegg and Michael Gove

and the latest spat. Let me show you this headline in the Observer this

morning. From both the Independent, he called him a zealot, lunatic is

of -- another word. Do we take this seriously? It hinges on this

question of what counts as an area of need in education. The Lib Dems

say an area of need is one where there are not enough school places

to meet local demand. He says it can also be a place where there are

surplus places but that is for a reason. Local places don't trust

those schools to do a good job for their kids. It surprises me because

there isn't a yawning distance between David Laws and Michael Gove.

David Laws has found himself between a rock and a hard place because I

asked -- as I understand it most Lib Dems don't like the free schools but

Mr laws was quite sympathetic to it and he is now having to this respect

it. When they asked people who are the most hated politicians in a poll

were this week, Michael Gove is off the charts, far above David Cameron

or George Osborne. This is tit-for-tat war. The Liberal

Democrats believe Michael Gove had a hand in leaking the document that

showed Nick Clegg was opposing the tougher Chris Grayling position on

knife crime. They are saying there were Cabinet ministers who never

usually attend the sub Cabinet meeting, they turned up and the

document is leaked so what we are getting is tit for tat on that. It

is inevitable but it is not good for either side of the Coalition. Voters

will look at it and say it is politics of the playground. I read

in the Mail on Sunday this morning that some Tory insiders are accusing

Lib Dems of spreading rumours about the camera in marriage. The

rebuttals of education story is that the free school meals is sucking

money away. I always thought they would work together without fuss and

yet it has been more the source of disagreement then I would have

expected a couple of years ago. Is it serious? It is serious obviously,

using that language, but is it fatal for the Coalition? I think it is a

road bump because I don't think anybody wants to dissolve the

Coalition. It is a challenge for Labour because where do they stand

on the free schools? They invented the Academy programme so it is

difficult for them to take a hands-off approach at this stage.

There was a danger for Michael Gove that he looks ideological but the

danger for the Liberal Democrats is that they are breaking the rules for

the Coalition they said that they wouldn't break which is that they

looked like opposition in government. Is Michael Gove's

position safe? Very safe. If he moves in a reshuffle that will be to

a a job. That's all for today. The Daily Politics will be back on BBC

Two at lunchtime from Tuesday onwards. I'll be back here on BBC

One at 11am next week. Remember if it's Sunday, it's the Sunday

Politics. What if the person

that killed her... I found out she'd been taking drugs.

Just let me explain. You wasn't at that party all night.

Yeah, I was. What was she even doing there?

Oi, you keep your mouth shut. She was exchanging a significant

number of texts and calls with someone in the weeks

leading up to her death. It's like we didn't

really know her at all.