04/12/2011 The Politics Show South

Here in the south: that was the week that was. The Autumn Statement,

the public sector strike at the MP's assistant clear there being a

Russian spy. And were asking of were any better prepared than one

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house. He is looking for them he is looking for them. Been done no good

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My name's Peter Henley. Harold Wilson said a week is a long time

in politics - and if you go by how much got packed in, this last week

has felt very long. We had the autumn statement - we'll be talking

about that later. We had the public sector strike - we'll be talking

about that later. And as the weather started to take a chillier

turn, we had questions about whether we're better prepared this

year for a big freeze - we'll be talking about that later. But first,

the Chancellor's autumn statement. Aside from a few roadbuilding

projects and an improved railway line between Oxford and Bedford,

there didn't seem that much to help rev up the so-called engine of the

economy here in the south. But maybe our guests have spotted

something that will. John Denham, so it under a Labour MP, the leader

of Portsmouth City Council, and, Burns, Bournemouth West,

Conservative MP. There is a scheme in Portsmouth that is getting a lot

of money. Is that evidence of projects that will create growth?

Yes, there is �20 million coming from Government and �13 million has

to be found by the council to open up an area that has been derelict

of the motor way, for redevelopment. We think we will get 1200 homes,

1300 jobs, so a good proposal in an area that has been derelict for

many years. Corer burns, what have you spotted? This is about

delivering for Britain. This is about the Government in very

difficult times trying to release money, so that when growth comes,

the British economy will be in a better position to take advantage

by having improved railway, roads and broadband. We are in very

difficult circumstances with what is going on in the eurozone on our

doorstep, it is not going to be quick, but it is about preparing

but in so that when the economy picks up, the infrastructure is

improved, to enable businesses to take advantage. It feels like a

finger in the dyke when you hear about Mervyn King talking about the

situation with the eurozone. situation is worse than it should

be. One year ago the Chancellor said that if we make deep cuts

quickly in public expenditure we will get more growth and jobs and

we'll get borrowing down. What we have been told this week is that

unemployment is going up, inflation is up, and, far from reducing

borrowing, the Government is going to bore or �158 billion more than

it said one-year record -- to borrow. The Government has got the

central question of the economic strategy wrong. We need people in

work, to pay taxes, to get the deficit down. Youth and -- youth

unemployment improved massively under the last Labour government.

We will be spending more at the end of the Parliament in real terms

than the were at the beginning. Even if we have not eliminated the

structural deficit will not repay any of the national debt that has

accumulated in recent years. Do country was told when you recall,

do this in public expenditure. up with these cuts and unemployment

will come down. He said the corner we will grow, and we will reduce

there might we have to borrow. One year later, all three of those

things are wrong. We did not know that the eurozone would be in the

shambles that it is in. The British economy performed worse than all

but three eurozone countries. When you see projects like the one you

described in Portsmouth, who is paying for it? Low-income working

families. Decisions taken this week mean that a family on the minimum

wage will lose a week and-a-half's worth of wages. It is surely wrong

of the Lib Dems and the Tories to single out families that were, to

suffer so much. -- that poor. Alexander was asked how he was

going to go into this next election, promising growth or saying that

there will have to be more cuts after the election? He says, more

covers. You work -- can you going back with Conservatives actually

saying that? To that you will have to go in promising more cuts.

year that I haven't the cows on Portsmouth under either Labour or

Conservative governments, we have had to find cuts. Every year, the

public expenditure round seems to reduce the amount of money going to

local government. It is about the debt that each and every one of us

carries. You can only pay for it, but you cannot pay for it by going

further into debt. Every family knows that is the route to disaster.

The problem we have caught is that economies across Europe have been

doing extremely badly and we have been caught up and that. You cannot

insulate us, we are part of the world, and of the world economy is

going through a tough time, the British economy is, too. We have

ended up borrowing �158 billion more than he said when you ago, but

to get them down you have got to get people into work and paying

taxes. Politicians across Europe have got to face up to this grim

situation we face, and if we thought this week was bad, if the

eurozone actually collapsed, we have knife-edge talks this week it

will be worse than anything we have heard this year and we will all

have to take that into account. Corner Burns, the foundations for

the future, this is still going to be miles away. Where will the jobs

come from? It will come from growth. We have got Greek levels of debt

but we are able to borrow at German levels of interest rates because

the markets are confident in what we have announced in terms of the

austerity package and debt reduction. That is going to be

important in stabilising what is going on. One thing the public

wants is total honesty and that is what they got this week from Danny

Alexander and George Osborne in the reality of where we are, that this

will go on beyond the next election. They want us to be honest, and not

to pretend there is an easy solution, because there isn't.

be said when you are going is that if you cut public spending too fast,

your lender where we are today. I hope the Government has the

humility to recognise it did not get everything right. I am in

favour of bringing forward investment in capital. We need to

do more of it more quickly. We need a cut in VAT to put money in

people's pockets, and I would like to see a much bigger tax levied on

bank bonuses to help fund its jobs for that crucial generation of

young people face in long-term unemployment. -- facing long-term

unemployment. That was Tuesday - moving on to Wednesday, it was the

public sector strike. Billed as the biggest protest for thirty years,

just how did it impact on the south of England? Ian Paul reports.

Thousands of public sector workers took to the streets across the

region, but the effects were patchy. Despite the much-trailed

possibility of meltdown at the UK borders, getting through passport

control at Gatwick was no worse than usual. It was pretty easy to

get through. There was no queues on nothing. More than 1,000 schools

closed their doors, which gave many parents childcare headaches. As a

mother who works, to have to arrange alternative charter, it is

very inconvenient. In the health service, many non-urgent operations

and outpatient appointments were cancelled, 300 in Salisbury alone.

It did not take long for the spin to start. According to the Prime

Minister it was a damp squib. According to the TUC general-

secretary Brendan Barber, an unprecedented day for the Labour

movement. Film is from Unison joins us now. -- Phil Willis. Many people

striking who had never been on at day's strike before, will that last

in their memory, and do you intend to take people out again? It will

be huge in it people's memories. Whether we take people have as we

go again it will depend on the offers the Government eventually

gets round to making us. We will consult our members and on the

basis of that we will decide what action we need to take in future.

Many of the people who were out on strike resented having to be out on

strike, not presenting the union for being out a strike but for the

Government, for forcing them into that position. Only 18% of council

workers Inst -- in Portsmouth had been out us right. My understanding

is that numbers were higher than that. What about Heathrow and

Gatwick? Ind in the ambulance service, for example, there were

not many people out there. We did not bring ambulance drivers out,

all mass. Could you not just a goal it's right for 15 minutes like

Francis Maude suggested? It was the first time that a Tory Government

had said people should go on strike. Francis Maude was recommending

people to go out on strike. That shows the silly position we are in.

The Government is still making off was that substantially reduced the

pay of Unison members and other union members right across the

public sector. And that is what people resent. People also resent

not being able to talk about the losses they will sustain as a

result of Government action. the answer to this is economic

growth, you have damaged economic growth on act one day. It is a bit

like having a royal wedding, it will damage the economy, for one

day, but the damage done to the economy with austerity has been

massively greater than the damage done by this one day strike.

Posterity has not work. You do not develop growth by stopping public

expenditure. Why should the Government make the public sector a

special case? We are not asking for that. You are, because the private

sector does not offer the same level pensions. The private sector

has systematically taken away these pension schemes for low-paid

workers will stock that has kept them all higher-paid workers, it

has kept them for the senior bankers who caused the recession.

50% of directors and that C 100 companies are still in receipt of

defined benefit pension schemes. In the private sector, it has been

taken away. The TUC is clear. We believe any sensible government

should be getting people to provide a penchant for their security to.

People are living longer and are going to any pensions. And we're

all going to have to pay for it, somehow. A year ago this week, the

south was gripped by the chaos that traditionally follows a heavy

snowfall. Lots of talk at the time about how lessons had been learned

- but have they? Nicola Murray's been finding out if we're any

better prepared this time than we were last time. Almost one year ago,

to the day, it was covered with snow. Across the south, thousands

of people had to endure 48 hours of the white stuff, and freezing

temperatures. Flights were rounded, trains cancelled, driving

conditions make treacherous. And put thousands of children, it was a

winter Wonderland, with the majority of schools forced to close.

Last year was exceptional, and took us by surprise. We had planned for

grit and everything, but it overwhelm us, several feet of snow,

again and again, so even though we worked amazing miracles including

the snow, days later, it would all arrive again. That was last year.

The question now is, are we better prepared this time around? Having

been caught short when you recall, local authorities have much larger

supplies of salt. Hampshire County Council has increased its stocks by

50%. It has installed 200 extra salt bins, and all of that does not

come cheap. So on businesses love the snow more than children love

sledging on it. This might look bikes no, but I am at Southampton

docks. One company is looking to make big bucks out of freezing

conditions. It does not just distribute salt, it is also the

biggest importer in the country. Supplies are brought in by ships

from Sardinia, and India. We have 5,000 tonnes we have to distribute

around the UK. People have ordered early, and are more prepared, so

people who have approached the company are able to buy it and

store it you, and they can access it, when required. That might be

the roads taken care of, but what about schools? 700 had to close

their doors across Hampshire this time last year. Our pupils, parents

and teachers better prepared in at 2011 F temperatures plummet and

snowfalls? We are keen on having our own resources in terms of salt

and it. We have produced a are on, to be very self-sufficient. That

will be used referred the winter, because on any icy day we would be

using sold around the site. come we keep getting caught out by

the weather? Forecasting rain or snow cannot be that difficult. All

you need is a room full of computers, a formula, and a team of

boffins. But it is not that simple, according to the European Centre

for Medium Range weather forecasts, based in Reading. We used the basic

laws of physics and mathematics. You programme that in a computer

and you calculate the weather. We cannot describe every detail of the

weather. And sooner or later, that gives us errors in the forecast.

There is always one group who never seemed to get it wrong, the

bookmakers. It has been an exceptionally mild winter, but

Ladbrokes has more than half its ports for a white Christmas in less

than a week, from 10-1, down to 4-1. Rely on data from the British

weather data services. We take into account how many people have had a

bit on snow falling on Christmas Day, in the these locations. So

cutting the odds means that people have had their it's, and it also

means that the data provided -- have had their it's, and it means

that the data provided says there is more of a chance of snow than

there was two weeks ago. The last time the bookies paid out for a

white Christmas was back in 1999. The single snow fall has to fall on

the roof of the Met Office in London on Christmas Day, and that

has only happened 10 times in the last century. Who do you trust? The

meteorological computer, or Ladbrokes, the vetting people? I

think crowd saucing is not a bad way off -- the betting people. --

crowd sourcing. Do we have to build more slack into the system? We have

to be more flexible. There are lots of people able to work from home

now, which was not the case previously. This time last year,

this was the day which had the biggest impact. Most businesses

found they came to a halt for two or three days, then came back to

normal. Generally speaking, This year, businesses are gearing up to

what could happen. They are resilient enough to stand the loss

of takings are not able to get staff in? It is interesting, some

of the figures suggest the losses to the economy over one week could

be anything up to five or �6 billion. In 2009, the net loss was

in the region of 30 billion-35 billion. Last year that those,

because the big freeze to call for a longer period. -- last year, that

rose. Our budget now will be �5 billion, for this year. And that

shows an increase from 2 million, only three years ago. So we have

made quite an investment. We have trebled sought stocks, beyond the

maximum that the Government lays down. We have grip Benn's, 2,000

more. -- grit bins. We would be able to do continuous sorting on

major roads for 15 days -- salting. It is it that of a punt. What if it

doesn't happen, have you wasted the money? Last year was a one in 100

years event. The year before was a one in 100 years event, so, are we

looking at 200 years of moderate weather? That is a statistical

problem! What about a snow plough a blaze? Snow shovels been given out

to parish councils. You are trying to encourage people to do things

for themselves. Can these challenges encourage innovation and

people pulling together in business? We have 2,000 businesses

in Hampshire, there is plenty of innovation going on there, it is

good to hear about enervated by the is coming forward. As far as

businesses are concerned they just want to be kept on the move and

kept informed. One of the key things that came out of last year

was the communications process. It is important that there is that

information continuously flowing. Because of the World Wide Web,

there is no reason that that should not be able to happen. We did get

notice of the snow coming. This year, we are more geared up. It is

good news for business. In Southampton, there are some

investments going on. What I also want to point out is that

businesses will be pleased to hear local authorities are publishing

their winter maintenance service leaflets. Southampton has prepares

up on the way in recent weeks. That means businesses cannot that,

because they have the information. So the promises that things will be

better this year, than last? I will say yes, but keep my fingers

crossed! Another chill wind that blew into Portsmouth on this

weekend last year was the allegation that Portsmouth MP Mike

Hancock's assistant was a Russian spy. That allegation was thrown out

this week, and on the morning the decision was announced, I went and

interviewed the Lib Dem MP. Over 18 months, the health of Mike Hancock

has suffered. The revelation of an affair with his Russian researcher

forced his resignation from the Commons select committee. Are I had

known for a long period of time, when this first came up and she was

first detained, she said, what should I do? Icy, have you done

anything wrong, and she said no, and they said, no, in Britain, we

fight these things, we do not get into the Establishment and the

system. You took on someone from Russia. You had a relationship with

her. In that situation have you not compromised security or you're

position? I do not believe that to be the case. If I thought there was

any shadow of evidence to prove to the contrary, then Katia

Zatuliveter would not have continue to work for me. The security forces

on no occasion suggested to me that she should not continue to work for

me. In fact, she was vetted twice by the House of Commons. She had a

visa moved twice and the security services did not object. Dig the

security services and opera our relationship? I think they did,

they you everything else. But the first time Katia Zatuliveter or

myself was contacted was when the security forces wanted her to work

for them. Do you think someone was trying to get to you, politically,

through this? I think there is a little bit of that. There is a

leading journalist and political adviser who told me they had been

led to believe that News International, that this was about

getting to me, which is sad, isn't it, and trying to get any, because

at that time, I was being very much against the coalition. I was

waiting for things I believe to be right, for my constituents. I did

not want to compromise to my political masters or to be

persuaded by the security services to stop. I was just working hard

for my constituents. This has taken its toll on your health. Will you

still want to be the MP for Portsmouth after this election?

Tory opponents have been wishing you to politics for a long time.

Come the next election, I might be close to 70 and I have to think

then, long and hard. But you have not made your mind up? No, I have

it. He is a survivor! The Christmas tree outside Number 10 is from