:00:00. > :00:00.Hello and welcome to Wednesday's Look East.
:00:07. > :00:12.Businesses, farmers, and MPs give us their reaction
:00:13. > :00:17.And tell us their priorities for the next government.
:00:18. > :00:22.police and fire officers move in together in Bedfordshire
:00:23. > :00:27.England Captain and Saints star Dylan Hartley
:00:28. > :00:38.as he fails to make the squad for the British Lions tour.
:00:39. > :00:44.And I'm in Northamptonshire where today they are commemorating the men
:00:45. > :00:46.from the shoemakers regiment who died 100 years ago at the Battle of
:00:47. > :00:53.Gaza. So now we know there will be
:00:54. > :00:58.a general election on June 8th. With all of our MPs supporting
:00:59. > :01:01.the vote in the Commons today. Which went through with
:01:02. > :01:03.an overwhelming majority. It comes two weeks before
:01:04. > :01:06.our local elections and almost 12 months
:01:07. > :01:08.after the referendum decision So what will be
:01:09. > :01:14.the main election issues be Kate Bradbrook has this
:01:15. > :01:31.reaction from the region's Making sheet metal, this Stevenage
:01:32. > :01:35.-based company is a main supplier for Airbus and while the space
:01:36. > :01:40.programme here continues to make history, events at Westminster today
:01:41. > :01:51.are what businesses in our region are talking of it about. Its alarm.
:01:52. > :01:55.Its uncertainty again. The economy could suffer because it is the
:01:56. > :02:00.unknown and people don't want to spend money, they hold onto their
:02:01. > :02:08.funds. At the it is a scary situation but we will have to see
:02:09. > :02:13.how it pans out. Of the A-1 in Huntington, a shock for this
:02:14. > :02:22.engineering firm making crash dummies used in the automotive
:02:23. > :02:25.industry. This is going to be a golden opportunity for the
:02:26. > :02:33.government, having thought and listen to business, to make the
:02:34. > :02:39.right choice and make the right decision and, yes, we are leaving
:02:40. > :02:45.but we are not abandoning Europe. That is important for us. This
:02:46. > :02:52.afternoon, the Commons overwhelmingly called Theresa May's
:02:53. > :02:59.call for a vote. -- overwhelmingly backed. One issue, netting the
:03:00. > :03:07.agenda. It is not just about Brexit. A lot of them voted Remain. A lot of
:03:08. > :03:12.them like me voted for Brexit. What we are saying in my party is that it
:03:13. > :03:17.is time to get on with that process and give the Prime Minister is
:03:18. > :03:23.stronger and. With her slim majority she has a group of 30 Tory MPs who
:03:24. > :03:30.are very firm on it who are able to hold her over a barrel. If she comes
:03:31. > :03:35.back with a majority over 100 plus, she will have legions of lobby
:03:36. > :03:40.fodder to allow her to implement whatever Brexit she secretly
:03:41. > :03:44.prefers. For Labour in our region other issues need to be addressed. I
:03:45. > :03:49.want the kind of Brexit that is going to do deliver for people in my
:03:50. > :03:55.constituency. But there are many other areas, welfare, the NHS,
:03:56. > :04:01.education, house building. Seven weeks today, the country goes to the
:04:02. > :04:04.poll, the clock is now ticking for those on all sides.
:04:05. > :04:06.It's not just manufacturers who are looking ahead
:04:07. > :04:08.to what another general election will mean
:04:09. > :04:11.Emma Baugh has been to Wisbech and Chatteris
:04:12. > :04:23.Planting potatoes in the fields around Chatteris, this family have
:04:24. > :04:27.farmed across Fenland for generations. They hope the election
:04:28. > :04:34.will give a mandate for the future whoever wins. Generally speaking,
:04:35. > :04:38.talking as a farmer, we need a level playing field with the rest of the
:04:39. > :04:42.world, the rest of Europe, all our competitors. We don't need a lot of
:04:43. > :04:47.intervention, just to get on with our job with as little red tape as
:04:48. > :04:50.possible. I'd like to see the government help farmers like
:04:51. > :04:56.ourselves to look after the environment and maintain it. Also to
:04:57. > :05:00.encourage children in schools to go into agriculture and get into
:05:01. > :05:04.farming. Wisbech, the capital of the fence has for years called for
:05:05. > :05:11.better transport links and job opportunities. Key areas for winning
:05:12. > :05:15.votes. Here, 71% voted to leave the EU but while Brexit is a factor, it
:05:16. > :05:19.wouldn't be right to say it is the only issue that is important to
:05:20. > :05:24.people here. I think the election should really be a bit more about
:05:25. > :05:28.the lack of funding in the NHS and the lack of funding of the community
:05:29. > :05:35.services and education. Mental health issues. Because there's lots
:05:36. > :05:39.of things around here that they don't do. People with as Burgess,
:05:40. > :05:43.they don't have anything for that around here. I'd like to see more
:05:44. > :05:48.jobs and a better living wage. I'd like them to see what the general
:05:49. > :05:52.public thing. It is a good idea. Whether you are in the capital of
:05:53. > :05:56.the Fens are one of the thousands who work the fields here, it's hoped
:05:57. > :05:57.whoever wins will give a secure future for this generation and the
:05:58. > :05:59.next. So farmers, small businesses,
:06:00. > :06:02.exporters - all looking for
:06:03. > :06:04.certainty and stability from whoever is elected
:06:05. > :06:07.to lead the next government. from Cambridgeshire
:06:08. > :06:11.Chambers of Commerce feel about the prospect
:06:12. > :06:16.of another election. Well, I think there's a level
:06:17. > :06:20.of surprise because certainly we weren't expecting at this stage
:06:21. > :06:23.but I think there's a very positive thing and most of the businesses
:06:24. > :06:26.that I've talked to believe it is positive because we do need
:06:27. > :06:31.a good stable government to be able to ensure that we get the right deal
:06:32. > :06:36.from the Brexit situation. But by having a new government,
:06:37. > :06:39.or even a different type of government, it doesn't
:06:40. > :06:42.necessarily mean stability, does it? And, of course, no one can
:06:43. > :06:46.predict what's going There's lots of forecasts
:06:47. > :06:51.but we all know that these don't always seem to be accurate
:06:52. > :06:53.but I think the key thing is that the Brexit situation caught
:06:54. > :06:56.many people by surprise. Particularly in Cambridge
:06:57. > :07:00.there was concern over that. So, I think now, what were looking
:07:01. > :07:02.for, is the right people in the right place to be able
:07:03. > :07:05.to negotiate the correct deal for the UK and ensure we can
:07:06. > :07:09.continue to trade internationally So, what are businesses
:07:10. > :07:16.in this region after then? Well, the key thing is that there
:07:17. > :07:19.are a lot of fundamentals that we need to know and understand,
:07:20. > :07:21.particularly in relation to the security of European workers
:07:22. > :07:27.who are already here, who we have to recruit between now
:07:28. > :07:30.and the Brexit actually coming into place and,
:07:31. > :07:34.obviously, to ensure that we can continue to have a flow of European
:07:35. > :07:40.workers coming into the country. But this election isn't
:07:41. > :07:44.just about Brexit. No, it's not about Brexit
:07:45. > :07:46.alone, it's obviously I think there will be other factors
:07:47. > :07:51.that come into play but, ultimately, of course,
:07:52. > :07:53.it is wealth creation We need to ensure that the economic
:07:54. > :08:01.conditions are right for businesses to continue to succeed in the way
:08:02. > :08:04.that they have, particularly in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
:08:05. > :08:07.over so many years because that's all that generates the money that
:08:08. > :08:10.everybody else uses to supply and deal with all the other things
:08:11. > :08:15.that we need. Our political correspondent
:08:16. > :08:17.Andrew Sinclair watched today's vote unfold in Westminster
:08:18. > :08:36.and he joins us from there now. In a sense, campaigning has already
:08:37. > :08:43.begun. A number ever please -- a number of MPs have said they have
:08:44. > :08:48.accepted more invitations in their constituencies. Expect a raft of
:08:49. > :08:52.legislation and big political speeches, all seen through the prism
:08:53. > :08:56.of the forthcoming election. I think they will get the local elections
:08:57. > :09:01.out of the way and the mayoral elections in Cambridgeshire in a
:09:02. > :09:04.fortnight's time. Then Parliament will be dissolved and manifestos
:09:05. > :09:11.will be published and campaigning proper will begin. What will be in
:09:12. > :09:15.those manifestos? There's a big debate underway about what should be
:09:16. > :09:19.in the Conservative Party manifesto. I know that promised to introduce
:09:20. > :09:24.grammar schools will definitely be in there. So too will a promise to
:09:25. > :09:29.spend more money on science and research. What will happen to all
:09:30. > :09:33.the promises made by David Cameron and George Osborne? The promised to
:09:34. > :09:37.ring fence foreign aid, the prominence to keep the Jupp Alloh on
:09:38. > :09:45.pensions, the promise to never increase taxes? -- to keep the
:09:46. > :09:49.triple lock. Will those stay? Nevertheless, they will talk about
:09:50. > :09:56.fair taxation. That could mean tax rises for some people. It will also
:09:57. > :10:00.mean more talk about spending on public services. The people over the
:10:01. > :10:04.road have handed control of their future over to others the voters and
:10:05. > :10:08.no one can be 100% sure what will happen now.
:10:09. > :10:11.Staying with politics and next month sees the start of a new chapter
:10:12. > :10:15.when they elect their first ever mayor.
:10:16. > :10:17.The region has been given extra powers
:10:18. > :10:19.under a new ?800 million pound devolution deal.
:10:20. > :10:24.will be transferred away from Whitehall to the new mayor.
:10:25. > :10:27.Seven candidates are in the running and over the next few days,
:10:28. > :10:30.they'll be telling us why they should be elected.
:10:31. > :10:33.Tonight we hear from UKIP's candidate.
:10:34. > :10:36.The former RAF officer and magistrate
:10:37. > :10:40.says he'll prioritise local people for local homes.
:10:41. > :10:43.Our political reporter Mousumi Bakshi put Paul Bullen
:10:44. > :10:50.I'm Paul Bullen, I'm running for the UK Independence Party
:10:51. > :10:53.and if I'm elected as mayor, I will bring direct democracy back
:10:54. > :10:59.What would be the one big new idea that Paul Bullen would bring
:11:00. > :11:05.It's not a new idea but what I would like to see is a unitary authority.
:11:06. > :11:10.I think that the local people should have their say on what happens
:11:11. > :11:13.locally and I will very much be open to talking to people.
:11:14. > :11:25.You're running to become mayor of Cambridge, you are obviously
:11:26. > :11:27.Where is your favourite place to go here?
:11:28. > :11:29.I think my favourite place is St Ives.
:11:30. > :11:32.It's a very quaint market town, it has a very picturesque river
:11:33. > :11:35.setting and it has everything there that you could want.
:11:36. > :11:38.Can you tell us how much money has been put aside for affordable
:11:39. > :11:41.Under the Devo deal the government have guaranteed 170 Million,
:11:42. > :11:44.70 million of which will be going to the Cambridge city
:11:45. > :11:47.and the rest will be spent by the mayor in the rest
:11:48. > :11:52.Because I'm a realist, I'm honest, I will tell them
:11:53. > :12:05.I will not promise the people of Cambridge anything
:12:06. > :12:10.What I do promise them is that I will do the very best
:12:11. > :12:14.and if I make a promise I will keep to the promise and I will deliver
:12:15. > :12:18.Tell us one thing that people might not know about you.
:12:19. > :12:20.One thing that people might not know about me.
:12:21. > :12:22.Probably where I come from, which is Liverpool.
:12:23. > :12:24.What sets you apart from all the other candidates?
:12:25. > :12:27.If I am elected as mayor, I don't care what central government
:12:28. > :12:31.want me to do because what I will do is what I think is best
:12:32. > :12:33.for the people of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and what the people
:12:34. > :12:36.of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough want.
:12:37. > :12:39.Tomorrow night we're broadcasting a special programme called
:12:40. > :12:42.A Mayor for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
:12:43. > :12:51.And a new approach to how our emergency services work together
:12:52. > :12:56.From today, police officers will be based
:12:57. > :13:00.in community fire stations in Bedford and Ampthill.
:13:01. > :13:03.The force says it will help with closer working between
:13:04. > :13:08.And means officers can stay close to communities,
:13:09. > :13:10.rather than having to travel back to police HQ,
:13:11. > :13:24.Here at Bedford fire station, you'd expect to find Aird, one of 75
:13:25. > :13:28.firefighters based here but he'll be joined by Paul and several other
:13:29. > :13:35.police officers all part of a national drive to share national
:13:36. > :13:41.resources. We have much better and closer relationship if we are
:13:42. > :13:44.co-located. As well as police, a voluntary search and rescue group
:13:45. > :13:51.and a road victim 's charity will be based here, keeping costs down. We
:13:52. > :13:55.are already paying for the fire station. Those organisations joining
:13:56. > :14:00.as will pay for their part of it to offset our costs to make sure we are
:14:01. > :14:05.not increasing costs by collaboration and partnership. It is
:14:06. > :14:10.claimed there will be huge benefits in reducing crime. One of the most
:14:11. > :14:17.important things we have here is our crime prevention and reduction stuff
:14:18. > :14:21.coming together and working with specialists regarding arson
:14:22. > :14:25.reduction. We can share our information with fire colleagues and
:14:26. > :14:30.find ways to prevent such crimes taking place. It's a similar story
:14:31. > :14:36.half an hour away. Here in Ampthill, there was a police station but it
:14:37. > :14:38.closed two years ago. From today, two police officers will be
:14:39. > :14:45.permanently based here at the finest H. There will be no front desk
:14:46. > :14:49.facilities for the public but it does mean that officers will no
:14:50. > :14:54.longer face a 20 minute drive back to base. I think it will be a good
:14:55. > :14:58.idea for local communities and safer. It'd be better if there was
:14:59. > :15:04.an allocated police station here but it's better than nothing. I think it
:15:05. > :15:09.saving money by closing the police station so it's good if they are
:15:10. > :15:15.going to base to policeman here. It means more mobile officers out on
:15:16. > :15:21.the road logging in on laptops. Alongside this, there are plans for
:15:22. > :15:26.four more officers to move into fire stations around the counties.
:15:27. > :15:28.You're watching Look East from the BBC.
:15:29. > :15:31.Coming up - Alex will be here with a full weather forecast
:15:32. > :15:33.and we're live at Franklin's Gardens after
:15:34. > :15:39.England captain Dylan Hartley is left out of the Lions squad.
:15:40. > :15:42.100 years ago today 139 men from
:15:43. > :15:46.the the 4th Territorial Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment
:15:47. > :15:51.The regiment was known locally as the "Shoemakers",
:15:52. > :15:54.as many of the soldiers worked in the industry
:15:55. > :15:59.This afternoon a special service has taken place to remember the men
:16:00. > :16:16.In this short service, the men of the fourth territorial battalion
:16:17. > :16:21.were remembered. One of those who lost their lives 100 years ago today
:16:22. > :16:31.was this man James Allen, brother of Nelly. It's my connection with the
:16:32. > :16:36.wars and to me, after was always forgotten, when they were
:16:37. > :16:42.celebrating, and everything. Gaza was never mentioned. It is now. And
:16:43. > :16:46.the long and distinguished history of the Northamptonshire Regiment,
:16:47. > :16:52.including the role of the 4th Battalion, is here at Abington Park
:16:53. > :16:56.busy. These boards show the name of every Northamptonshire man who died
:16:57. > :17:02.in the Great War but 100 years ago today 139 men from the 4th Battalion
:17:03. > :17:05.died in the second Battle of Gaza. This battle was particularly
:17:06. > :17:12.difficult for the shoe makers as they confronted the Turkish army in
:17:13. > :17:16.open desert. They suffered horrendous casualties and when the
:17:17. > :17:21.news filtered back to Northamptonshire, it affected an
:17:22. > :17:26.awful lot of people. 139 fatal casualties on that day and many
:17:27. > :17:30.hundreds more wounded. What was it that made it such a bad day for
:17:31. > :17:37.them? What made the casualty lists so high? The main effect was the
:17:38. > :17:44.terrain they fought in, open desert, the fact that wounded men cut off
:17:45. > :17:49.couldn't walk back, they needed to crawl back away until it got dark
:17:50. > :17:55.and a lot of soldiers bled to death, died of their wounds, waiting to be
:17:56. > :17:59.evacuated as it got dark. The story of the Shoemakers battalion is told
:18:00. > :18:04.in this new book and its hope today's commemorations will prompt
:18:05. > :18:05.more people to come forward with their stories of Northamptonshire's
:18:06. > :18:09.unsung heroes. Three rugby players from the region
:18:10. > :18:11.have been selected on the British
:18:12. > :18:14.and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand. Northampton Saints'
:18:15. > :18:17.Courtney Lawes and George North, along with Norfolk's Ben Youngs
:18:18. > :18:20.are to be part of the 41-Man squad. But there's no place
:18:21. > :18:22.for the England captain, Let's cross live to
:18:23. > :18:27.Franklin's Gardens now and join our sports
:18:28. > :18:40.reporter James Burridge. It's an undoubted blow but I don't
:18:41. > :18:44.think it's hugely surprising for Dylan Hartley. A lot of speculation
:18:45. > :18:48.over the last few weeks and last week he said he didn't want to get
:18:49. > :18:53.his hopes up in case he suffered disappointment. He was talking more
:18:54. > :19:01.about England's tautological Tina. Why wasn't he picked? He's always
:19:02. > :19:05.been playing 50 minutes out of 80. There's been huge pressure from
:19:06. > :19:11.Jamie George of Saracens who is going on the tour. They are missing
:19:12. > :19:18.a man who has led England with distinction, over 80 caps, he has
:19:19. > :19:22.won a premiership title, invaluable mouse and experience. Many are
:19:23. > :19:26.suffering from disquiet that you wouldn't want to bring Dylan Hartley
:19:27. > :19:29.to one of the toughest places to play on tour, New Zealand.
:19:30. > :19:31.But, James, there is good news for Saints -
:19:32. > :19:34.Courtney Lawes and George North have both been selected.
:19:35. > :19:43.George North made a name for himself on the last tour to Argentina. He
:19:44. > :19:49.has had problems with concussion but a fully fitted George North can be
:19:50. > :19:52.devastating. A big moment for Courtney Lawes, Northampton through
:19:53. > :19:55.and through, an outstanding six Nations and is due to play a key
:19:56. > :19:57.part. If you didn't already know
:19:58. > :20:00.it's the London Marathon on Sunday and this week we are hearing
:20:01. > :20:02.the stories of runners Her personal experience has
:20:03. > :20:08.helped change the lives of child amputees
:20:09. > :20:11.all over the world. The joy has been taken out
:20:12. > :20:16.of spring for Victoria. April is a painful time and this one
:20:17. > :20:20.is one of the hardest. Ten years ago, she was in
:20:21. > :20:23.hospital having given birth It should have been the best day
:20:24. > :20:29.of her life and she was looking forward to receiving visitors,
:20:30. > :20:31.including her mother. She popped to see me briefly the day
:20:32. > :20:34.after Rollo's birthday, which was the moment she met him
:20:35. > :20:38.and had 10-15 minutes with him. Then she was intending to come
:20:39. > :20:40.back the following day And that morning she was walking
:20:41. > :20:46.into the bus station with Sarah, my twin sister, and Pollyanna,
:20:47. > :20:51.my niece and, very tragically, Victoria's mother Elizabeth
:20:52. > :20:59.was killed and her sister and niece That horrible thing that happened
:21:00. > :21:08.that day has been turned Victoria and her sister Sarah
:21:09. > :21:15.set up a charity called Elizabeth's Legacy Of Hope,
:21:16. > :21:18.the aim to give new limbs to child In ten years, they've changed
:21:19. > :21:24.the lives of 250 children. We've learnt about amputation
:21:25. > :21:26.through having an amputee Knowing just how very
:21:27. > :21:39.difficult that is. Thousands and thousands of children
:21:40. > :21:42.in very poor parts of the world, they are literally subject
:21:43. > :21:44.to sitting on the ground and that, coupled with the stigma
:21:45. > :21:46.of being a disabled child in very poor parts of the world,
:21:47. > :21:49.leaves them, often, being sent On Sunday, an April morning,
:21:50. > :21:58.V will be running her fourth She will be running it
:21:59. > :22:01.for her mother who died And for her niece Pollyanna
:22:02. > :22:06.and she'll be running it so little Good luck to everyone running the
:22:07. > :22:15.marathon this Sunday. It was a chilly start to the day
:22:16. > :22:28.today but what does the rest Lots of fine weather across the
:22:29. > :22:33.region today and it felt a little bit warmer with temperatures up
:22:34. > :22:40.around 13 degrees. A beautiful scene here, a bluebell wood in Hitchin in
:22:41. > :22:46.Hertfordshire. Also, some lovely coastal sunshine. It's going to be a
:22:47. > :22:53.chilly night with clear sky. Over the first part of the night, a lot
:22:54. > :22:56.of clear sky. We could have temperatures close to freezing with
:22:57. > :23:02.the risk of a touch of Frost. But by the end of the night, more cloud
:23:03. > :23:07.coming in from the north so those temperatures rising, for some up
:23:08. > :23:11.around seven or 8 degrees at the start of the day. Generally,
:23:12. > :23:17.tomorrow, a lot more cloud around. Still high-pressure holding on so
:23:18. > :23:22.fairly settled. Not a huge amount of rain. The weather front will
:23:23. > :23:29.introduce a lot more cloud throughout the day. Slight spells of
:23:30. > :23:35.drizzle through the day but a good deal of dry weather. Temperatures
:23:36. > :23:41.likely to climb to around 14 degrees with a light west to south-westerly
:23:42. > :23:47.wind. Although it remains cloudy, it looks as though it will stay rather
:23:48. > :23:55.dry. Then all change, this weather front introducing much cooler air. A
:23:56. > :24:02.cool northerly wind establishing itself for the weekend. Into the
:24:03. > :24:06.weekend, temperatures are slightly lower, certainly for Saturday at
:24:07. > :24:11.around 11 with a lot of cloud around. The bit more sunshine on
:24:12. > :24:17.Sunday so hopefully temperatures recovering. Chilly for the first
:24:18. > :24:20.part of the night but then slightly higher temperatures just heading
:24:21. > :24:23.down a little bit again by the weekend.
:24:24. > :24:25.That's all from us here in Cambridge for now.
:24:26. > :24:29.I'll be back with the late news at 10.30 but, from all of us here,