:00:00. > :00:09.The headlines tonight: The Lincolnshire fighter jets
:00:10. > :00:14.preparing to patrol the skies, as tensions mount in Eastern Europe.
:00:15. > :00:16.It's not in response to any specific threat.
:00:17. > :00:18.It's rather a fundamental component of how Nato defends
:00:19. > :00:24.Ukip representatives say they're still relevant -
:00:25. > :00:31.despite their only MP leaving the party.
:00:32. > :00:37.It should eventually feel warmer tomorrow will stop but what about
:00:38. > :00:44.the rest of the week? Join me for the updated forecast.
:00:45. > :00:46.It's one of the biggest deployments in Eastern Europe
:00:47. > :00:52.Aircraft and personnel from Lincolnshire are being sent
:00:53. > :00:55.to Romania to protect the airspace over Europe.
:00:56. > :00:58.RAF fighters from Coningsby will work with forces
:00:59. > :01:03.It's due to escalating tension between Russia and the West.
:01:04. > :01:10.A build-up of tanks, first by Russia on its border,
:01:11. > :01:15.then on the other side, in Poland, by the West.
:01:16. > :01:19.An increase in tension which follows Russia's 2014 armed takeover
:01:20. > :01:23.of the then Ukrainian state, the Crimea.
:01:24. > :01:27.It's a move which this year has seen an increase in forces on both sides
:01:28. > :01:30.of Europe's eastern border, and one which is about to include
:01:31. > :01:34.jets and personnel from Lincolnshire's RAF Coningsby.
:01:35. > :01:36.Today, 200 tonnes of equipment on its way to Romania,
:01:37. > :01:39.from where up to six of the airbase's Typhoons
:01:40. > :01:49.It's showing reassurance, but also a degree of deterrence.
:01:50. > :01:51.Deterrence against aggression or the threat of aggression.
:01:52. > :01:55.But also it shows our ability to demonstrate collective resolve.
:01:56. > :01:59.There are about 200 tonnes leaving today by land going down to RAF
:02:00. > :02:02.Wittering and then forward on to the ports.
:02:03. > :02:04.Following that we will be supplying the Romanian
:02:05. > :02:11.Following Russian incursions into European airspace in 2015,
:02:12. > :02:15.last year the Ministry of Defence announced RAF Coningsby's Typhoons
:02:16. > :02:18.would fly to Romania, to help patrol above it
:02:19. > :02:23.and neighbouring countries once under Russian influence.
:02:24. > :02:28.This month the UK also deployed 120 troops to the Baltic state Estonia
:02:29. > :02:34.in one of the biggest British deployments to the area in decades.
:02:35. > :02:38.But all of this military action has prompted criticism,
:02:39. > :02:41.with some saying it's also inflaming Russia's own border fears.
:02:42. > :02:45.The risk is if you get a high state of tension
:02:46. > :02:47.across a common border area, then you can get mistakes.
:02:48. > :02:53.The acronym for this is AIM - Accidents, Incidents and Mavericks -
:02:54. > :02:58.where you might have patrols which accidentally stray
:02:59. > :03:01.That can lead to major problems and this is the risk
:03:02. > :03:06.And one which in some ways has to be avoided.
:03:07. > :03:10.RAF Coningsby's role in setting up a British airbase away from home
:03:11. > :03:13.for just four months will be a huge logistical exercise.
:03:14. > :03:17.But those in charge also know that the real challenge is to ensure
:03:18. > :03:20.that tensions on the border with Russia don't
:03:21. > :03:31.Tonight I spoke to Ian Shields, a former RAF Group Captain
:03:32. > :03:33.and now a lecturer in International Relations
:03:34. > :03:39.I asked him what was the goal of this deployment.
:03:40. > :03:45.It's all about showing that we mean what we say.
:03:46. > :03:48.It's all about ultimately holding Western democratic values.
:03:49. > :03:54.Is it the case that we must and we have to now stand up to Russia?
:03:55. > :03:56.I don't think anything has really changed.
:03:57. > :03:59.For all the talk about the Cold War being over or even some discussion
:04:00. > :04:01.about a second Cold War, Russia has always been
:04:02. > :04:05.part friend, part foe, and with a resurgent Russia,
:04:06. > :04:08.yes, we absolutely need to stand up to her.
:04:09. > :04:13.Does this mean giving support to Nato's defence and providing,
:04:14. > :04:17.That is completely what this is about.
:04:18. > :04:24.This is just what we are capable of, please respect us, let us lead
:04:25. > :04:31.You say that, but this will raise questions.
:04:32. > :04:35.Whether increasing our own security could -
:04:36. > :04:39.and I ask you this - could antagonise Russia?
:04:40. > :04:42.You try to build your own security by increasing
:04:43. > :04:49.The person who you're concerned about sees this as a threat to them.
:04:50. > :04:56.As long as we keep the diplomacy line open as well as
:04:57. > :05:01.the demonstration of military capability, which we are doing here,
:05:02. > :05:03.then I really don't see there's an issue.
:05:04. > :05:06.Does it put the UK at risk, or more at risk?
:05:07. > :05:11.If we didn't play our part in Nato, if we weren't robust
:05:12. > :05:14.and forward leaning, then I think that would be a greater
:05:15. > :05:19.Very interesting, thank you very much.
:05:20. > :05:29.Grantham's accident and emergency department has opened
:05:30. > :05:35.NHS bosses reduced opening times at the hospital last summer.
:05:36. > :05:38.They say a lack of staff means they couldn't run it safely.
:05:39. > :05:41.The department will now open at 8:00am and run
:05:42. > :05:47.A motorcyclist is in a serious condition after a crash
:05:48. > :05:53.It happened at Speedway Corner near Ruskington on Saturday evening -
:05:54. > :06:01.A 29-year-old man from Grantham was airlifted to hospital in Nottingham.
:06:02. > :06:03.School children in Yorkshire and the Humber missed the most
:06:04. > :06:06.lesson-time in England last year, because of term-time holidays.
:06:07. > :06:08.Official figures show that in the East Riding,
:06:09. > :06:12.family holidays made up almost half of all missed lessons.
:06:13. > :06:20.Almost a million pupils in England missed at least one day of school.
:06:21. > :06:23.A leading member of Ukip in Lincolnshire insists the party
:06:24. > :06:26.will bounce back "stronger than ever" following
:06:27. > :06:33.Douglas Carswell, the MP for Clacton, has announced
:06:34. > :06:36.It's the latest setback for Ukip, but Victoria Ayling,
:06:37. > :06:40.who speaks on Tourism and Heritage for the party, insists Ukip
:06:41. > :06:50.Katy Austin's report contains some flash photography.
:06:51. > :06:53.2014 was a high point for Ukip in our area.
:06:54. > :06:58.It won councillors and MEPs in the local and European elections.
:06:59. > :07:02.But Ukip never gained an MP in East Yorkshire or Lincolnshire.
:07:03. > :07:06.Now the party's only sitting MP in the country,
:07:07. > :07:09.Douglas Carswell, has quit Ukip, syaing it's "job done".
:07:10. > :07:14.I went into Ukip and made the switch to get us out of the European Union.
:07:15. > :07:17.Theresa May means Brexit is in safe hands.
:07:18. > :07:24.But Ukip nationally has had a year of turmoil.
:07:25. > :07:26.And some councillors in our area have left the party.
:07:27. > :07:28.This recent defector to the Conservatives says
:07:29. > :07:32.the party faces a challenge over its very existence.
:07:33. > :07:36.The moment that referendum was granted by David Cameron,
:07:37. > :07:42.we were aware that a lot of the reasons to exist had been
:07:43. > :07:48.But despite a loss of power at Westminster, the numbers say Ukip
:07:49. > :07:52.does still have some power in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
:07:53. > :07:55.It has zero MPs, but it has four MEPs - two representing
:07:56. > :07:59.Yorkshire and the Humber, two representing the East Midlands,
:08:00. > :08:04.And 38 local councillors across the area.
:08:05. > :08:07.I think you should watch this space, because we'll be back stronger
:08:08. > :08:09.than ever, because somebody, or some organisation,
:08:10. > :08:13.especially Ukip, have got to hold the government to account.
:08:14. > :08:15.The government is backsliding on Brexit and cannot be trusted.
:08:16. > :08:21.In December the Sleaford and North Hykeham by-election showed
:08:22. > :08:26.They came second to the Conservatives.
:08:27. > :08:29.Ukip may have played an important role in making last
:08:30. > :08:33.The question now is how they convince their doubters that it
:08:34. > :08:42.The deadline has now closed for people wanting to run
:08:43. > :08:46.North East Lincolnshire Council is searching for someone to run it
:08:47. > :08:50.Past organisers say it would be disappointing if no-one
:08:51. > :08:57.The 35 sculptures that will make up Lincoln's Knight's Trail
:08:58. > :09:00.Artists have been painting the knights, which commemorate
:09:01. > :09:04.the 800th anniversary of the Battle of Lincoln.
:09:05. > :09:09.It's hoped it'll boost the number of visitors to the city.
:09:10. > :09:11.It's been announced when tickets for Radio One's Big Weekend
:09:12. > :09:15.The free music event, which features Katy Perry,
:09:16. > :09:18.is taking place at Burton Constable near Hull in May.
:09:19. > :09:21.50,000 tickets are up for grabs from the 10th of April.
:09:22. > :09:24.The only way onto the site will be via a shuttle bus,
:09:25. > :09:31.What I'd say it's a 10-hour world-class music festival
:09:32. > :09:36.If you compare that to the V Festival or Reading and Leeds,
:09:37. > :09:40.which generally are about ?70-80 or more, I think it still represents
:09:41. > :09:46.No one is making any money from this event.
:09:47. > :09:48.The costs are just to cover the costs of getting
:09:49. > :09:59.I still think it represents good value for money.
:10:00. > :10:03.Let's get the forecast. Details from Paul.
:10:04. > :10:05.Temperatures this week should be above average.
:10:06. > :10:06.It's fairly changeable, but any rain amounts
:10:07. > :10:09.Tomorrow, turning brighter, feeling warm.
:10:10. > :10:11.This weather front might bring one or two sharp showers later
:10:12. > :10:14.but the emphasis is on a good deal of dry weather.
:10:15. > :10:30.The afternoon looks reasonable enough but showers may break
:10:31. > :10:33.Top temperature really quite warm, South Lincolnshire
:10:34. > :10:38.Quite cloudy, a little bit of patchy rain on Wednesday.
:10:39. > :10:55.That's it from us tonight. We are back in the morning on BBC One. I'll
:10:56. > :10:59.be back tomorrow night with Tuesday's look north on BBC One at
:11:00. > :11:01.6:30pm. Join me than if you can. Goodbye.
:11:02. > :11:05.showery on Saturday, dry and brighter on Sunday and if we go back
:11:06. > :11:07.to the temperatures in the next couple days, you see those highs on
:11:08. > :11:20.Thursday. He is John Hammond with the national
:11:21. > :11:27.this cyclone Debbie crashes onto the Queensland coast with violent winds
:11:28. > :11:28.and flooding rains, that will