:00:00. > :00:14.Good evening, welcome to Look North. eight. And that is
:00:15. > :00:16.So, it could be the fourth election in four years
:00:17. > :00:21.Theresa May's snap General Election follows the 2014
:00:22. > :00:25.Scottish Referendum, the 2015 General Election and last
:00:26. > :00:31.The politicians certainly haven't lost THEIR appetite for elections,
:00:32. > :00:34.First tonight, we're live in West Cumbria where
:00:35. > :00:37.Theresa May tasted by-election victory in February.
:00:38. > :00:57.It is not even eight weeks since Conservative Trudi Harrison came
:00:58. > :01:03.here and stole this seat from Labour. Even Theresa May was here
:01:04. > :01:04.during the campaign, and was backed just hours after the result was
:01:05. > :01:06.announced. I'm absolutely delighted to be able
:01:07. > :01:09.to be here in Millom, with the new Member of Parliament
:01:10. > :01:11.for Copeland, This is an astounding victory for
:01:12. > :01:30.the Conservative Party, but also for 3.5 months after the voters turned
:01:31. > :01:34.out here, they are being asked to do it all again, so do they think now
:01:35. > :01:36.is the right time for a general election?
:01:37. > :01:40.I think the Prime Minister's got better things to think about, like
:01:41. > :01:44.And I think a general election is obviously just a
:01:45. > :01:46.Concentrate on getting us out of Europe.
:01:47. > :01:48.It won't achieve anything, won't achieve
:01:49. > :01:54.Well, in some ways, I'm probably quite happy to have a
:01:55. > :01:57.At least it might give us some opposition afterwards.
:01:58. > :02:05.I suppose, if they're going to do one, we will just
:02:06. > :02:08.go down and vote, but I will be in a quandary of who I'm
:02:09. > :02:12.I work for the NHS, and that says it all, doesn't it?
:02:13. > :02:33.How much will they suffer further suffrage? All the parties say that
:02:34. > :02:37.the fancy their chances. It is more than 50 years and three about a snap
:02:38. > :02:40.election, and as many journals to come here are fond of pointing out,
:02:41. > :02:50.we could be sailing into uncharted waters. Back to you.
:02:51. > :02:52.Well, as Copeland proved, previously safe Labour seats
:02:53. > :02:56.Could the Tories make further gains in Labour's North East heartlands?
:02:57. > :02:59.Already, one Labour MP - Tom Blenkinsop - has refused
:03:00. > :03:01.to stand again while Jeremy Corbyn remains as party leader.
:03:02. > :03:03.Our correspondent, Mark Denten, is in Mr Blenkinsop's constituency
:03:04. > :03:07.of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.
:03:08. > :03:13.While Theresa May was making her dramatic announcement on the steps
:03:14. > :03:18.of Downing Street today, and the very same time, the local MP in
:03:19. > :03:24.these parts made his own dramatic announcement. Tom Blenkinsop, the
:03:25. > :03:26.Labour MP here, saying that he could not stand again due to
:03:27. > :03:31.irreconcilable differences between himself and the leadership of Jeremy
:03:32. > :03:34.Corbyn. It is fair to say that in the last few months, Tom Blenkinsop
:03:35. > :03:41.has made it clear that he is no great pile of Jeremy Corbyn and his
:03:42. > :03:49.leadership. What this does is make this a tight contest, this
:03:50. > :03:54.constituency. A battle between the Conservatives and Labour at the last
:03:55. > :04:00.election, and the man himself, Tom Blenkinsop, not around today to
:04:01. > :04:03.answer why he has made that announcement, but his constituency
:04:04. > :04:04.neighbour, Andy McDonald, in Middlesbrough wished well, but said
:04:05. > :04:07.it will be about wider issues. Policies subsist long
:04:08. > :04:09.after individuals, in any event, so we are about the collective,
:04:10. > :04:12.we say, these are our policies, and that is what we are putting
:04:13. > :04:15.to the British people. And I think you will find that
:04:16. > :04:18.Jeremy Corbyn is someone that they can trust.
:04:19. > :04:19.He is consistent, decent, honest, and principled, and
:04:20. > :04:22.I think that will come through very loudly and clearly over the coming
:04:23. > :04:33.weeks. If it does, it will be down to the
:04:34. > :04:37.constituents and the voters. I have been catching up with some of tomboy
:04:38. > :04:43.consult's constituents in Saltburn 's afternoon. -- some of Tom
:04:44. > :04:51.Blenkinsop's constituents. I can understand why he will do
:04:52. > :04:56.that, and I think more about the same, and I think that is where the
:04:57. > :04:59.problems will be. I think it might swing to the Conservatives, then
:05:00. > :05:12.possibly. Have made up your mind yet? No, not yet. You are a floating
:05:13. > :05:19.vote. Yes. A bit of cross-party support across the divide for Tom
:05:20. > :05:22.Blenkinsop. The MP for Stockton, who is standing again, said that they
:05:23. > :05:25.have often been divided, but he wishes him well for the future.
:05:26. > :05:28.Both Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn have seats in South-East England,
:05:29. > :05:30.but Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron is based
:05:31. > :05:34.And when I spoke to him earlier, the Cumbrian MP was relishing
:05:35. > :05:37.the opportunity to hit the election trail in a region where, he says,
:05:38. > :05:41.It is a fantastic opportunity for the British people to change the
:05:42. > :05:44.direction of our country, and that particularly applies
:05:45. > :05:47.to those others in the north-east and Cumbria, who
:05:48. > :05:50.have that chance now, to say that whatever we think
:05:51. > :05:53.about the result of the referendum, a hard Brexit
:05:54. > :05:56.that takes us out of the single market is very wrong for our
:05:57. > :06:01.Only the Liberal Democrats are saying that and will oppose that.
:06:02. > :06:03.More broadly, Britain needs a strong and decent opposition.
:06:04. > :06:06.It seems that Labour under Jeremy Corbyn has decided that, not only
:06:07. > :06:10.does it not want to be an alternative Government, seriously,
:06:11. > :06:12.they also do not want to be a serious opposition.
:06:13. > :06:14.Britain desperately needs a strong and serious, decent
:06:15. > :06:18.This is the moment for the Liberal Democrats to step up
:06:19. > :06:20.into that position and present the British
:06:21. > :06:24.And yet our region voted overwhelmingly for Brexit, so
:06:25. > :06:28.surely, your message will fall on deaf ears?
:06:29. > :06:31.If you've seen the local council by-elections over the last
:06:32. > :06:40.weeks and months, you've seen gains for the Liberal Democrats in places
:06:41. > :06:43.like Sunderland and in the north of Carlisle, so what is clearly
:06:44. > :06:45.happening is that the Liberal Democrats are stepping into that
:06:46. > :06:47.place where a decent, strong opposition should be,
:06:48. > :06:50.and that will mean people voting for us who voted for Leave
:06:51. > :06:53.last June, as well as the many people who voted Remain as well.
:06:54. > :07:01.Labour has had a stronghold on the region for a lot of yours, though.
:07:02. > :07:04.Labour has had a stronghold on the region for a lot of years, though.
:07:05. > :07:08.Look, the region borders Scotland, where you could say the same
:07:09. > :07:11.In fact, Labour's strength in Scotland
:07:12. > :07:14.was even greater than in the North of England.
:07:15. > :07:17.The reality is if you take your voters for granted, and assume
:07:18. > :07:20.they will vote for you anyway, and you become the least effective,
:07:21. > :07:22.least useful opposition in living memory, then
:07:23. > :07:29.you have forfeited the
:07:30. > :07:39.To make sense of the early pre-election skirmishes, I am joined
:07:40. > :07:43.now by Richard Moss. What are your thoughts? In 2015, I spent most of
:07:44. > :07:46.my time talking about labour claim to gain seats from the
:07:47. > :07:52.Conservatives. Results like Copland means that this time we are talking
:07:53. > :08:03.about the opposite. Others can be brought into play, Workington has a
:08:04. > :08:08.majority of 4500, and certainly Darlington, just over 3000 majority
:08:09. > :08:11.for the Labour MP there. This is a random straw poll, but when we spoke
:08:12. > :08:15.to voters there today, there was little confidence in the Labour
:08:16. > :08:19.chances there. I think we need something, because to be honest, we
:08:20. > :08:24.are divided, ardently? We need something that we can focus on and
:08:25. > :08:28.unite. I think Theresa May will win the election, I will be voting for
:08:29. > :08:33.her. She has no mandate, I think going back to the polls will make is
:08:34. > :08:40.the right thing to do. The Conservatives will win, easy. I
:08:41. > :08:43.would still put them back in. Labour is unelectable with Jeremy Corbyn in
:08:44. > :08:49.charge. Completely unelectable, and that was nobody else out there. One
:08:50. > :08:56.of the places where labour is under threat as Hartlepool, where Ukip has
:08:57. > :09:06.pulled well in the past. I can see why she has called it, the Labour
:09:07. > :09:12.Party is struggling. Here in the Hartlepool, it is about Labour are
:09:13. > :09:16.Ukip, not the Conservatives, this is one of big target seats, and we will
:09:17. > :09:24.be configured in a big way. There is only one poll that counts, on June
:09:25. > :09:28.the 8th, and parties must know find candidates for the election. -- must
:09:29. > :09:33.now find candidates. Thank you, Richard.
:09:34. > :09:36.Other news now, and an inquest has heard how a four-year-old girl
:09:37. > :09:39.who was using her mobile phone at the time.
:09:40. > :09:42.Ava Henderson was playing in a compound off Amos Ayre Place
:09:43. > :09:46.The girl was trying to stop the family's bulldog from running
:09:47. > :09:49.into the path of her mother's pick-up truck, when she was hit
:09:50. > :09:53.The coroner recorded a verdict of "accidental death".
:09:54. > :09:56.Northumbria Police say 37 victims have now come forward as part
:09:57. > :09:59.of an investigation into historical child sex abuse at
:10:00. > :10:04."Operation Tide" was launched in December after several
:10:05. > :10:07.ex-footballers came forward to say they were abused by former
:10:08. > :10:14.Ormond was jailed in 2001 for twelve cases of indecent assault,
:10:15. > :10:17.but police say ten possible suspects have now been identified
:10:18. > :10:22.involving 11 different clubs in a range of sports.
:10:23. > :10:25.It's one of the region's most popular tourist destinations,
:10:26. > :10:27.but people living and working on Holy Island, off
:10:28. > :10:31.the Northumberland coast, say county council plans to sell
:10:32. > :10:34.land used for car parking will seriously damage businesses
:10:35. > :10:38.The council is trying to make savings of ?2 million.
:10:39. > :10:40.It says any development will be sympathetic
:10:41. > :10:44.to the island's heritage. Megan Paterson reports.
:10:45. > :10:48.Tens of thousands of visitors come here every year.
:10:49. > :10:56.Pilgrims or sightseers, they all need somewhere to
:10:57. > :10:58.park, and the trick is to get your early.
:10:59. > :11:01.There's people looking for room, eyeing up our space as we're
:11:02. > :11:04.I suppose with the tides, people come at the optimum time,
:11:05. > :11:07.So it does all funnel people in together.
:11:08. > :11:09.Away from the main car park, this is where coaches
:11:10. > :11:13.Just under half of this site has been put
:11:14. > :11:15.up for sale by Northumberland County Council.
:11:16. > :11:21.At some times in the year, yes, it isn't quite so full, but at
:11:22. > :11:25.other times of the year it is absolutely stowed out.
:11:26. > :11:28.And that loss of access for visitors to this part
:11:29. > :11:33.In a statement, Northumberland County Council told us
:11:34. > :11:36.side of the site, and the toilet block,
:11:37. > :11:42.any developer buying land on this side and the overspill behind it,
:11:43. > :11:45.will be governed by strict conservation rules, but still people
:11:46. > :11:50.The biggest worry is the identity of the village
:11:51. > :11:55.If they allow development on that land, how can
:11:56. > :11:58.they stop development on the next bit of land?
:11:59. > :12:02.He fears creeping development is changing the home he loves.
:12:03. > :12:04.I don't think anything should be put there,
:12:05. > :12:07.but if they are going to build something, let it be social housing.
:12:08. > :12:10.Let's keep the community going, rather than more holiday homes.
:12:11. > :12:20.Northumberland County Council says it all marketing exercise will be
:12:21. > :12:22.Northumberland County Council says a full marketing exercise will be
:12:23. > :12:26.The islanders hope that will protect the area's beauty,
:12:27. > :12:34.If you were in the Cubs or the Scouts, you might remember
:12:35. > :12:38.The one held in Newcastle is the oldest in the world,
:12:39. > :12:39.and it's celebrating its 80th anniversary.
:12:40. > :12:42.Jonathan Swingler went along to rehearsals before the curtain
:12:43. > :13:04.A dress rehearsal of this year's Gang Show at the people's Theatre in
:13:05. > :13:08.Newcastle. Since the first gang show, over a third of a million
:13:09. > :13:12.people in our region will have seen one of the productions. It is
:13:13. > :13:19.special looking back over the years, and we have got a good modern gang
:13:20. > :13:26.show. By the end of it, they have all got new friends and experiences
:13:27. > :13:32.that can help them go on to new things in their lives. We do lots of
:13:33. > :13:36.different things in the Gang Show. I am in nine different numbers, so I
:13:37. > :13:41.wear lots of different costumes and be different things. We are all
:13:42. > :13:47.confident on the stage, and it is fun. I have not done this before, it
:13:48. > :13:52.is a bit nervous for me. One participant from the 1960s as the
:13:53. > :14:00.producer, and he remembers Brian Johnson from AC/DC taking part. We
:14:01. > :14:05.did a number and we had the bows of a ship, I was one of the Sea Cadets.
:14:06. > :14:10.We have no girls in the short then am so we had to have a girl to
:14:11. > :14:19.present the flowers. Brian Johnson was that girl. Those taking part in
:14:20. > :14:25.a Gang Show for the first time are presented with a new red neckerchief
:14:26. > :14:27.to replace their green one. You can expect this sure to be around for a
:14:28. > :14:29.few years yet. And the gang are here -
:14:30. > :14:35.me and Steve for Team Talk! And it does seem, Steve,
:14:36. > :14:38.that a season which promised so much is in danger of fizzling out
:14:39. > :14:41.with the winning post in sight? Promotion worries for Newcastle
:14:42. > :14:48.and Carlisle, relegation worries for Sunderland,
:14:49. > :14:51.Middlesbrough and Hartlepool - Let's look first
:14:52. > :14:56.at last night's action - another spirited effort
:14:57. > :15:08.from Boro, but no points. Difficult for the goalkeeper, you
:15:09. > :15:13.cannot gamble when there aren't that many bodies, and that somebody has
:15:14. > :15:16.the ability to do that, FairPlay. Middlesbrough have struggled for
:15:17. > :15:23.goals all season, and looked like this was going to spur them on. Five
:15:24. > :15:28.games now, and if they are going to go down, at least they are having a
:15:29. > :15:35.go. Against Arsenal, anything they got would be a bonus. Here, he sees
:15:36. > :15:40.the space, and wins the game for Arsenal. This is what happens when
:15:41. > :15:44.you're down at bottom. When you're down there, you throw bodies
:15:45. > :15:49.forward, and even the rebound does not in. Frustrating times. The
:15:50. > :15:50.Middlesbrough manager has not given up yet.
:15:51. > :15:53.It was a terrific atmosphere, and when the Riverside is rocking like
:15:54. > :15:56.that, it's incredible, and the fans deserve a lot of praise,
:15:57. > :15:58.because they were right behind the team, and
:15:59. > :16:01.We have just got to keep the season alive.
:16:02. > :16:04.I keep saying, we just need a win, and I am confident
:16:05. > :16:16.Sunderland did at least score a goal after applying for more than 11.5
:16:17. > :16:19.hours without one, but it did not stop manager David Moyes humming
:16:20. > :16:23.under fire from a section of the fans. Do you think they are right to
:16:24. > :16:28.hold onto a manager? We have changed a lot in the last two years. That
:16:29. > :16:35.does not work either, has? Is he going to get the motor relegation
:16:36. > :16:42.trouble? I don't think so. At least, after losing an early goal, like
:16:43. > :16:50.Boro, the still went for it. They were creative, and the fans reacted
:16:51. > :17:01.to the team. Leak at Imola is trying to get everyone to pull together
:17:02. > :17:12.there. -- Lee Cattermoler tried to get everyone together. Got an
:17:13. > :17:16.equaliser through Borini. His performances have not wanted doing
:17:17. > :17:21.this in front of your manager, for me. He had to be dragged away by his
:17:22. > :17:22.team-mates. Here is what he had to say.
:17:23. > :17:24.It is harder than the previous time, I think.
:17:25. > :17:27.We are not being at our level, we are not playing as a
:17:28. > :17:29.united group, as in previous seasons.
:17:30. > :17:31.That is what has probably been the problem, but positive
:17:32. > :17:33.results like today and performances can
:17:34. > :17:36.bring that strength to the
:17:37. > :17:44.group, because in our situation, we can only get out together, not
:17:45. > :17:55.Interesting comments. It could be over by next week. Given Hull City's
:17:56. > :17:56.form, it is green to look increasingly bleak definitely, if
:17:57. > :17:58.they lose this weekend. No guarantee we'll have anyone
:17:59. > :18:01.in the Premier League next season. Newcastle should still make it,
:18:02. > :18:03.but the Easter weekend has left the Magpies looking anxiously
:18:04. > :18:05.over their shoulders. If only they could have held
:18:06. > :18:13.on against Leeds on Good Friday! A good performance, but they let it
:18:14. > :18:18.slip. Friday night was much better, they had enough opportunities to win
:18:19. > :18:23.several games, but if you do not put them away... Lead to a plural, but
:18:24. > :18:27.if you do not take the opportunities, you leave yourself
:18:28. > :18:34.open to this. Too much space they are, shot themselves in the foot
:18:35. > :18:37.there. But the pressure on when they went to Ipswich yesterday. Again,
:18:38. > :18:44.they are losing games that they were not losing in recent weeks. They are
:18:45. > :18:47.going to get there, just typical Newcastle, making it harder than
:18:48. > :18:58.they should. One thing over the line. Another when, two more wins?
:18:59. > :19:05.Huddersfield have a difficult game against Huddersfield this weekend.
:19:06. > :19:06.Lets hope for Rafael Benitez's hope that it is over sooner rather than
:19:07. > :19:08.later. Not a great weekend
:19:09. > :19:10.for our League Two clubs, each other on Good Friday before
:19:11. > :19:13.stumbling again yesterday. It's certainly looking grim
:19:14. > :19:15.for Hartlepool, Steve - just a point now above
:19:16. > :19:26.the relegation zone after losing They took the lead as well. A
:19:27. > :19:32.massive game at home to Barnet this Saturday. Leyton Orient thrown the
:19:33. > :19:37.kids, and it really worked for them. What on earth was Liam Donnelly
:19:38. > :19:43.doing Yarde is good to get a long ban for that, you cannot do that. I
:19:44. > :19:52.think the FA will chuck the book at him this time. Could have been a
:19:53. > :20:06.straight red. Could have been a big win for Carlisle. Carlisle got a
:20:07. > :20:09.point. Draws are not good, and Carlisle still have new ports to
:20:10. > :20:11.play, which will have a big effect on both of their futures. We will
:20:12. > :20:14.keep our fingers crossed. I'm hoping we might have
:20:15. > :20:31.better news next week! It will be another chilly nights
:20:32. > :20:36.tonight, not as cold as last night. We had this lovely picture earlier
:20:37. > :20:41.today, a sun he Lo, formed from the sun refracting through high-level
:20:42. > :20:47.cloud. Thank you to Keith. Over the next couple of days, it will be
:20:48. > :20:51.cloudy at times, some drizzle and some chilly mornings as well.
:20:52. > :20:55.Through the night tonight, some sunshine to end the day. That will
:20:56. > :21:00.turn into clear skies through the first part of the night, but cloud
:21:01. > :21:05.will spill down from the north, maybe the odd spot of light rain or
:21:06. > :21:09.drizzle. Most of us will have a dry night, not quite as cold, these are
:21:10. > :21:18.the temperatures, down to five or six in tones. A chilly start to
:21:19. > :21:21.Wednesday morning, we have a weather front sinking southwards, bringing
:21:22. > :21:25.some spots of rain through the morning, but by the afternoon,
:21:26. > :21:30.something a little bit drier. It will stay cloudy, though. This is
:21:31. > :21:34.the picture across Cumbria through the afternoon. Temperatures up to 11
:21:35. > :21:37.degrees. Some sunshine will come through in two parts of
:21:38. > :21:42.Northumberland, just a chance of one or two showers on that sea breeze
:21:43. > :21:45.along the course, temperatures around 10 degrees. As we had through
:21:46. > :21:50.Wednesday night, it will be a fairly cloudy night again, some patches of
:21:51. > :21:57.mist and fog across Cumbria, some drizzle here to. It will be a bit
:21:58. > :22:01.milder going into Thursday, temperatures dropping around 28
:22:02. > :22:05.Celsius. Thursday morning starts off cloudy, patches of mist and fog
:22:06. > :22:11.across the Cumbrian fells, and some spots of rain. There will be some
:22:12. > :22:17.brighter spells, but the emphasis is on a fairly cloudy day on Thursday,
:22:18. > :22:21.temperatures a bit higher, up to 14 or possibly 15 Celsius. A bit of a
:22:22. > :22:27.breeze picking up from the west. As we had towards the weekend, we keep
:22:28. > :22:30.that cloud through much of the weekend, Friday, Saturday and indeed
:22:31. > :22:35.Sunday. Temperatures on Friday in the low to mid teens, a bit cooler
:22:36. > :22:42.on Saturday. This is how Cumbria looks across the next few days,
:22:43. > :22:46.cloudy tomorrow, staying around 13 degrees. Similar for the north-east,
:22:47. > :22:52.but some chilly nights at the end of the week.
:22:53. > :22:57.That is it from me. We will have the latest news at 10:30pm. And I will
:22:58. > :23:17.be back tomorrow at 6am. Who will be the first
:23:18. > :23:27.Mayor of the Tees Valley? Join me, Richard Moss,
:23:28. > :23:29.as people from across Teesside quiz the candidates
:23:30. > :23:34.who want to be Mayor.