09/03/2012 Look North (Yorkshire)

Hello - welcome to Friday's Look North Tonight - a weekend of

tributes. As Yorkshire continues to mourn its fallen soldiers -

ceremonies will be held throughout the county. They're willing to do

it the final sacrifice, and this five just did it. We have to say,

you are brave, you're a tough, Europe the best. Also tonight -

heading for the most dangerous country in the world. We hear from

the Yorkshire troops completing their final training before being

sent to Afghanistan. We have to get on with the job. We

have to get in there and fight the enemy.

And London's got Boris Johnson, but should OUR four biggest cities be

run by elected mayors as well? I will be back later with the

Good evening. Yorkshire has been continuing to pay its respects to

the young soldiers who tragically lost their lives in a bomb blast in

Afghanistan. People have been queuing up to sign

condolence books in Dewsbury, Halifax and in Huddersfield. Flags

have been flying at half-mast and over the weekend special services

are taking place at churches and at sports stadiums. Three of the

soldiers from the third battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment were from

Huddersfield - Corporal Jake Hartley and Private Anthony

Frampton, who were both 20 and Private Daniel Wilford, 21.

Private Christopher Kershaw was 19 and from Bradford, and Private

Daniel Wade was 20 and from Warrington.

Their sergeant was Nigel Coupe, aged 33, from the First Duke of

Lancaster's. Our reporter Heidi Tomlinson joins

us now from Huddersfield Parish Church of St Peter's.

It they have been a few days since the news of the horrific attack,

but it is just sinking in here in Huddersfield. People have wanted to

come out and express their sorrow will the families who have lost

their children. People were queuing down the aisle to write their

thoughts in the book of condolence. A moment to reflect inside the

peaceful setting of Huddersfield parish church. It is hard to come

to terms with the loss of so many young lives. For some, just writing

down thoughts helped. Friends describe to the soldiers as caring

lads who are full of life. I know they felt very proud to be in the

Army. They used to show us videos of when they were in training. I

can imagine they were nervous and scared to going. Five of the six

soldiers killed where from the third Battalion the Yorkshire

Regiment. Colleagues in the same regiment our currently trading on

Salisbury Plain, preparing for deployment to Afghanistan. We were

all friends, but it is devastating. The communities to soldiers called

Homer had been paying their respects today. Flowers left

outside a soldier's house. Just days before or one soldier left for

of Bannister, he had been at the local pub for a sent off. When the

news of his death broke, his friends met here. They all had a

drink together and raise a glass for the lads. Me were just gutted.

There where it chatting and reminiscing, it was nice. Nice to

see them all together. Just up the road and Longwood, the war memorial

was a focal point for people's grief. It is years away from

private and to the front and his family home. At the football

stadium, bare staging a one-minute silence before the game. Players

will be warming up in charity shirts ahead of the match. We have

been contacted by some people from the Yorkshire Regiment who are here

in the community and they want to come down, so we have some friends

of the fallen soldiers who are coming and they will be mediocre

players. Prayers will be said for all six soldiers during Sunday

services in Huddersfield and Bradford this weekend, giving

congregations a chance to reflect on the week's devastating news. The

Yorkshire regiment used to be based in Halifax and at Halifax Menston

the Sunday, there is a special service to remember the servicemen

who have died and also those were still serving in dangerous

countries throughout the world. Also in Dewsbury Minster, they have

opened a book of condolence. In Bradford, St Paul's Church will

have a one-minute silence at their Sunday service. Tomorrow, sporting

events are also remembering the soldiers had died. A minute's

silence will be held before football matches and Huddersfield

Town have also said they extend an open invitation to any servicemen

and women who want come down and watch them. They can come down for

a free, pick up a ticket in the part of the training there.

Well, inevitably with the loss of so many young lives, the role of

our armed forces in Afghanistan is being questioned by some. The

Archbishop of York lives in an Army city. The Yorkshire Regiment has

its headquarters there, so his views on the war are significant. I

went along to see him this morning. Once again, the Fortes of the six

men tell the story of a tragic loss. The Archbishop feels that loss. He

regards the Yorkshire Ripper Lynch as his own. -- Regiment.

These are brothers. These are sons who have actually been killed while

doing their job, doing their duty. When you lose so many people from

one regiment, there are inevitably questions over whether the war is

justified. It was a war agreed by the United Nations and it has my

full backing. I never at supported the war in Iraq, because it never

had a United Nations mandate. That was wrong. This one, I do not think

it is. Despite United Nations mandate, is there a point which

comes around when Gourock is unjustifiable, when you lose so

many people? The decision for me is to support and not sit on the

sidelines and say come back. I am quite sure the commanders are

absolutely devastated. You do not want to command a unit and then

find five if you men are killed. You are very much a hands-on

archbishop and you want to play an important role now helping the

families. My first priority is to meet the family soon find out now

this has happened, I are there things we as the people of

Yorkshire, not the Government, and the people of Yorkshire it can do

to support them. They are trained very well, they are willing to do

the final sacrifice and these five have just done it. All the bars

have got to say, you are brave, if you're a tough, if you are the best.

Well, the events of this week are not only difficult for the military

communities currently serving in Afghanistan, but also for those

whose relatives have paid a big price for their involvement in the

war. Robert Light's son, Matthew, was seriously injured in January by

an IED, an unexploded bomb. He joins us now in the studio. How is

Matthew? He is doing really well. He is recovering from his injuries.

He is still death in one ear, but he is hoping to return to his unit

in the next few months. In the meantime, you will have been left

looking at events of this week, thinking, we are lucky. Yes. It

brings little back, that moment of the news coming through, all the

memories of the knock on the door, it all comes flooding back here you

realise how lucky you are her and she feels so much for the family's.

I feel for Matty and this must be, apart from his injuries, the most

terrible thing to try and adjust to, because he lost his comrade but

also his best friend in the incident. Yes. They worked closely

together. It is a horrendous thing to happen, not only to yourself,

but to see a colleague blown up as well. But then every time something

happens, that reignite so's emotions. I suppose, a young lads

who went out to do his job, I am not putting words into his mouth,

but does he ask, why have I survived and by a friend died?

is the sort of thing that goes through your mind and rightly so.

You think, it is all because I wasn't the right place and a John

was in the wrong place and that is just how it was. But Matthew was

lucky. He survived, could have lost limbs quite easily, but the gods

were with him at the time. This is a terrible week for Yorkshire, but

we must remember such a fine tradition of many regiments in our

county. There are many fine young men and women out there who come

from here. There are and their young. There are only 19, but they

are doing things that more mature adults would be frightened to do.

Because they're really well trained. The Army have looked after these

guys really well. They're doing the country proud, they're model

citizens out there. Thank you very much for telling us your story. He

mentioned they are very young, but the most incredible tributes has

comment to the programme. We will have it at the end of the programme.

And so is your story. In two months, people in

Yorkshire's four biggest cities will vote in a referendum which

could lead to the biggest change in the way we're governed in a

generation. If you live in Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford or Wakefield

you'll choose whether you'd like your city to be run by an elected

mayor. People in Doncaster will vote on whether to keep one. Look

North has commissioned a detailed opinion poll of 2,500 people in all

five places. Last week we asked them whether their city should have

an elected mayor. 53% said yes, 37% said no. 10% didn't know. More on

that in a moment. But first, what is an elected mayor? What do they

do? 90% of people suggested they weren't sure. So here's a quick

lesson. Phil Bodmer has the details. When you hear the word Mayor, this

is probably what such springs to mind, the chain, the ropes, a

ceremonial position. But what more than 2 million people living in

five cities in Yorkshire will photon and a month of May is

something different. Once there has have chosen their own Mayor for a

decade, currently Boris Johnson. You're's reedy Giuliani also became

very well known after 9/11. To explain very simply what difference

an elected Mayor next in a council, we're using something we're all

familiar with. At the moment, councillors and council leader city

Chambers like this, they discuss the issues and take the key

decisions, but under the mayoral system, one person will have sole

responsibility for the council budget. The newly elected Mayor

will have a say on schools, libraries and on social services.

They can also have a say, if they wish, on the way our bins are

collected. And that is what opponents of elected mayors fear.

In councils like Bradford, 90 members oversee decisions. An

elected Mayor has much more power, his or her decisions are final. It

often for four years and cannot be Boris Johnson good people on their

bikes. So that is what an elected mayor

does. In a moment we'll get the views of Cities Minister Greg Clark

and we'll be speaking live to the leader of Bradford Council, Ian

Greenwood, but first James Vincent reports on what you've been telling

us in the poll. The polling company asked groups of people whether they

want it a directly elected official. In Bradford, 54% of people said yes.

36% said No. In Leeds, even more were in favour. In Sheffield,

slightly less clear cut. In Wakefield, it was rarely in the

balance. We also asked 500 people in a Doncaster or where they

already have an elected official whether they wanted to keep one.

Support here was highest of all. But perhaps worryingly most said

they did not know a referendum was on the way. Not a clue. I do not

know. Would you know anything about the referendum? No. Sheffield may

be getting an elected official. would be quite surprised that they

did not know. 90% in our Paul said they had little information. People

will be hearing a lot more about it before May. The real test of public

opinion will be then. All three party leaders in

Westminster are in favour of mayors for our big cities. But it's a

different story among many of the council leaders here. We'll be

hearing from one of them in a moment. Earlier I spoke to the

government minister for cities, Greg Clark. I asked him what his

reaction was to the poll? It shows there is a big debate to be had. We

said we went every city in the country to have a real debate about

what is the best way to be governed. This shows people are up for that

and it should be up to the people. Is it too much power in one

person's hands? You also have other as their to scrutinise. He will

also have public scrutiny. They will have a mandate Boughton for by

the people. They will have a chance to do that and then a have a chance

to be a national figure to tell ministers what they want for their

city and they have ever presence on the international side. I have been

a minister for a couple of years and you always take a call from the

nature of London. A would you take the call from Sheffield or

Bradford? Absolutely. My point is it ought to be that person and they

should be so well known and vigorous in standing up for their

cities that they should be national figures.

Listening to that was Ian Greenwood, the Leader of Bradford Council, who

is opposed to the idea of more mayors. I do not believe we need an

elected official. We are a diverse community. To get one person to

encapsulate the whole community is wrong. Too many people know who you

were as council leader? You tell me. Many people, a large people in

Bradford know who I am. That is a matter of how I do the job and not

what the job is. The talent and commitment of the individual

leading the place is what is important. There have been bad and

good leaders. I think it is the character of the individual rather

than the strictures. My belief is that this is a smokescreen to de --

disguise the massive cuts being made. If Boris Johnson were rings,

somebody to react. That should be the same for the city's was that

they would have a name and an identity to say get this problem

sorted. I hope they would take a call from a knee. -- from me.

of people are in favour of this system. I do not think that is the

key finding. 90% of people said they do not know enough about it.

We need to educate people and In other news now, a Labour MP has

been sentenced after a brawl in a House of Commons bar. Eric Joyce

was today fined and banned from licensed premises for three months.

The 51-year-old former soldier admitted common assault in court

after headbutting Pudsey Conservative MP Stuart Andrew and

attacking three other MPs last month in the Strangers Bar.

appreciate the guilty plea and the remorse he has shown for the

serious nature of his actions. No person should a salt another. I do

not harbour any credit or ill will towards him. Any personal

challenges he faces can be overcome. 23-year-old Afzal Arif is facing a

life sentence after being found guilty of the murder in Leeds last

August of Gavin Clarke. He was shot in the face and neck in a row over

his cousin. The incident sparked two nights of disturbances in the

Chapeltown and Harehills districts. Sheffield Council is continuing to

discuss its budget tonight for the next financial year. The meeting

started this afternoon with campaigners staging a rally outside

Sheffield town hall. The local authority says it needs to save �55

million in the next year which is the biggest saving in Yorkshire

councils. There could be up to 550 job losses.

The Conservatives are the latest party to choose a candidate for the

Bradford West Parliamentary by- election. Jackie Whitely is a local

businesswoman who stood in Rotherham at the 2010 General

Election. The by-election has been called because sitting Labour MP

Marsha Singh has resigned because of ill health. Polling day is in

three weeks time on March 29. local resident and business owner,

I think people in Bradford West will appreciate the Coalition are

doing a marvellous job in dealing with Labour's debt.

Sheffield's Jessica Ennis has won silver in the pentathlon at the

World Indoor Championships in Istanbul. She had a really up and

down day, but just couldn't quite get the gold. In the biggest year

of her career, she was defending her indoor pentathlon title. She

was given a good early lead over her rivals. Next up, the high jump.

Another strong event. She was solid but not spectacular. She failed to

clear one-metre 90. The shot was better. She got a personal best

with her final throw. The lead remained with her and her coach

might have expected it to go. She never quite nailed it in the long

jump and slipped back to third place. The reigning world champion

had the lead. She ran brilliantly in the final race but the gap was

only three seconds, not enough. Work to do ahead of the Olympics.

It means she is on the way up. With some personal bests. Good luck.

Our three top Yorkshire Rugby Union clubs launch their Championship

play-off campaigns this weekend. Tonight at Castle Park, Doncaster

Knights host Bristol in their opening match. Leeds Carnegie start

with a tough trip to Cornish Pirates tomorrow. Rotherham Titans

meanwhile are at home to Bedford. The Titans are ranked as outsiders

by many pundits. But they've got a surprise in store for anyone who

thinks their modest Clifton Lane Stadium is a bar to promotion.

is not true. We can go up. We at busy with our preparations and we

will have the facilities in place. The motivation is there for the

players. It is going to be quite nice this

weekend. The high pressure is building so some dry weather. But

some drizzle for the Pennines tomorrow. Not bad for Whitby and

Scarborough. They will be a lot of cloud, possibly thick enough for

drizzle at times. A big area of high pressure. It is no stranger to

this weather chat. It will be with us all weekend and for much of next

week as well. Many areas seeing a lot of dry weather apart from a

little bit of drizzle at times over the Pennines. That should fizzle as

we move into tomorrow. We have had some reasonable temperature. There

is quite a bit of cloud out there. There is a weak front and a band of

drizzle coming down from the north. It is currently across County

Durham. It will push across Yorkshire. Certainly over the

Pennines we do feel quite damp and drizzly with some light rain. It

will be misty as well with some fog. A mild one with loads of nine

Celsius in Doncaster. Quite a breezy night to come. The sun will

rise in the morning. The coast will have a lovely weekend. A lot of

cloud first thing further west. Drizzle in the Pennine areas which

it should gradually die away. Becoming brighter through the

afternoon. The best of the cloud breaks will be further east.

Temperatures will respond. The average is around nine or ten

Celsius. We could see 16 Celsius somewhere along the Yorkshire coast.

The cloud the West will be nearer 12 Celsius. Looking further ahead.

Sunday is quite promising. Temperatures around 15 Celsius.

Next week, a lot of cloud but the emphasis is a predominantly dry

weather and wild weather for all of us. That is the forecast.

Well, let's return to our top story now, and the reaction to the death

of the five soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

It has been a terrible week for Yorkshire with the loss of five

soldiers from one of the county's oldest regiments. We leave you

tonight with a tribute sent to Christa and me on you tube. It was

posted by the friends of just one of the soldiers who died but for us

it speaks for all of them and sums up the tragic loss of young life.

It is incredibly moving. On Facebook, Danny Wilford tells