17/05/2017 South East Today

Today's main headlines in the south-east...

Facing legal action - the landlord who's banned people

from India, single mums, benefit claimants and battered wives

We are live in Maidstone with the details.

Dismay from Southern rail as the drivers union

announces an overtime ban - meaning more disruption, delays

And it was a muggy day with heavy rain tonight, fresher for tomorrow.

A controversial Kent landlord who's banned what he calls "coloured

people" from renting his properties because he claims they leave a smell

of curry is now facing legal action from the Equality and Human Rights

They have applied for an injunction against Fergus Wilson

Mr Wilson owns hundreds of properties.

In a recent letter to his letting agents, he also told them

to block single mums, anyone on benefits and plumbers.

In this exclusive interview with our reporter, Charlie Rose,

he defends his right to choose his tenants.

He's the south-east buy-to-let tycoon who who courts controversy

Fergus Wilson banned Indian and Pakistani tenants

from renting his homes because he says they "leave

Now the Equality and Human Rights Commission has stepped in,

asking the court if it agrees that Mr Wilson's rules contain

Even Asian landlords have been saying to me, well,

actually, you're right, it leaves a terrible smell, that's

Mr Wilson has previously said he won't let out his properties

to single mums, benefit claimants and he has banned what he

But he says anyone who falls into these categories can be

You say you've received a lot of support about your policy.

Doesn't mean to say your policies are right, does it?

Well, you have to look at what the man in the street thinks.

The reasonable man who rode on the Clapham omnibus.

The reasonable man would say to me, this is not racist,

And I think, at the end of the day, the Equalities Commission has not

It is very surprising that someone has the sort of views these days.

1000 houses, why not give 10% to people desperately in need?

If you have a lot of money, you can pick and choose.

The Commission, now they have decided they do have a strong case

against him, they will seek a judgment whereby an injunction

will be put in place so that Mr Wilson will be unable

to advertise his properties or rent out his properties with such

Since the 1990s, Judith and Fergus Wilson have built

a property empire of more than 900 houses.

Tonight, he remains defiant, believing he has done nothing wrong.

And Charlie Rose is in Maidstone now, where Mr Wilson

Charlie, Fergus Wilson intends to fight any legal action?

Yes. He says if the court agrees with the equality and human rights

commission, he will fight it and challenge it and take it to the

Supreme Court if necessary. This afternoon, Fergus Wilson told me he

one is close to 1000 residential homes across Kent and including here

in Maidstone as well. He says that he is not racist and rents out his

homes to variety of people, including gurkhas. But tonight, an

advocacy group has said they hope this legal action will lead to

Fergus Wilson rethinking what they described as his "Outdated views".

Commuters using Southern Rail are facing more disruption

this summer after the train drivers union Aslef announced an overtime

It comes after talks aimed at ending the long-running dispute over

Southern say they are "dismayed" by the decision by Aslef members,

which experts have said will cause severe disruption.

It has been the worst industrial action on Britain's railways

in nearly a quarter of a century, but the brief recent respite

from disruption is about to come to an end as members of Aslef

are set to refuse any overtime from the end of this month.

People don't realise what a huge economic impact it can have,

if people are travelling down from London for a lovely

One time, they arrived and there was no train.

I think it is appalling, I think it is totally wrong,

Southern say they will try to run as full a timetable as possible,

but experts argue that the overtime ban will lead to many

Southern Rail is heavily dependent upon, as with other rail operators,

on overtime to provide the services, because it has a lack

Aslef said they've taken the decision reluctantly

after Southern refused to budge on talks in the long-running dispute

over the introduction of driver-only operated trains.

Yesterday, members of the conductors' union, the RMT,

announced they would be striking on May 30th, their 32nd day

of action since the start of the dispute last April.

The first Aslef walk-outs were in December, leading

to the cancellation of all Southern services on strike days.

But the strikes and a previous overtime ban were called off

at the end of January as new talks were agreed.

But by the end of April, members have rejected two deals

struck by its leaders with the rail company.

I think it is welcome from an RMT perspective.

We started the dispute with the train drivers.

I am glad that the Southern drivers have persuaded

So for Southern commuters, a second summer of disruption looms ahead.

A man from Margate has been charged with causing death

by reckless driving in Thailand following the death of his

Danny Glass was driving a moped with his partner Sophie Rose

She was killed instantly when she was run over by a lorry.

Both were video bloggers and Mr Glass posted an emotional

The driver of the lorry has also been charged.

It's the turn of the Liberal Democrats today to launch

The party leader, Tim Farron, has been talking about Brexit

and pledging to take tough action to sort out the issues over

Peter, what are the key issues that appeal to voters in the south-east?

The Lib Dems are fighting to gain control of two marginal seats -

Their headline pledge is to hold a second referendum over Brexit

They also say they would strip Southern Rail of the franchise

and put the railway in the hands of government-run companies.

And the party also confirms their commitment to oppose any

airport expansion at Gatwick, Heathrow or any new airport

Although there will be some people who will shrug and say,

we have to accept the bleak vision of Brexit, that extreme version

of Brexit that Theresa May has pushed through the Commons

with the help of Jeremy Corbyn and Ukip, we say a better,

And if you believe that there should be hope, this

But there's one problem with the Lib Dem strategy

in the south-east - their key target seat of Eastbourne

voted 57% in favour of Brexit, and despite the manifesto pledge,

their candidate, Stephen Lloyd, is opposed to any new

This is what people in Eastbourne had to say.

That was what we voted on. That was the decision that was made.

Most people that voted voted to leave.

I am from Brighton and I would like to stay in the EU, so, yeah,

I would like an opportunity to vote again.

Despite Stephen Lloyd being in direct opposition

to the manifesto pledge on Brexit, their leader has acknowledged

that the candidate is "independent minded".

Other items of interest for voters in the south-east are the party's

plans to "find more effective and sustainable ways

of managing rail franchises" - like Southern Rail and Govia

Thameslink - involving local government.

And the Lib Dems also believe any airport expansion should focus

on regional airports like Manchester and Birmingham.

And staying with the election, here's Natalie Graham with details

of our special general election TV debate.

It is a political battle over security, trade and immigration.

It is a battle over the future of the national Health Service.

And it is a battle over how to fund and run our schools.

Politicians from the main five parties will be fighting it out

here at the Kino in St Leonards on bank holiday

And we would like you to be part of the debate.

If you live or work in the south-east, and you'd

like to be in the audience, send us an e-mail with your name,

address and daytime phone number and you could be part

The national weather forecast in a moment, but first,

let's get the picture in the south-east

It has been muggy and warm. Highs of 25 Celsius. It has also been wet. He

lost the sunshine from yesterday and as we go through the first part of

the night, the rain intensifies. But that clears and behind it, it is a

bit fresher. Last May, temperatures dropped to 15-16. Kryptonite,

eventually, dropping 29 or ten. It is fresher to start on Thursday. The

wind is at an westerly direction. There is a good deal of brightness

around. There is the risk of a shower but for many of us it is a

dry day. Feeling a bit fresher but by the afternoon, temperatures

comfortably leeching highs of 15 or 17. Thursday into Friday, further

outbreaks of rain for a time. Potentially up to ten millimetres of

rainfall. It is heavy. Overnight into Friday, temperatures 1011

Celsius. It is a damp start to Friday but the rain clears and once

again, by the afternoon, a mix of sunshine and scattered showers with

temperatures once again in the top showers. But it will be a bit

warmer.