:00:00. > :00:00.Hello, welcome to South Today. Coming up:
:00:00. > :00:00.Could Theresa May's decision change the political map
:00:00. > :00:11.Also, the charity that needs to raise ?15,000 to pay
:00:12. > :00:17.And there will be a good deal of dry weather
:00:18. > :00:28.I'll have the weather for the week ahead shortly.
:00:29. > :00:32.Less than a year since the EU referendum, voters will be
:00:33. > :00:36.going back to the polling stations in June for a general election.
:00:37. > :00:39.The Prime Minister announced plans to call the election this morning.
:00:40. > :00:42.It's a chance for people to vote again on the issue of Brexit,
:00:43. > :00:45.which split the South, as it split the country.
:00:46. > :00:47.Our political editor Peter Henley has spent the day in Theresa May's
:00:48. > :00:52.The news that the PM has gone to the country -
:00:53. > :00:55.despite fixed term Parliaments, we'll be voting on June the 8th,
:00:56. > :00:59.And in the Prime Minister's constituency,
:01:00. > :01:06.I do, I think after the Brexit type thing, and she went
:01:07. > :01:09.straight into power, I think the people didn't
:01:10. > :01:17.I heard it on the news, I was absolutely staggered.
:01:18. > :01:21.She's called one, and I can't really see the reason why.
:01:22. > :01:24.I mean, I know there's a lot going on and there's
:01:25. > :01:32.The chair of the local Conservatives here says the decision
:01:33. > :01:34.will give her a much stronger position to negotiate from
:01:35. > :01:37.in Europe, but confessed he'd had no warning.
:01:38. > :01:42.And I just thought, well, it's got to be serious,
:01:43. > :01:45.because Prime Ministers don't make announcements from the steps
:01:46. > :01:49.of Number Ten unless it's serious, and of course, obviously it was.
:01:50. > :01:52.Maidenhead is a safe Conservative seat, but other Berkshire MPs said
:01:53. > :01:55.it was worth going to the country to strengthen
:01:56. > :02:00.It's very important to have that strong backing in Parliament to make
:02:01. > :02:04.sure that deals can't be turned down at the last minute, and to make sure
:02:05. > :02:06.the Prime Minister's hand isn't forced at any stage
:02:07. > :02:10.She has to be in a strong position to make sure we get
:02:11. > :02:17.With "Brexit means Brexit", is their fate sealed,
:02:18. > :02:22.If they don't, which party will they switch to?
:02:23. > :02:25.So many questions to be answered over the next seven weeks.
:02:26. > :02:28.What we probably will see is a bit more clarity as the parties
:02:29. > :02:30.publish their manifestos on what they think is the way
:02:31. > :02:35.forward over the big political issue of Europe.
:02:36. > :02:38.Earlier I spoke to our political reporter, Bethan Phillips,
:02:39. > :02:43.who told me what politicans had been saying to her.
:02:44. > :02:46.I think people are surprised, despite all the rumours.
:02:47. > :02:50.The Conservative MP for Banbury, Victoria Prentis, spoke to me
:02:51. > :02:52.earlier and she seemed genuinely taken aback.
:02:53. > :02:54.She has released a statement saying Theresa May
:02:55. > :02:59.One local Ukip politician told me he would do the same
:03:00. > :03:05.And it's clear already, many people are thinking about campaigning.
:03:06. > :03:08.My Twitter feed is full of tweets asking people to register to vote,
:03:09. > :03:10.to sign up for different political parties
:03:11. > :03:17.I think Witney will be interesting, actually,
:03:18. > :03:19.the Conservative MP, Robert Courts, has only been
:03:20. > :03:23.He took over after David Cameron, of course.
:03:24. > :03:27.It's a very pro-Remain area, and the Lib Dems will be running
:03:28. > :03:31.on a pro-Remain ticket, and the Conservatives lost a lot
:03:32. > :03:34.of ground to the Lib Dems in that by-election,
:03:35. > :03:38.so it will be interesting to see how that affects the results there.
:03:39. > :03:41.Oxford West and Abingdon, in the run-up to the general
:03:42. > :03:43.election in 2015, was one of the most marginal seats
:03:44. > :03:47.It has traditionally been a swing seat between
:03:48. > :03:51.Nicola Blackwood, who is the Conservative MP,
:03:52. > :03:55.did consolidate her majority in 2015, but post-referendum,
:03:56. > :03:58.who knows if she can keep that support?
:03:59. > :04:01.Then Oxford East, that's a thoroughly Labour constituency,
:04:02. > :04:05.of course, Andrew Smith has been the MP there for nearly 30 years.
:04:06. > :04:09.But I think we'll be voting not only for our local MPs,
:04:10. > :04:11.but also giving their verdict on party leaders, so the question
:04:12. > :04:15.is, will Oxford Labour voters give their support to Jeremy Corbyn?
:04:16. > :04:22.a teenager from Oxfordshire who was over the drink-drive limit
:04:23. > :04:24.when he caused the death of a motorcyclist has been
:04:25. > :04:29.18-year-old Daniel Beaumont was driving on the A4074 at Ipsden
:04:30. > :04:32.near Wallingford when he caused a crash between
:04:33. > :04:40.Michael Dix, who was riding the motorbike, died at the scene.
:04:41. > :04:43.Work on the next phase of Oxford's Access to Headington
:04:44. > :04:45.transport improvement scheme is due to start this week.
:04:46. > :04:48.The work will focus on The Slade, between Old Road and the
:04:49. > :04:53.mini roundabout at the junction of Hollow Way and Horspath Driftway.
:04:54. > :04:58.It'll take about 26 weeks to complete.
:04:59. > :05:00.A Sikh group in Swindon is marking its first anniversary
:05:01. > :05:06.The Sikh Seva Society has been providing hot meals once a week
:05:07. > :05:09.in the town centre, making around 30 each time.
:05:10. > :05:13.The service was set up after a man who was sleeping rough was found
:05:14. > :05:15.dead in a car park in Swindon last February.
:05:16. > :05:21.Today, it's's Sunny and Navdeep's turn to cook.
:05:22. > :05:24.They are part of a group who donate their time and food
:05:25. > :05:27.to make meals for those that need it.
:05:28. > :05:30.Some weeks, we have traditional food, like samosas, some other
:05:31. > :05:34.weeks it will be pasta, sometimes we'll order pizza.
:05:35. > :05:37.Latest figures show there are nearly five times more people
:05:38. > :05:41.sleeping rough in Swindon than there were six years ago.
:05:42. > :05:45.The Sikh Seva Society decided it was time to help.
:05:46. > :05:48.We were obviously made aware last February of a gentleman that passed
:05:49. > :05:50.away due to the cold weather within the Swindon area.
:05:51. > :05:53.That sort of motivated us a bit more to sort of get involved,
:05:54. > :05:56.so we've taken, obviously, the principles of Sikhism on board
:05:57. > :05:58.as well and just got together and obviously come up
:05:59. > :06:02.The group gives out food and drink at this spot every Wednesday.
:06:03. > :06:09.When I was underneath the Wyvern, they used to come down there,
:06:10. > :06:12.and that's the first time I met them, like.
:06:13. > :06:14.Then all of a sudden, they've come round here,
:06:15. > :06:16.so I've been sort of coming every Wednesday.
:06:17. > :06:18.So, it's making a huge difference to you?
:06:19. > :06:26.Some people need counselling, some people just need someone to talk to.
:06:27. > :06:29.And we try and provide that here as well.
:06:30. > :06:31.So it's not just about food, it's about building
:06:32. > :06:35.friendships and relationships with everyone here.
:06:36. > :06:37.The Sikh Seva Society says their group will have a presence
:06:38. > :06:45.The charity the Blue Cross in Burford says it's taken in
:06:46. > :06:47.so many more animals than expected that it needs
:06:48. > :06:50.to raise ?15,000 to pay for their care.
:06:51. > :06:53.Staff say if they can't find the money, they may struggle
:06:54. > :06:56.to take in more unwanted animals over the coming months.
:06:57. > :06:59.Among the rescue animals so far this year - 20 horses,
:07:00. > :07:06.Easter may be over, but these bunnies aren't
:07:07. > :07:12.Their mum gave birth to them just a week after being taken
:07:13. > :07:19.And although they're cute, they're not cheap to look after.
:07:20. > :07:23.It costs us quite a lot of money to house these babies before
:07:24. > :07:25.they go off to re-homing, because a lot of them will have
:07:26. > :07:29.to stay with us for a period of time before they are old enough
:07:30. > :07:32.Also, there's the cost that they would need neutering,
:07:33. > :07:34.vaccinations, microchipping, and all of that care level
:07:35. > :07:39.The charity's also inherited 20 mares in the past few months -
:07:40. > :07:45.Now they're asking the public for help.
:07:46. > :07:50.It sounds like a lot when we say a number.
:07:51. > :07:52.But actually, when you go and break the costs down,
:07:53. > :07:56.a little colt like Nicky here will cost us around ?1,600
:07:57. > :08:00.to care for him from the point of him being born to getting a home
:08:01. > :08:08.Tatty here was rescued from behind the wall
:08:09. > :08:13.Selina Bennett worries they might not be able to help
:08:14. > :08:17.animals like her if they can't find the extra funds.
:08:18. > :08:19.Obviously, at this time of year, we need a bit more money,
:08:20. > :08:22.because there's more animals in our care, and that
:08:23. > :08:25.will have an impact on us for the rest of the year.
:08:26. > :08:28.If we don't get this money at this time of year,
:08:29. > :08:31.we'll go a bit short later on and it does mean that we won't be able
:08:32. > :08:36.Last year, the Blue Cross helped more than 1,700 animals in Burford
:08:37. > :08:43.This year, it expects to help even more.
:08:44. > :08:55.Alexis has the weather forecast for the rest of the week.
:08:56. > :09:04.We are back tomorrow morning from BBC Breakfast.
:09:05. > :09:08.April so far has been pretty dry and it will be another dry week to come.
:09:09. > :09:13.We will see the odd light shower but not a huge amount of rain. Some
:09:14. > :09:16.bright and sunny spells and a lot of dry weather. Tonight, we could see a
:09:17. > :09:20.widespread frost, particularly in widespread frost, particularly in
:09:21. > :09:22.the countryside, with temperatures there falling to around minus four.
:09:23. > :09:26.It will be a very chilly hand frosty It will be a very chilly hand frosty
:09:27. > :09:32.have some mist and fog patches. They have some mist and fog patches. They
:09:33. > :09:36.will clear swiftly. Lots of sunshine initially but through the day, high
:09:37. > :09:39.cloud will fill in and the sunshine will turn hazy in places.
:09:40. > :09:45.Temperatures tomorrow afternoon reaching highs of 11 to 12, and the
:09:46. > :09:50.winds will be fairly light. It will feel pleasant in any sunny spells.
:09:51. > :09:54.Tomorrow night, we expect more cloud than tonight, so temperatures will
:09:55. > :09:59.not drop as low. In the countryside, possibly down to around four or
:10:00. > :10:03.five. These are the values in towns and cities. Quite a cloudy day on
:10:04. > :10:15.Thursday. Through the course of the day we may see the odd light shower
:10:16. > :10:17.but there will be a good deal of dry weather, some brighter spells Iran
:10:18. > :10:24.there and highs of around 13 to 14 sources. -- sources. It is a dry and
:10:25. > :10:27.warm start to the day on Friday. Through the afternoon and evening,
:10:28. > :10:30.this cold front will move South and the air behind that is coming from
:10:31. > :10:35.the North, drawing some cooler air as we head towards the weekend. But
:10:36. > :10:40.Friday will be mainly dry and warm. It is through the latter part of the
:10:41. > :10:43.day that the cold front will move southwards. Looking ahead to the
:10:44. > :10:49.weekend, it will be fairly fresh at times with a North to north-westerly
:10:50. > :10:53.wind. Some sunny spells, possible frost, and the chance of the odd
:10:54. > :10:58.shower. So the week in general will be very dry, the odd scattered
:10:59. > :11:01.shower, there will be some sunny spells, and also some patchy cloud.