A special edition of the Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ on the state of the Conservative party in the north. With the formation of a new centrist’s group within the party, the policies of Margaret Thatcher are being challenges leading to a drop in in their approval rating. Presenter Ian Breach visits two very different Conservative constituencies and joins their respective MP’s as they speak with local people to find out what people really think of them and their...

A special edition of the Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ on the state of the Conservative party in the north. With the formation of a new centrist’s group within the party, the policies of Margaret Thatcher are being challenges leading to a drop in in their approval rating. Presenter Ian Breach visits two very different Conservative constituencies and joins their respective MP’s as they speak with local people to find out what people really think of them and their policies especially with regards youth unemployment. The first is Geoffrey Rippon MP for Hexham who is a supporter of this new group, the other Michael Fallon MP for Darlington who is an outspoken Thatcherite. Title: Tyne Tees Briefing Special The Palace of Westminster in London with traffic driving past, in voiceover presenter Ian Breach explains that the Conservative government is facing more troubles than at anytime since their landslide 1983 General Election victory with the recent formation of a Torie ginger group of Conservative centrists led by Francis Pym. Over relevant images and maps Ian Breach explains that the programme will focus on two Tory MPs in the region Geoffrey Rippon MP for Hexham and Michael Fallon MP for Darlington to find out what people really think of the party and if this will cause problems for the Conservatives at the next general election. From his home on the outskirts of Hexham, Geoffrey Rippon speaks with Ian Breach and welcomes what the government has done with community and Youth Training Schemes (YTS), the prospect of a job isn’t at the end of it is important. He would like to see more infrastructure projects that will create more wealth and jobs. He believes that a ‘ticking timebomb’ is waiting to go off across western Europe with regards youth unemployment with them potentially become unemployable. The nearby town of Prudhoe which forms part of Geoffrey’s Hexham constituency and a group of teenage boys standing outside a school. Geoffrey speaks with a young couple walking through the town about the issues of unemployment and their prospects for finding a job. Walking through a new housing estate Geoffrey approaches the front door of one of the houses. Inside he sits with an older couple talking with them about issues that concern them. They talk rural deprivation and employment. He believes the young will need to learn new skills having to change jobs two or three times in their lifetimes. He would also like to create ‘real jobs that will creating real wealth’. He sees most employment training schemes such as the YTS as only ‘palliative’ rather than a real answer. Kielder Reservoir with water being pumped into the River North Tyne. Standing along its banks Geoffrey speaks with Stephen Nugent Chairman of Northumbria Water Consumers. He wants the government to step in and relieve some of this financial burden he and other consumers face in paying for the reservoir which Geoffrey as the then Secretary of State for the Environment initially approved. Geoffrey replies that since the reservoir was something local people wanted at the time, then it should only be fair that they should have to pay for it. Mr Nugent is also concerned about the possible privatisation of the local water authority; Geoffrey doesn’t think a private company would necessarily be worse than a public one and may even be better. In a field Northumberland farmer and a national delegate of the National Farmers Union (NFU) Donald Curry fills a trough with food to feed a herd of sheep and their lambs. Sitting in his home Geoffrey speaks with Donald about his and other farmers growing disenchantment of the Conservative policies which appears to be moving away from agriculture towards financial services in the city. Geoffrey disagrees pointing out that many Conservative MPs come from rural constituencies with some being farmers themselves so there would always be strong support for them. Over cattle feeding from a trough in a shed, Geoffrey responds to Donald’s questions of beef markets and beef premiums as well as the need to raising consumption of beef. Standing on a street believes on the outskirts of Prudhoe, Ian Breach asks Geoffrey from what he has heard what does it tell him about the state of the Tory party? He believes the party needs to recognise the problems of the north of England are different from those of the south and must be tackled in a different way. Overlooking the town the spire of St Cuthbert’s church and Darlington Clock Tower behind it in the distance. A passenger trains passes making its way south towards Bank Top railway station in the near distance. On Yarm Road on the outskirts of the town Cummins Engine Plant. A house in terraced street and inside sitting at a desk the towns MP Michael Fallon who is asked how he would solve the problem of the towns 7000 unemployed. He believes they should stop helping some of the ailing industries of the Northeast and start helping the new technology businesses which have the potential for growth. On Darlington Market Square traders setting up their market stalls as traffic moves past along Feethams. Walking through the market Michael Fallon stops and chats with a young couple asking them how they think the government is doing in the town. Neither think they are doing enough. He stops other people around the market and on West Row asking the same question, some believe they are doing okay, others not. He askes people what they think the government should be doing. On Firthmoor estate semi-detached council houses, some with windows boarded up. Inside Firthmoor Community Centre Michael Fallon speaks with a group of unemployed men asking them what is the main issue of unemployment, is it the issue of low pay or not having a job? On asking one young man if he would work for £50 a week, an older trade unionist amongst the group sees this as exploitative if another person was being paid £120 a week for the same work. Back on West Row a Darlington Corporation bus pulls up outside Darlington Market Hall. An inspector climbs off as passengers climb aboard. On Tubwell Row another corporation bus pulls away from a stop, stencilled on its side is ‘These Buses are Your Buses Keep Them That Way’. Onboard a bus travelling around Darlington, Micheal Fallon speaks with Kenneth Gibson from the Transport Workers’ Union about bus deregulation. Kenneth believes deregulation will bring about both a reduction in services and bus networks that will bring inconveniences to the public. Michael Fallon believes the current subsidised local service is too expensive and believes it could be better if it is run on commercial lines. He provides more details on his support for deregulation. Inside a Darlington Conservative club Michael Fallon sits around a bar table speaking with two local businessmen over pints of beer. Questions are asked with regards the rising costs of oil, gas and electricity and its links to the privatisation of public assets. From a path beside the River Skerne near the towns ring road, Ian Breach asks Michael Fallon about appearing to concentrate on ‘economics rather than compassion’ and not caring about the unemployed. He disagrees by stating you can’t have a compassionate society without that society first being efficient. Returning to the Tyne Tees Studio Ian Breach speaks with both Geoffrey Rippon and Michael Fallon about the Tories apparent slip in the polls and changes within the party and how this is being reflected in the region. Ian Breach brings the discussion to a close and ends the programme. Credit: Presenter Ian Breach Executive Producer Michael Partington Series Producer Bob Farnworth Camera Fred Crone Sound Bob Rhodes, Ian Richardson Film Editor John Louvre Research Vivienne Shlosberg, Ian Krause Director Bernard Preston Producer John Sleight End title: Tyne Tees. © Tyne Tees Television Ltd. MCMLXXXV