In the lead up to the 1983 General Election, the first of three special edition of Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ in which votes in three key northern constituencies get to quiz their parliamentary candidate on subjects of relevance to them. In this episode the votes of Stockton North get to get to put questions to their candidates on subject such as unemployment, nuclear defence and trade tariffs with the third world. Title: Tyne Tees Title: Briefing In the...

In the lead up to the 1983 General Election, the first of three special edition of Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ in which votes in three key northern constituencies get to quiz their parliamentary candidate on subjects of relevance to them. In this episode the votes of Stockton North get to get to put questions to their candidates on subject such as unemployment, nuclear defence and trade tariffs with the third world. Title: Tyne Tees Title: Briefing In the Tyne Tees Television studio in Newcastle presenter Ian Breach introduces this special edition in which voters from Stockton North put their questions to the three main parliamentary candidates running in the general election on June the 9th. Pedestrians walk along the pavement while traffic moves along Stockton High Street with reporter Kevin Rountree providing some political background to the town in voiceover. Standing on the High Street on the corner with Silver Street a large crowd gathers around Kevin as he provides a guide to the type of questions that might be asked by voters in the constituency with unemployment and nuclear defence come at the top of the list while at the bottom the cost to ratepayers of the Mayor of Stockton’s private car park which get a nod by many in the crowd. Back in the studio Ian Breach provides backgrounds to each of the three candidates beginning with the town’s current MP who is standing again William Rogers for the SDP-Liberal Alliance. He is followed by the Conservative candidate Harry Davies and the candidate for Labour Party Frank Cook. Back in Stockton Kevin Rountree takes questions from two young men, one asks what the SDP-Liberal Alliance will do for him while the other has a suggestion of lowering the retirement age to 60 giving young people a chance of a job. Back in the studio each candidate reply to the points raised while also providing information on their parties policies towards the areas high unemployment as well as on Youth Training Schemes. Back in Stockton a young woman asks all three candidates if their parties will make any radical changes to the National Health Service (NHS)? Back in the studio all three candidates get a chance to reply beginning with Harry Davies. A third question from a young man asking the candidates if there are any plans for an Enterprise Zone for Stockton as there is for Middlesbrough? Back in the studio Bill Rogers replies on behalf of the SDP-Liberal Alliance followed by the other candidates. A fourth question is put by a young woman in the crowd who wants to know if the three parties will remove restrictions on cash-crops imported from the third world so these countries can earn the money to buy goods from the United Kingdom and create jobs in the region. Again, each of the candidates get a chance to reply before returning to Stockton to ask her if she is satisfied with any of their responses. She isn’t believing none answered the question she asked. Back on Stockton High Street a young man has a question of the Labour Candidate asking how voters can support a party where its leader and deputy-leader can’t agree on its policy relating to the Polaris nuclear weapons system. Back in the studio Frank Cook responds to the question by reiterating Labour’s plan to establishing a non-nuclear defence policy. This is followed by both William Rogers and Harry Davies providing details with regards their parties defence policies. Ian Breach brings the programme to a close and over the closing credits the people of Stockton walking up and down the High Street with the Town Hall in the distance. Credit: Presenter Ian Breach Reporter Kevin Rountree Research Andrew Solomon, Lynne Petrie Associate Producer Alex Murchie Political Editor John Sleight Director Paul Dickin Producer Bob Farnworth End title: Tyne Tees Colour. © Tyne Tees Television Ltd. MCMLXXXIII