An edition of Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ that begins with a report of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) following their conference at Great Yarmouth. Presenter Ian Breach interviews first the party’s leader Roy Jenkins about how they intend to improve their starting within the Northeast and also if it is moral that four of their six MP in the region are defections from the Labour Party. Following Mr Jenkin’s interview, a second with the four defecting MPs...

An edition of Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ that begins with a report of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) following their conference at Great Yarmouth. Presenter Ian Breach interviews first the party’s leader Roy Jenkins about how they intend to improve their starting within the Northeast and also if it is moral that four of their six MP in the region are defections from the Labour Party. Following Mr Jenkin’s interview, a second with the four defecting MPs William Rodgers, Mike Thomas, Ian Wrigglesworth and John Horam who defend their positions. In the second part of the programme an interview with former journalist and now Labour MP for Grimsby Austin Mitchell on his new book described as a cynical look at the working of Parliament and why the public shouldn’t trust a politician. Title: Tyne Tees Title: Briefing In the Tyne Tees Television studio in Newcastle presenter Ian Breach introduces the programme that begins with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) following their party conference in Great Yarmouth and the problems they have selling both policies and images to the general public. A clip from the SDP party conference and a speech being made by its leader Roy Jenkins on the need for delegates to do more to improve the party’s credibility. Returning briefly to Ian Breach in the studio, the programme quickly changes to him interviewing Roy Jenkins at the conference where they talk about how the SDP can grow within the Northeast and taken on solid Labour seats and overcome the images of the party as being middle-class and metropolitan. Ian Breach also asks Roy Jenkins about four of its SDP MPs in the region all of whom were elected as candidates of the Labour Party before switching to the SDP. The question asked of Roy Jenkins is this moral? Again, returning briefly to the studio in Newcastle, Ian Breach introduces a second interview he conducted at the conference with the four defecting MP’s where he asked them the same questions as Roy Jenkins and their decision to swap parties, was it immoral? Sitting around a table beside the main stage with Ian Breach are William Rodgers MP for Stockton, Mike Thomas MP for Newcastle East, Ian Wrigglesworth MP for Thornaby and John Horam MP for Gateshead West. Each put their points across as to why they thought it was right for them and their constituents that they change parties to the SDP. Back in the studio Ian Breach takes the programme into a commercial break looking forward to the second part and an interview with Labour MP for Grimsby Austin Mitchell about why we shouldn’t trust any politicians. Title: End of Part One Part Two In the Tyne Tees studio Ian Breach conducts and interview with former journalist and now politician Austin Mitchell about a new book he has written entitled ‘Westminster Man’. Described as a ferocious attack on both the personality and institutions of Parliament, he is asked how he can be stand working there. He doesn’t believe the book is cynical as some believe, rather it is honest account of a places that he describes as a ‘harassed, overworked quite serious body of men who are trying to do a job that’s to big for them’. Ian Breach brings the interview and programme to an end looking forward to next week’s programme that will look at what faces school-leavers in Hartlepool when they go searching for their first jobs. Credit: Presenter Ian Breach Production Team Gillian Firth, Mike Jordan, Kevin Rountree Political Editor John Sleight Director Bernard Preston Producer Bob Farnworth End Title: Tyne Tees Colour. © Tyne Tees Television Ltd. MCMLXXXII