An edition of the Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ which begins with an in-studio discussion on the future of the Falkland Islands. This is followed by a second discussion on proposed Parliamentary boundary changes which the Conservatives government believe will make the electoral constituencies fairer. However, others disagree believing it a powerplay by Margaret Thatcher to keep the Tories in power for as long as possible. Title: Tyne Tees Briefing In the Tyne...

An edition of the Tyne Tees Television current affairs programme ‘Briefing’ which begins with an in-studio discussion on the future of the Falkland Islands. This is followed by a second discussion on proposed Parliamentary boundary changes which the Conservatives government believe will make the electoral constituencies fairer. However, others disagree believing it a powerplay by Margaret Thatcher to keep the Tories in power for as long as possible. Title: Tyne Tees Briefing In the Tyne Tees Television studio in Newcastle, presenter Ian Breach introduces the programme which beings on a subject which will dominate British politics for sometime to come, the defence of the Falkland Islands. News at Teen footage from June 1982 of Argentinian artillery or an airstrike on British forces on the Falkland Islands. Back in the studio Ian Breach holds up a copy of the Franks Report which while exonerating Mrs Thatcher and her Conservative government for allowing a dispute with Argentina to become a war hasn’t silenced critics. Concerns now centres on the futures of the Falklands which currently cost a million pounds a day to defend. How much longer will Britain need to shoulder the burden? What can be done to help the Falkland’s economy and resist a second invasion? Reporter Kevin Rountree discusses these points with Sir Timothy Kitson Conservative MP for Richmond and Chairman on the Select Committee on Defence and Bernard Conlan Labour MP for Gateshead East, a fellow member of the Select Committee on Defence as well as spokesperson for the Falklands Committee of Great Britain. Returning to Ian Breach, he takes the programme into the commercial break with details of part two on electrical boundary changes. Title: End of Part One Part Two Over a montage of images of Grey’s Monument in the centre of Newcastle, Ian Breach reminds viewers that it was Lord Grey who ushered democracy into British politics seeing through Parliament the great Reform Act of 1832. Since that time successive governments have tried to improve the ways and means of electing parliamentary representatives. Sitting since 1949 the Boundary Commissions have reported on and suggest methods of making the electoral system fairer. One of the challenges is the wide variation numerically between the biggest and the smallest Parliamentary constituencies. The latest recommendations from the Boundary Commission to equalise the constituencies will have the effect of re-drawing the political map once again to increase the number of MP’s by fifteen to 650. It will also significantly alter the balance between the parties giving a Conservative majority. With the current Conservative government wanting to push these changes through Parliament as quickly as possible a bitter dispute has erupted between the parties. A graphic showing a list of eight constituencies within the region which will disappear, a second graphic shows seven MP’s retiring at the next general election making the situation more complicated. A third graphic shows the new Parliamentary Divisions. A vox pop with people in Newcastle around Grey’s Monument many of whom see these boundary changes as nothing more than a power play by Margaret Thatcher and the Conservatives to stop in power. Back in the studio Ian Breach speaks with two men who’ve done a ‘technical study’ about these boundary changes Dr Peter Taylor of the University of Newcastle and Tom Taylor from Teesside Polytechnic. There local MP’s join the discussion, Mike Thomas Social Democratic Party (SDP) MP for Newcastle East, Sir William Elliott Conservative MP for Newcastle North and David Watkins Labour MP for Consett. A second vox pop with the people of Newcastle around Grey’s Monument many of whom say to Kevin Rountree they weren’t aware of these boundary changes and what that will mean to them. Back in the studio Ian Breach brings in Bert Twigg Labour Party Reginal Organiser, Tim Brown from Sunderland Conservative Group, Robin Ashby Deputy Chairman of Northern Liberals and Dr Peter Taylor again of the University of Newcastle to discuss this confusion and bewilderment by many people as to which constituency they belong or who their MP is. Ian Breach brings the discussion and programme to an end by providing details on the next edition and a special report on low-flying military aircraft in the Northeast. Credit: Film Camera Fred Crone Film Sound Ed Gray Film Editor Krysia Carter-Giez Associate Producer Brian Holland Political Editor John Sleight Film Director Paul Dickin Studio Director Bernard Preston Producer Bob Farnworth End title: Tyne Tees Colour. © Tyne Tees Television Ltd. MCMLXXXIII