In the wake of the Falklands War and a popularity boost for PM Margaret Thatcher, harsh realities are debated by the people who must bear the cost.

The brief war was followed by victory, but one that came at a heavy cost. In addition to nearly 1,000 fatalities and nearly 2,000 wounded, many veterans were left with the invisible scars of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The war transformed the fortunes of prime minister Margaret Thatcher, whose personal popularity had fallen dramatically since 1979, and of her Conservative government, which had been trailing behind the Liberal / SDP Alliance in the opinion polls. In June 1983, a year after the end of the war, the Conservatives surged to a landslide General Election victory. With its renewed mandate the government would enact policies that would leave their mark on the local economy in the North East for generations to come.

In this edition of the regional current affairs programme, a studio discussion a year on from the Falklands War, asking if it should have taken place and if the UK should shoulder the costs of defending and re-building the islands. In the second part of the programme, a discussion on proposals for Parliamentary constituency boundary change which, some believe, will be unfair.