I always think it is great news when someone says they want to invest in Torbay, but talk is cheap and it isn’t always right that whatever they propose should be agreed to. Nevertheless I wouldn’t want to be the one to rain on anyone’s parade here but in my near 50 years I have lost count of the number of knights in shining armour coming to Torbay’s rescue. Perhaps this latest one will be different and actually deliver something sustainable and of value. Certainly something more than the dashed hopes and dreams of the people of Hayle in Cornwall who heard similar words from Mr de Savary when he appeared to offer them their way out of the doldrums.
Just maybe, this time, it really is going to happen and not be a repeat of his unfulfilled interest in past development plans in Brixham. And who knows, it might be possible to achieve it without pricing out the people who live here from the assets they have enjoyed and paid for throughout their lives and that add value to everyone’s quality of life.
Fact is the past has shown that no one person, organisation or industry can sustain Torbay’s needs for continued infrastructure investment, new employment and the maintenance of our quality of life. Before selling off the family silver on the promise of a future undefined bonanza perhaps we ought to be focussing on helping our existing small and medium sized businesses through the economic down-turn. By using the £12 million extra Torbay now receives from the Government there are three immediate measures that could be taken that would lead to economic improvement for the area’s main employers and wealth creators – our small businesses.
Firstly to launch a buy local campaign to support local producers, traders and small businesses, secondly abandoning parking meter charges until we are out of this recession to encourage trade back into our town centres, and thirdly to use the council’s discretion to reduce the business rate where a clear case can be made for help. Our wider priorities ought to be to protect our natural environment - the areas most precious asset. Improve our transport links to help diversify the economy in order to attract higher value jobs. Constantly improve our education and training offer to attract higher quality investment into the local economy. Ensure the supply of secure affordable housing.
I’m pleased that some of these things are being championed by local government and its regional partners and agencies. History shows that it is our own efforts that successfully regenerate our communities and the economy, but if someone can add the icing on top then I say welcome. But don’t mistake the topping for the cake.
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The Israeli Government’s official spokesman, Mark Ragev, recently admitted on Channel 4 News that between the ceasefire of July 2008 until the time that Israel broke the ceasefire on 4th November, Hamas did not fire a single rocket. One might draw the conclusion that the Israeli Government has acted illegally and is responsible for horrendous, ongoing war crimes. Saturday’s announcement of a ceasefire by the Israeli Government turned out to only be the cessation of aerial bombing. The continued presence of occupying troops on the ground is not what most people would consider to be a ceasefire. And within hours Israeli armed forces began bombing Gaza again.
Then Hamas announced a ceasefire on the condition that Israeli troops would withdraw from Gaza within a week. The world waits to see whether this offer will lead to an end of the killing on both sides. There is no justification whatsoever for the firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas, or anyone else, but the bombing and invasion of Gaza on the orders of the Israeli Government is never going to help resolve the bad feelings in the region, and if anything is more likely to breed a new generation of terrorists who view the people of Israel and the west as legitimate targets. Whether you view what the Government of Israel has been doing as an action or a reaction it has not contributed to making the world a safer place.
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This week has seen a strange battle over MPs expenses and how much detail of these can be released to the public. Having agreed to increase transparency and release more information than ever before, the Government suddenly had second thoughts and proposed a change to not release individual receipts. According to the Guardian newspaper - "Harriet Harman, Leader of the House, is understood to have pressed for the change after being lobbied by the Conservative 1922 backbench committee and the parliamentary Labour party committee, which both wanted to stop the release of the information."
My view has always been that MPs should be treated exactly the same as others who are paid out of public funds. In advance of the proposed vote I co-sponsored a parliamentary motion calling on Ministers to repeal the order. In both the Commons and the Lords the Liberal Democrats made their intention known that they would fight tooth and nail to defeat the proposals. Although the truth was without the Conservative opposition MPs on side it would be unlikely to happen and the Tories initially planned to abstain.
Not overturning the proposals would have done further damage to the reputation of Parliament and the often good efforts of MPs of all parties who are not on the make and only in it for what they can get out it. Strong pressure from the public forced the Conservatives to reconsider and with the prospect of Labour rebels guaranteeing a defeat the Government cancelled the motion. Members of Parliament and Peers should now, thankfully, be subject to the same rules as everyone else.
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