Article for Friday 9th July 2010 from Adrian Sanders MP

The Mayoral vision may be in need of a visit to Specsavers.  Just about everyone can see it’s not always the ideas that attract opposition, but the way they are presented.
I heard about the proposals for Beacon Cove and understood the idea was for the community to be involved, with plans shared with the community partnerships before they appeared in the press. 

How it read in the Herald as part of the Mayoral Vision, linked to the great sell-off of public assets to external developers, is sure to make this another project that will have folk up in arms rather than taking ownership of it.

You can't win support for change when you impose it top-down via the press.

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There’s a café on the sea-front at Brighton I came across one conference that stays open 24 hours offering the ‘Gutbuster’ breakfast.  I tried it once and couldn’t finish all that had been offered.   Last week I visited the new St Peter’s Church Restaurant in Queensway where Kath Roberts and her helpers offer a breakfast that makes the Gutbuster look decidedly small toast.  The Rev Anthony Macey has great hopes for this community facility and I think his enthusiasm is well placed.  

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Every week I’m sent a complimentary copy of the Labour supporting New Statesman magazine and each week since the election there has been an attack on the Lib Dems for allegedly selling out.  Laughable given over half of the polices in the Liberal Democrat manifesto have been adopted by the Coalition Government.  

The New Statesman’s right-wing opposition is the Spectator magazine which last week attacked the Conservatives for selling out to the Lib Dems.  The editor Fraser Nelson calculated that the Conservatives jettisoned 190 manifesto pledges in order to meet Lib Dem demands. 

Accusations that this is a Tory Government are beginning to wear a little thin, but I’m the first to accept that this isn’t a Liberal Democrat Government either.

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In retrospect I didn’t really miss much when I agreed to record an interview about the Budget for the BBC, attend a meeting of the anti hunting alliance, and hear what the British Marine Federation and Royal Yachting Association had to say to politicians at a Westminster reception, all during England’s World Cup game against Slovenia. 

Sadly the interview was not chosen for broadcast - but can be found via a link on my website - the anti-hunt meeting went well and I learnt that I had won the first ever League Against Cruel Sports Parliamentarian of the Year Award.  When I arrived at the BMF/RYA meeting I was the only MP to turn up before the final whistle, although I am sure it was Parliamentary duties that prevented others from being there.

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Next surgeries: 
Friday 9^th July, 5pm to 6.30pm, Preston Baptist Church Hall, Old Torquay Road, Preston, Paignton.
Friday 16th July, 4pm to 5.30pm, Connections Office, Castle Circus, Torquay. 

No appointment necessary.  Advice line 200036.  www.adriansanders.org or  www.myspace.com/adriansandersmp