January 30 2014

How big a role would you like to see Britain play in the world and how much are you prepared to pay for whatever role you would like to see? This week there have been reports critical of our reduced defence spending and, in particular that, for the moment, we have no aircraft carrier. The British people are rightly proud of our Armed Forces and would ideally like to see them in larger numbers. 

             

After our Iraq and Afghanistan commitments the country is war-weary and has little appetite for further interventions. Last August when the Government was contemplating intervention in Syria there was little support and certainly after I opposed military action I received only one critical email and that was from someone who was not a constituent.

So at the same time as we want to intervene less, we would still like us to maintain a large military establishment. Yet another circle for the politicians to square.

Last week’s Prime Minister’s Questions was a rather subdued affair but the last question brought us all a smile; this is how Hansard, the Parliamentary record, reports it:

Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con): The Leader of the Opposition has said, “What Hollande is doing in France I want to do in Britain.” Given recent events across the channel, does my right hon. Friend agree that that is completely at odds with our long-term economic plan?
The Prime Minister: I did not catch all of President Hollande’s press conference yesterday, because I was appearing in front of the Liaison Committee, but one thing that I did notice is that the French proposals now are to cut spending in order to cut taxes in order to make the economy more competitive. Perhaps the shadow Chancellor, in his new silent form, will want to consider some of those ideas and recognise that this revolution of making business more competitive and trying to win in the global race is a proper plan for the economy.

Even Ed Miliband allowed a grin to cross his face. But behind the smiles there was a serious point. The French President came to power with a Labour Party style set of policies. Taxes went up and unemployment stands at over 11 per cent. So what happened? He’s now proposing spending cuts of £41.5 billion – far more than in the UK. So George Osborne hasn’t needed a Plan B as the two Edsm Balls and Miliband, have been arguing for over the last three years.

French cuts are going to be painful as have ours but consider four cuts we can all welcome: the deficit cut, unemployment cut, taxation cut, fuel duty cut.

At a local level I received the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce’s latest economic forecast last week and it contained yet more good economic news: two-thirds of companies are expecting to increase turnover this year and as I go round the constituency there is certainly increased optimism throughout the local business community.

One final thought; the newly refurbished Cleethorpes Leisure Centre looked pretty impressive in the Telegraph the other day which made me ask- shouldn’t the Council have refurbished the Scartho Road pool and had a few million to spend elsewhere? I think we all know the answer except that is, our Labour councillors.