An Autumn of promise?

Well my last blog created a great deal of interest! The bypass is a critical issue - and clearly not so much of a done deal as its advocates would have us believe if an item on my blog can undo "cross-party" support for it - or so the Herald Express would have us believe. The Herald Express has long been an advocate for the bypass and the coverage is therefore by no means surprising. But no, I have not been deluged by fellow MPs asking me to "fall into line in favour of the bypass". No, David Cameron is not unequivocally in favour of the bypass and has put in writing that he will not support any road development until and unless it has been properly costed. And no, I have not been seeking any short term political advantage, but rather a long term sustainable result which best serves our community.

My position on the bypass is based on fact and on a view that this bypass is about housing more than it is about traffic congestion - and this has not been openly and honestly discussed. I am concerned about both housing and traffic congestion- we need a well thought out solution to both issues following proper consultation. Will Devon County Council or the Herald Express allow a proper debate on the real options to solve the traffic congestion problems of which the bypass is only one - and many times the most expensive, as a matter of urgency? Will Devon County Council and Teignbridge Council allow a proper debate on their housing strategy, with all the options properly costed and put in the context of a housing needs analysis, particularly given the adverse views the Northern Option proposal has received from the inspector? Will Richard Younger Ross tell us what his views on these issues are and why he holds them?

We are at an interesting juncture in political history - will Mr Brown go to the country this Autumn or not? The polls are willing him to do so but I suspect common sense is saying to him - not yet. If I were Mr Brown I would be extremely worried about the current economic health of the country - and my part in it. We are one of the most heavily taxed countries in Europe and our "street cred" as a strong economy has plummeted under Brown as Chancellor. The FTSE is fluctuating unpredictably, interest rate rises have still not stabilised inflation and yet the mortgage pain for borrowers is reaching breaking point. Mr Brown is coming under increasing pressure - and rightly so -to have a referendum on Europe from his own party! We are paying a huge price for membership of something which has changed beyond all recognition - and is not what we signed up to! And the Lib Dems are as committed to staying in Europe as Mr Brown according to their leader - so who is breaking ranks with his leader now I wonder - Mr Younger-Ross! Are you really a Eurosceptic Richard or is this just a short term political tactic given the predicted Autumn election? Tell us where you stand.

As we move into the party political conference season, we will see some very interesting developments - not least more from David Cameron on how we can begin to mend our broken society. The more shootings, stabbings and muggings we read about the clearer it is that something has to be done to restore a sense of the family and the community, a sense of belonging and being valued and valuing others. Tony Blair tried to tell us how to live our lives because he thought he knew best - he got it wrong, and badly wrong at that. Let parents be parents and teachers be teachers, don't tie their hands behind their backs. Discipline is a good thing and it is part of growing up. If there are no signposts setting out what is right and wrong should we be surprised at the society we have today. Parents should not live in fear of being reported to Childline by their own children, teachers should not fear for their very lives in the classroom. Rules and regulations to stop the abusers have done just the opposite - they have made the list of possible abusers so wide, it's hard to spot the real ones! Clearly child abuse must be stopped, but this plethora of legislation is making things worse not better. And lets have real policemen, properly trained, on the street solving real crimes - not paper crimes which just help the statistics rather than making the country safer.

Bring on an election - we are ready!