Parliament is now back in full swing and there is a busy timetable up until Christmas. Whilst this takes me away from Somerset more than I’d like, there are some really important things being worked through and my postbag reflects how strongly many people feel about these. Just in the last week debates have taken place on immigration and the budget deficit – huge issues that affect our futures. It’s an understatement to say that the Labour Party is going through a difficult time and they have attracted a lot of criticism for changing their minds about borrowing more money and pushing up our debts. Whilst this would be pretty disastrous I do like the fact that we are having these genuine discussions and it is certainly an interesting time.
Sides are starting to take shape in what will be a keenly fought battle over our membership of the EU. Generally pro-EU spokesmen have not really campaigned on the positives in the past so it will be interesting to see how that works. The Conservative Party has not always been kind to itself when this issue is discussed and I hope that this is not the case over the coming months. The migrant crisis has thrown into the spotlight how complicated policies about freedom of movement and our borders can be. Whether or not it is possible to retain some of the benefits of the EU whilst having a border system that we feel more secure with remains to be seen. As with many aspects, it is the lack of control that is concerning here.
It hasn’t been a great time for England sport with the rugby team having such a tough group in the World Cup, although there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful about the Cricket team and of course the ‘Perfect 10’ in the Euro 2016 qualifiers. Closer to home, I couldn’t be more pleased to see that things are looking up for the Westlands Sports and Leisure Centre. Finding a long term, sustainable solution for the club is so important and it looks like it is close. I hope that the club will now go from strength to strength. It’s a huge asset to the local community and it should get as much use as possible.
On the subject of sports, 1966 will stay in most people’s minds for the football but it was also the last year in which the Yeovil Agricultural Show was held. I am delighted that it’s back, with a show planned for July of next year. As well as being a showcase for our businesses it promises to be a great family day out and I think brilliant for Somerset in general.
Finally, progress continues to be made with the superfast broadband roll out and I have been pleased to be in touch with some residents who can now access the service. There is plenty more to be done but nearly 3,000 new homes were added in the last quarter and the Government and BT working hard to cover the whole area and I will keep the pressure on them to hit the targets. It’s one of a number of ways in which the South West as a whole is open for business.