A confusing time

February 2007

Recent weeks have proved even more confusing time than normal for those following the pronouncements and actions of the Labour Government. To take one example, the Government is saying that that people should use public transport more as it’s better for the environment. On the other hand, they have recently re-awarded the franchise for the service to London to South West Trains. Virtually their first action on keeping the franchise was to turn back the clock and change the rolling stock on services to London to carriages that were designed for short distances and are totally unsuitable for long journeys with cramped seats and a lack of tables and other facilities.

So, I am taking this up in Parliament and demanding answers from the Transport minister and asking him to knock some heads to get a better deal for long-suffering commuters from Portsmouth and South Hampshire.

And confusion has also reigned over the Government’s review of naval capabilities and bases. It is hopefully good news that the Prime Minister got involved and said that it was “inconceivable” that Portsmouth and the other two bases would shut.

Although this was despite once defence minister telling Parliament a few weeks before that basically no possibility had been ruled out including full scale closure of at least one of the bases. But even if the base is not closed, there are still great fears over cuts and how deep they might be. So I was pleased that the Secretary of State for Defence visited Portsmouth ten days ago as I had asked. And as I believed he would be, I think he was more than surprised at how well the base is operating and its potential.

Uniquely Portsmouth is the only base that can take two aircraft carriers alongside each other and we have Britain’s most modern shipbuilding facility here. And I will continue to be working as hard as I can along with other local MPs, the City Council, and the base’s management, staff and unions to make Portsmouth’s case. Memo to Government: From trains to defence and much else besides its time to get your act together and give Portsmouth and Hampshire a fair deal.