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New Blackmore Vale, October 1, 2021
blackmorevale.net
MPs’ round-up
Bishops should be abashed over their grandstanding Immigration is not a subject I have talked about frequently in the BVM, as it rarely affects us directly in West Dorset, but I think it is important to share with you my insights on what is going on about it nationally. A few weeks ago, 12 bishops wrote a letter to The Guardian saying they were deeply concerned about Government’s plan (namely the Nationality and Borders Bill) to deal with immigrant crossings in the channel amongst other things. Whilst I think the bishops’ letter is grandstanding, because it was sent to a left-wing newspaper rather than the 650 MPs in parliament who do have an influence, I would like to share my own views. Only a few weeks ago, we had more than 1,500 illegal immigrants cross
MP for West Dorset Chris Loder the English Channel in a single day. They are not fleeing a threat, they are not fleeing persecution in France these people are illegal immigrants, encouraged by the French, facilitated by people traffickers
to cross the channel. It has been outrageous in my view, that our government has also given France £58 million to deal with this issue, mainly because they haven’t! The bishops’ letter purposely looks to confuse immigrants with refugees. They are totally separate. Although I agree previous policies have not worked, being a member of EU made it very difficult to manage. This Bill will address it and I support the action taken. If anyone is in any doubt that this country takes seriously its role in helping refugees, you just have to look at what we have done to help Afghan refugees in recent weeks. n Retired RAF Squadron Leader Ken Symonds AFC lives in Martinstown near Dorchester.
He has been missing his Bomber Command medal clasp ever since the Second World War, but on Saturday, just a few days after the anniversary of the Battle of Britain it was a great honour for me to present him with his Bomber Command clasp. Ken, 97, flew Lancasters, and was on the very last Lancaster home on the final bombing raid undertaken. It was his crew that flew over Buckingham Palace on VE day. He served 40 years in the Royal Air Force, and the bravery of him and many others like him is the reason we live in a free society today. If I can help with constituency issue, please get in touch at: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA or online: chrisloder.co.uk
We should appoint a Supply Minister The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness is upon us and we should all be basking in the glow of the last days of late summer sunshine. However, it is clear to everyone – particularly those contacting me or giving me their views on the issues of the day, that we are facing a testing and difficult autumn and winter. Harold Macmillan’s warning that ‘events, dear boy, events’ are the politician’s curse seem more than writ large. Our leaving the EU was always going to create issues in need of solutions. We thought that we would have a post-election, large majority ‘space’ during 2021 to deal with them. Then along came covid with all of the distraction and resource divergence it required. Government was absolutely right to do. None of us knew how long it would last and precious few would have predicted it to be this long. And then along came Afghanistan. And overarching all of that the ever-present climate emergency and preparation for COP26. So most if not all of the
MP for North Dorset Simon Hoare Government’s plans have been affected by events outwith its control. But, Governments can walk and chew gum simultaneously and legislation is still moving through the sausage machine. However, the big issue facing our country is not new laws but supply. I begin to wonder whether we should not have a new Minister of Supply to co-ordinate and bring heads together across Whitehall. We have a clear problem with the supply of labour. I have yet to hear from a business that is not having issues with recruitment. We are an aging population with a falling birth rate. Immigration and work visa policy must be
economically focussed. We are clearly at the beginning of an energy supply situation. Inflationary pressures will rocket if a cold winter sets in. Petrol and fuel supply difficulties (principally due to driver shortages) can be addressed by military deployment but that is only a sticking plaster. Hopefully, the ending of furlough will see more people return to the world of work. As covid restrictions ease, and as the need for workers from overseas becomes apparent to all but the narrowest of minds, we will see an injection of human capital into the workforce. Local farmers and food producers are worried. Local shop owners and other businesses are anxious about the slow operationability of their new supply chains. Again, as covid restrictions are lifted across the world, business will have more resource to find the solutions so desperately needed. Our dedicated health and care workers, already exhausted, fear a new covid variant or a particularly hard-hitting flu
epidemic (possibly magnified in impact by the control of social interaction last autumn/winter). The above are the problems/ issues we know. There are things which are yet to even loom on the horizon. There are some comforts that we can draw upon. The size of the Government’s majority ensure it can carry its business in Parliament. Heaven help us if we were trying to deal with the issues raised above with a wafer thin or non-existent majority. The money markets have faith in our Chancellor of the Exchequer and the chill winds of recession are not being felt in the UK. This gives the Government scope to continue the pragmatic commonsense that saw both furlough and the recent NI decision. A meteorologist may very well describe the political weather as ‘unsettled over the coming weeks and unknown thereafter’. As a governing party we are going to have to be agile and fleet of foot to help steer our national ship to calm water. I shall do all I can to do to ensure North Dorset is looked after.
