Political View: Why I believe our fortunes are on the up in Peterborough

The selection meeting, held at Sir Harry Smith School in Whittlesey, saw a capacity attendance vote Paul through in the first ballot beating a strong field of candidates.

Former Chelmsford MP Vicky Ford, Steve Count current leader of the Conservative group on Cambridgeshire County Council and Chris Carter-Chapman, the conservative parliamentary candidate for South Cambridgeshire in the recent general election, all putting forward well-formed cases for consideration.

Paul, with over 50% of the votes cast was the clear winner; with his excellent campaigning record convincing those in the hall he would be a candidate who will be able to harness support across the county.

With Conservative fortunes on the up, as measured by a string of by-election victories across the country over the past three months, and with a new leader in place very much focussed on ensuring we are a revitalised party well before the next general election.

Kemi Badenoch is a leader with a mission; conducting listening exercises designed to take forward the declared policy of Renewal, ensuring the party’s messaging and policies are ready for the future, following the humbling outcome of June’s general election.

It’s already apparent that many in the country are enduring a bad case of buyer’s remorse, with the current ‘Call a general election’ petition to Parliament securing over of £2 million signatures.

This feeling of positivity and optimism will, I am confident bear fruit for Paul’s candidacy and election chances. With a campaign focussing on improving road and rail links and securing jobs and driving investment in growth for the region – in tandem with calling out the incumbent Labour Mayor who has failed in so many ways – an unnecessary £30 bus precept we all pay due to the failure in securing Government Funding, and the hated congestion charging lined up for both Peterborough and Cambridge, being just two examples!

In Peterborough Paul’s record was borne out by his beyond expectations result in July, coming short of victory by so few votes, whilst elsewhere in the region, and nationally, Conservative candidates were ‘reaping the whirlwind’ of the public displeasure with many aspects of the party’s record over the past 14 years; some of which was deserved, and much of which was no more than electors falling for the ‘change’ chimera mis-sold to them by Labour, (and the Lib Dems with their splash park antics).

Paul can drive his vision of a more effective Combined Authority across the county – giving voters the opportunity to elect a mayor with extensive Parliamentary experience and a history of involvement in local Government well rooted during his time as a local councillor.

In Cambridgeshire and Peterborough this is the CHANGE we all deserve!

In my PT column last week, the editor’s knife deprived readers of the last couple of paragraphs of my article (although these were kept for the online version).

To avoid readers boredom, I precis: …to ensure arts and cultural provisions are not overtly impacted by Metal and Peterborough Presents losing their current home we must use every endeavour to find replacement accommodation in order they might continue their activities in the area.

Peterborough has in the past been described as a cultural cold spot, so let’s ensure that doesn’t perpetuate, and to do so we must apply some light, and heat to the challenge of maintaining a thriving arts and culture offer in the city.

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