Tony Porter Ponders: Mixed messages, relanch or reset? Not a Car Park Car Park update

I’m confused, some might say that is more than obvious at times, but Angela Rayner has said people need homes and that should be prioritised over newts. She is in the Labour cabinet that is trying to save the planet with the ridiculous green energy plans, nuclear is the only way by the way, but they seem ok killing newts, well destroying their habitat for house building.

The problem we have is that, like when I was Chairman of a Stock Car club for a decade, on the committee you have some great people, you also have those who do not have a scooby what to do and cause disruption, you have to make the best job you can with the people who put themselves forward. Scale this up to government and, like the Tories, you can only form a cabinet with people from your party, not a thing you would do if running a multibillion pound business empire, make a CEO out of someone who just puts their hand up outside the head office.

Thing is I do not think that Labour even realises how they look right now. We had a not a relaunch relaunch with Keir making some promises? Pledges? Milestones? Yes that’s the one, but isn’t a milestone something one has achieved not trying to achieve, pass your driving test, 2 million views on YouTube, that kind of thing. But no this is a list of milestones not yet reached, or unlikely to be if you listen to some commentators. They are, raising living standards, building 1.5 million homes, getting 13,000 new police officers on the beat, pre-school children getting better early education, clearing hospital backlogs, and producing more green energy.

I am convinced this is a lower number of policies, pledges, that were pushed during the election, and I was shocked there was no reference to the one policy that the majority of people I speak to in my shop talk about, migration, legal or otherwise. Many are saying that we do not have enough skilled builders to build over a million houses in five years, so we will have to import some to give them a chance of possibly reaching that target.

Those of a certain age will remember the British builders travelling to Europe in the eighties they even made a comedy show about it ‘Auf Wiedersehen Pet’ and this system worked then, so it could work the other way, we will see.

Meanwhile, in Wigan, I have heard a few rumours, that are worrying, but unconfirmed, while overhearing a contractor in a queue at a pie shop, obviously, talking to a lady saying he was expecting to be on site at least for five years. A ‘road’ has been constructed on the inside of the barrier surrounding the site all the way from the college to the top of Market Street, I assume to transport materials and vehicles to the Market Hall site. It’s a small thing but it’s a positive. The Car Park That’s not a Car Park will now be a Car Park, short stay for the Market, opposite the Heart Foundation Shop on Menses Street. I had been told it was not suitable for daily use as it could crack in winter or melt in summer, lets hope not!