Tony Porter Ponders: The Trump effect, who Grandad would vote for today and fantastic news on regeneration

Trump won! I was not expecting or wanting that outcome, that was until I heard Kamala Harris speak after her defeat, we dodged a bullet with that one. It implied that she was more ‘Wokey” than our very own Government.

I am not even remotely a Trump fan, but I agree with a few policies, and with his ‘crushing win’ he could sail these through and get some action on them. Mass deportation of illegal immigrants, we have ‘smashing the gangs’ which will work about as well as Wigan Councils attempt a few years back, to reduce the number of pigeons in the town centre by setting traps and having them euthanized. All that happens is the birds in the park, gangs, see an opportunity and move in and the problem remains.

Secondly America First, obviously I am not American, but wouldn’t it be nice to have a Great Britain First agenda over here, encouraging investment and jobs on these shores rather than targeting employers and hospitality with the triple whammy tax rises. 200 businesses have written to Racheal Reeves MP stating there will be reduced hours for staff, job losses, price rises and businesses going bust from the minimum wage rise, business rates relief reduction and NI employer contribution rise, something I have mentioned many times before.

Tesco have said that they must find about £1bn and that will mean price rises. Farmers are talking about blockading ports and stopping fresh food getting to the shops after her inheritance tax grab, meaning farms can no longer be handed through generations losing that knowledge, but also the food independence we need. I ponder if it is a stealth land grab, to put up pointless windfarms and even more pointless solar farms to drive their bonkers net zero target.

There seems a concerted effort to still push us to electric cars by various media outlets even claiming EV used car sales are up. That might be true as I know two, from few, who have sold there EVs to get petrol cars again, meaning there are more available, but the amount is still nominal. The British people are fed up with the nonsense that the powers that be come out with, who knows the next General Election might see a Reform Government, now that would be equally exciting and terrifying. Stop thinking ‘I vote Labour because my Grandad did’ think who he would be voting for now, not Labour?

Meanwhile in Wigan more and more good news, more contractors and new businesses and Christmas is starting to emerge in The Grand Arcade with Santas Grotto in place already and many shop windows looking festive. New signage has gone up on the old perfume store that closed last year, its not open yet but it is called ifixtech, then in Jaxon’s Court you have Raven Hall Games and Evolution Trading Cards both who trade and sell various card games, Pokémon and the like, adding to the well-established Nerd Shack on Library Street opposite the Town Hall. The big news though is recommencement of works on King Street, it looks like one of the old nightclub buildings is being converted, to what? No idea, but there are plans being put into practice and some actual regeneration of this, almost, forgotten, part of town.