The Knowle … Hugo Swire is … neutral.

According to today’s Sidmouth Herald (which has some excellent readers’ letters) our MP Hugo Swire is neutral about EDDC’s move from the Knowle but, just to be sure that the proper processes are used he has written to Eric Pickles (Department of Communities and Local Government) to ask him to be sure that this is the case.  Eric has written back and said due to all the correspondence he might possibly call the decision in when it has been made but only if it is of regional or national importance [well, then, it depends on what you call regional one assumes].  But Mr Pickles is also sure that proper processes will be followed but does add that if they are not then constituents have recourse to the courts.  So, not very reassuring so far when basically he is saying – well, if they do something wrong and we don’t pick it up you can always pay very, very expensive lawyers to fight your case in the very, very expensive legal system.

But let us get back to Mr Swire.  He is neutral.  Why?  Irrespective of whether or not the planning application procedure is followed what we have here is a major employer in his constituency planning to up sticks and take all its jobs to another constituency.  What is there to be neutral about that?  True the jobs are going to an adjacent Conservative constituency but surely that is not the point – they are leaving his constituency.  He should be fighting tooth and nail to keep the jobs here – that’s his job as our MP.