Letter: The ‘Real’ Reason Behind the Lord Adonis Appointment

Published on: 9 Oct, 2015
Updated on: 9 Oct, 2015

Lord Adonis wrote that forty towns in the South East need to double in size to solve housing crisis.

From John Robson

England’s finest and most prosperous Conservative towns seem to be under attack from their own government. A government which has an out of control housing crisis largely due to its inability to: control the spiralling deficit, regenerate all areas of the country (not just the South East), or implement a sustainable policy on migration.

In fact immigration is such a taboo subject that neither Dave, Boris or George could bring themselves to mention it during their backslapping fest.

Numerous campaigns have been instigated by townsfolk across the country to vociferously defend development on their green belt, areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs), a lot of which is in some of the Conservative’s safest seats.

So how can the Conservatives do it? How can they rebuild the social housing they sold and never replaced? How can they reward their developer chums for their electioneering donations and still manage keep the party faithful onside?

I tell you how, they treat their Conservative electorate like simpletons.

They appoint a former Labour Blairite to deliver the cataclysmic doomsday scenario and be the fall guy for the electorates outpourings of angst and fury. That way George Osbourne, the leader elect, dodges the bullets to ensure he stays in number one place for his ascent to the throne.

Is there a chance that 40 of the most prosperous towns in England will really double in size? Not a hope, the barristers in these towns will be working longer hours than doctors and nurses to service the ably funded and numerous Conservative green belt movements.

So why do it? I tell you why – you create a scenario in which all hope seems lost. After much hand wringing and concessions from your developer friendly local council Executive, the decimation of the town’s urban area / green belt / AONB seems assured.

From this nadir the final acceptance of just 693 houses a year feels like a win. Perhaps the town won’t have to double in size, perhaps it will only be horrendous and not catastrophic?

And why did little old Guildford warrant a specific mention in the Lord Adonis article?

I believe, in the face of huge opposition to their Draft Local Plan, the Executive is rattled and needs a little help with the green belt protesters down here in sleepy Surrey. They need some sledgehammer politics to drive through Westminster’s housing target, as in the case with the other towns mentioned so they requested a mention in dispatches.

Thus, to counter these clearly irritating but common sense rebellions throughout the true-blue South East, enter the former Labour Minister, Lord Adonis and his version of the Apocalypse. You couldn’t make this up, but somebody clearly has.

There we have it. A draft “Local Plan” – made in Westminster.

Responses to Letter: The ‘Real’ Reason Behind the Lord Adonis Appointment

Bernard Parke Reply

October 9, 2015 at 11:47 am

I feel that the remarks by Mr Robson must reflect the genuine feelings and fears of the residents of this constituency.

Expansion on this scale will create chaos.

Only this week alone we have experienced five and seven mile tailbacks on the A3 and congestion is now a daily occurrence in the town centre.

There is talk of remedies some of which will not be put into place until after 2020 these of course will encourage more through traffic. These will not help maintain the quality of life here.

Affordable housing is often floated as a possible lure, but we all know that even with government help young couples, many of whom are having to pay exorbitant rents, will never be able to achieve a home of their own in which to bring up a family.

Family homes are the bedrock of a well organised society.
Ben Paton Reply

October 10, 2015 at 9:52 am

On 5th December, 1980 the Surrey Advertiser reported: “Infuriated by the government’s handling of the Wisley airfield affair, Ripley Conservatives have withheld branch subscription money in protest. Chairman Mr John Cooper, of Ockham, said members in the area were so annoyed by the whole affair they have withheld a proportion of the money normally paid by the branch to the Dorking Constituency.”

Today Conservatives in this area are dismayed that their values are not represented by the Executive in Guildford, elected under a manifesto that pledged to protect the green belt.

Developers and the council appear to believe that cash payments are a compensation and a substitute for the loss of rare and irreplaceable countryside. Still worse, the facts are, I believe, routinely misrepresented and due process ignored.

Now the government has the brass neck to blame homeowners for its own failings.
Stuart Barnes Reply

October 11, 2015 at 10:14 am

I agree wholeheartedly with Mr Robson’s comments and the above replies. However Mr Robson seems puzzled that our so called Conservative party and government seem to be attacking their own supporters.

I would point out the obvious fact that Dave Cameron & Co. are not Conservatives. “Call me Dave’s” speech at the conference was as vacuous, anti English and anti Conservative as any made by the Tony Blair.

There is no doubt in my mind that the leadership of what used to be the Conservative party has been taken over by the Guardian/BBC left. It is time for real Conservatives to find a party of their own or consider joining UKIP who at least retain some semblance of Conservative values and ideals.

As for the point about immigrants, surely we know by now that both the Conservative party and the Corbyn Labour party consider that the immigrants should have more rights than we the English have in our own country?
Mary Bedforth Reply

October 12, 2015 at 9:49 pm

David Cameron has been in Devon today saying that if Local Plans are not in place by 2017, HMG will create them.
Jenny Procter Reply

October 12, 2015 at 9:51 pm

The draft ‘local plan’ was always supported by Westminster. David Cameron and George Osborne have never done anything other than protest and make promises on the one hand and then make sure they lay blame elsewhere for decisions made or allow issues to slip silently under the covers hoping no one will notice they have not lived up to expectations.

They have a majority, under “first past the post”, as do the Conservatives in GBC and those in charge are going to run with it as far as they can.

A council that has a completely circular route through a single individual if any complaint is raised is hardly a democratic example and should not under any circumstances be supported centrally.

The Monika Juneja case would never have seen the light of day if the police had not become involved. There is an active and growing campaign to defuse GGG because they dare to raise very real and contentious issues which threaten the status quo.

I hope that growing awareness will be enough to stem the tide. It is sad that not enough of the electorate realised in the recent elections just how little their views would be represented by the people they voted in.
- Stuart Barnes Reply
  
  October 13, 2015 at 10:58 pm
  
  I understand Ms Procter’s anger but once again we only had a choice between awful and impossible. No one in his right mind would have voted for David Cameron unless the alternatives (Sturgeon, Milliband, etc.) were even worse.
  
  Many more people would have voted UKIP but the dangers of letting in the lunatic left were too great. Ande they call it democracy. I suppose we should give credit to the four million who did vote UKIP regardless.
  
  If only those Conservatives who are left in the so called Conservative party, e.g. Owen Paterson, David Davis, could take over.
Jenny Procter Reply

October 14, 2015 at 6:21 am

I do accept Mr Barnes’ position and agree choice at the top was limited.

However at local level not voting for one’s party of national choice will not bring down the government. It can be a very effective means of both expressing dissatisfaction and insuring better representation.