Some of my ideas have come about and others haven’t, but it’s more than a whimsical simile that local government turns slower than an oil tanker.
Labour is confident in Swindon. But what of its traditional territory such as Stoke and Hull?
In areas like Somerset, we are being hit hard by the Liberal Democrats. Whitehall hasn’t always understood the needs of rural communities and voters like us, but Sunak does.
Winning in Birmingham and Bury is not enough. Bolton, Peterborough, and Derby are the challenges Labour needs to overcome.
There are amazing opportunities for our county, now that our switch to unitary status has been confirmed.
The PCCs for Suffolk, Dorset, Avon and Somerset, Hertfordshire and Wiltshire strongly back the stance taken by their colleague in Surrey. Other were less emphatic.
This decision means an opportunity to fundamentally enhance local decision-making and move genuine power and responsibility to local communities.
A broad base of support is the best foundation for success. That means councils for the east and west of the county, reflecting local needs.
It contributes a tidy £6.75 billion in GVA to the national economy each year as a net contributor to Treasury coffers.
A single unitary authority in our county, is needed, as soon as possible, to help our communities to recover.
The economies of Glastonbury, Wells, and Yeovil are very different to Minehead, Bridgwater, and Taunton.
A single unitary model has worked well in those areas that have adopted it in recent years, including Dorset, Wiltshire, and Buckinghamshire.
Their appeasement of unlawful protestors has gone unchallenged. A democratic party structure delivers checks and balances.
Most Tory MPs will be seeing large increases in the housing targets for their seats, while many Labour MPs see their local targets reduced.
The first in a five-part ConHome series this week on the future of the United Kingdom.