2026: Week 1 - Back to Westminster
I would like to wish all my readers a happy new year, and my hopes that 2026 will bring everything you wish for.
Getting back to Westminster was a bit of a rude awakening after a relatively restful festive period with family and friends, but we quickly got back into the swing of things with national and international issues – including a debate on the price of fuel in rural areas of Devon.
Over the Christmas break there has been some alarming developments in South America, with President Trump ordering attacks on Venezuela and kidnapping the President and his wife in order to bring them back to America to face drugs and weapons charges.
Whilst the world was in agreement that the Venezuelan Presidency wasn’t a democratic, legitimate leadership, this does not excuse or validate Trump’s actions. By ignoring International Law Trump has made the world less safe. He has sent dangerous signals to the likes of Putin and President Xi of China that they can attack other countries and seize their resources with impunity. There is no doubt that the real reasons behind America’s attack on Venezuela have nothing to do with an illegitimate presidency, drugs or weapons, and all to do with the fact it has the largest oil reserves in the world. Trump’s refusal to back Nobel Prize winner Maria Machado, Maduro’s brave liberal opponent, shows he has no interest in Venezuelan democracy.
The UK should join other world leaders who have condemned this action; it is only by standing with our allies that we can protect other countries from similar fates. Trump has already made it perfectly clear he wants to annex Greenland, he will now be emboldened by his success in Venezuela. Where does it end?
Closer to home I have appealed to Teignbridge District Council to hold Harrington Homes to their section 106 agreements at their development on Higher Exeter Road in Teignmouth. Harrington Homes are requesting that all the agreed section 106 obligations be discharged which would mean no affordable housing on the site.
It would also mean the deletion of the outstanding balances of the following contributions: Active Recreation Contribution, Air Quality Contribution, Bio-diversity Off-Setting Contribution, Children and Young People's Space Contribution, Education Contribution and others.
Whilst I agree that this area is in desperate need of housing for locals, this cannot be achieved by allowing developers to build as they please without any consideration to the locality, its people, its environment and amenities. Increases in housing stock and loss of our precious natural habitats must be offset by the creation of quality, affordable homes and contributions to the local economy to provide the means to mitigate these losses.
I am hoping that Teignbridge Council refuse this modification to the original planning application, otherwise a precedent could be set to allow other developers to follow suit.
In more positive news, before Christmas I had the pleasure of “opening” some new benches on Back Beach, Teignmouth, which had been donated by a very generous resident. I have to agree with the sentiment behind this donation, Back Beach is a very special place to sit and while away the hours, and now there are some benches upon which to do just that!