...and Afternoon Tea with the Prime Minister

...and that is even more of an exaggeration as there was no tea and David Cameron was whisked straight down to the stones for his interviews and he came nowhere near the general public down at the Stonehenge Visitors centre.

Apparently, his security detail over-reacted to the sight of two STAG tabards and thought there was a mass demo waiting for him.  They had to be told that STAG was supporting the dualing of the A303 and a tunnel past Stonehenge - not objecting to it. 

As a total aside, you do have to question the logic behind spending so much on security for elected representatives.  It's not as if we don't have a bottomless well of those who would be only to happy to succeed the current PM -  if he were to fall foul of an intolerant electorate - impeachment with extreme prejudice if you like.  Politicians are, after all, a bit like London buses - you never see them unless there is a photo-opportunity, then a whole bunch of them come along together.  You can generally spot them as they are frequently red, and often wheeze like a clapped-out diesel engine.

Perhaps his security folk had heard what STAGs do those who annoy them?

Anyway, the PM came, had his Stonehenge photo opportunity - which is no doubt now off his bucket list - and then buggered off back to London.

Perhaps the most important thing he is (alleged) to have said in conversation with Simon Thurley of English Heritage is:

"and now the money can be spent on dualing the A303"

We will see, we will see.

David Cameron "Committed" - Shock, Horror..

Not often that you can use a striking headline like that, but in this case it seems legitimate.   Well, at least according to the Exeter Express and Echo who are today running a very interesting story on the A303.

The story reports that David Cameron, in a letter to Devon MP Neil Parish, has said that he and the Conservative Party are committed to improving the A303/A358/A30 corridor.

In his letter, the Prime Minister is reported to have said:

"I very much recognise the strategic importance of this corridor and therefore of finding solutions to its problems, and one of the elements of the study process will be to try to reach agreement on the respective priorities for investment along the corridor.

“The Department (of Transport) expects this study to be completed by spring 2015. Through this feasibility study the Department will identify potential future investment proposals for the route and the priorities, as part of its process for longer term investment planning...”

 “...this Government is committed to finding solutions to the problems on the corridor”.

Talk, of course, is cheap.  Let's see what happens next.