It has been a historic day. The Prime Minister’s announcement that if the Conservatives win the next General Election there will be an In/Out Referendum in 2017 has settled one of the biggest questions in politics. I am glad to have played a small part in bringing the change of policy about. Back on 24th October 2011 it was my motion that called for such an In/Out Referendum that despite being opposed by all three main Parties front benches attracted 111 votes.

I wish the Prime Minister well in negotiating an EU lite package to put to the British people. The main thing is the British people are going to have their say after over 4 decades.

More importantly, unemployment is down again with more people in work in December than in November. No doubt there may be ups and downs on the road to recovery but the fact remains that even though it is a difficult path the Government are making the right calls on the big decisions. Of course Labour are opposing these decisions that is their job. The same few Labour Councillors and supporters who post on my blog are doing their job but the vast majority of the public know in their heart of hearts that even though they might not like the medicine in the long run it is working. There really is no alternative but to cut Government spending so the Country is living within its means. Labour’s answer is always to spend more but no one will forget that it was the ‘spend today’ policies of Labour that got the Country into this mess.