his first fateful weekend in the same office, Mr Brown, and his new Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, has today had a baptism of fire.
There is no doubt at all that we were all very lucky last weekend and that a tremendous debt of gratitude is owed to all those who played a part in averting tragedy on a very large scale. This is especially true of the alert paramedics who spotted the first car bomb in London and the alert traffic warden who was suspicious of the second.
We all really do have a part to play. When the Prime Minister and others ask us to be vigilant we should all take heed. And I fear we cannot assume that these attacks will always take place somewhere else. So we should all be on the look-out for suspicious people and objects and draw them to the attention of the police.
Last Friday I had a very interesting meeting with Dr Gary Calver of the Sandgate Road Surgery in Folkestone. We discussed a number of issues which are of concern to General Practitioners, including some aspects of needless and expensive bureaucracy. I shall be taking them up with the new Health Secretary.
I also opened new premises for two local businesses – Internet Stamps at Shearway Road and Independent Insurance Services at Church House, Sandgate Road. Small firms are the lifeblood of our local economy and it is important for us all that they thrive and prosper.
But the most important event I attended was Thanksgiving Service for Violet Pulverman, a longstanding Folkestone resident, and great friend, who died recently, aged 99. She was a truly indomitable lady, as I was able to point out in the few words I was asked to say at the service. She brought joy to the lives of so many and will be very sorely missed. |
