Ben's Column

<table width="100%" height="100%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="left" valign="bottom"> <table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""><tr><td background="../../graphics/180601_pages/pat.jpg"><img src="../../graphics/180601_pages/top.jpg" width="760" height="54" alt="MP for Exeter" usemap="#Map" border="0"></td></tr></table> <map name="Map"> <area shape="rect" coords="38,21,223,37" href="../../biog/" alt="Biography" title="Biography" target="_parent"> </map> </td> </tr> <tr><td align="right" valign="top"> <table summary="" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td width="150" height="341" background="../../graphics/buttons/bottom.jpg" valign="top"> <table summary="" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td> <a href="/" target="_parent"><img src="../../graphics/buttons/home.gif" alt="Home" width="150" height="34" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="../../exeter_labour/index/" target="_parent"><img name="Image6" border="0" src="../../graphics/buttons/party.gif" width="150" height="23" alt="Exeter Labour Party"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="/" target="_parent"><img name="Image7" border="0" src="../../graphics/buttons/speeches.gif" width="150" height="23" alt="Speeches"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="../../column/" target="_parent"><img border="0" src="../../graphics/buttons/column.gif" width="150" height="24" alt="Ben's Column"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="../../faqs/" target="_parent"><img border="0" src="../../graphics/buttons/faqs.gif" width="150" height="23" alt="FAQs"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="/" target="_parent"><img border="0" src="../../graphics/buttons/local.gif" width="150" height="23" alt="Local Information"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="/" target="_parent"><img border="0" src="../../graphics/buttons/newsletter.gif" width="150" height="23" alt="Newsletter"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="/" target="_parent"><img src="../../graphics/buttons/links.gif" width="150" height="23" border="0" alt="Links"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="../../contact/contact/" target="_parent"><img src="../../graphics/buttons/contact.gif" width="150" height="23" alt="Contact" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td align="left" valign="top">  <html> <head> <title>Welcome to Ben Bradshaws Website</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> </head> <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000" link="#cc0000" vlink="#cc0000" alink="#cc0000" leftmargin="0" topmargin="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0"> <font size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><a name="top"></a></b></font> <table width="90%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="10" summary=""> <tr> <td align="right"><a href="../../column/column/" target="_self"><img alt="Back" src="../../graphics/new_bio/back.gif" width="90" height="22" border="0"></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="-3"><font size="4" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#CC0000">Boundary Commission — 2 June 2004</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="-6"><font size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The decision by the Boundary Commission not to hive off all of Exeter west of the Exe into a huge rural constituency stretching almost to the Cornwall border is a victory for common sense and people power. <br/> <br/> Numerous times Exonians asked me if there was any point objecting to the Commission�s original plans. It would make any difference, they said. But it did. <br/> <br/> The sheer weight of public opposition and the strength of the argument against splitting Exeter along the river won the day. <br/> <br/> Few people will probably bother to read the Commissioner�s report and revised proposals in full. That is a pity, because there is a lot of local interest and detail in the report and its impact will determine the character of Exeter�s parliamentary representation for decades to come. The language in particular, the evidence presented and weighed up and a judgement given. <br/> <br/> The Commissioner chaired a public inquiry in Exeter lasting a week. He clearly also read all the written submissions. He took the trouble to walk, cycle or drive round those parts of Exeter and Devon affected. In his report he says he was particularly impressed by the evidence given to the inquiry by the independent witnesses. Representatives of all walks of life in Exeter � business, education, the health services, churches and numerous voluntary organisations who all objected to carving the city up along the river. <br/> <br/> The alterative the Commissioner plumped for � moving Topsham and St Loyes into a new compact East Devon seat � is not perfect, no redrawing of boundaries ever is. But is far preferable to the original proposal. It will break fewer community ties and keep the historic part of Exeter together. <br/> <br/> That should be welcome to all who care about are city.<br/> </font></td> <tr> <td height="-7"><a href="#top"><img alt="Back to Top" src="../../graphics/180601_pages/back_top.gif" width="100" height="27" border="0"></a></td> </tr> </table> </body> </html> </td> </tr> <tr><td> </td> <td align="right" valign="bottom"><table width="100%" height="70" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> <tr><td width="100%" height="70" align="left" valign="bottom"> <font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="/" target="_parent">Home</a> | <a href="../../exeter_labour/index/" target="_parent">Exeter Labour Party</a> | <a href="/" target="_parent">Speeches</a> | <a href="../../column/" target="_parent">Ben's Column</a> | <a href="../../faqs/" target="_parent">FAQs</a> | <a href="/" target="_parent">Local Information</a> | <a href="/" target="_parent">Newsletter</a> | <a href="/" target="_parent">Links</a> | <a href="../../contact/contact/" target="_parent">Contact</a></font><font size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br> </font> <font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#000000">The contents of these pages must not be reproduced by any third parties for commercial gain. <a href="/" target="_blank">Privacy Policy</a><br> </font> <font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ben Bradshaw © 2000-2008 Last updated 08/2007</font> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="1">| Developed by Websight</font> </td> <td height="70" width="251" align="right" valign="bottom"><img src="../../graphics/180601_pages/ben_logo_new.jpg" alt="" width="251" height="61" border="0" align="right"></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table>