Government minister pleased with Gloucester

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Saturday, February 06, 2010
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This is Gloucestershire

​A Government minister responsible for Gloucester’s £7m regeneration yesterday said she was impressed with how far the city had come.

Rosie Winterton, Minister of State for Regional Economic Development, met fellow politicians and business leaders in Gloucester yesterday (fri) to see first-hand the plans for a linkages scheme between the Quays and the city centre.

Mrs Winterton, who is the MP For Doncaster North, said tales of Gloucester’s regeneration from MP Parmjit Dhanda had prompted her to pop in for a visit on her way to a meeting in Exeter.

She said: “Parmjit had a number of debates about this in the House of Commons, and I responded.

“He painted a very good picture of why the investment was needed. I’m so pleased that this money has been able to be used to invest in this area.

“I’ve been incredibly impressed.”

The minister was shown around the Gloucester Quays Designer Outlet Centre by Mr Dhanda, along with Gloucestershire Heritage Urban Regeneration Company chairman Chris Oldershaw.

Gloucestershire County councillor Mark Hawthorne, Ian Knight from the South West Regional Development Agency and Greg Smith, principal of Gloucestershire College, also joined the tour.

Mrs Winterton rejected the Conservative’s view that the South West Regional Development Agency should be scrapped.

 She said: “Sometimes when you’re having to make decisions in Parliament it’s all quite technical, so seeing it for yourself is fantastic.

“Instead of it being a derelict and gloomy area, it’s a beautiful place to walk around and a great shopping centre. You can see how it has regenerated the whole area.”

Mr Dhanda said: “I’m always delighted to bring high-profile ministers to Gloucester to show them the value of the Government’s investment.”

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16 Comments

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by John Doherty, Gloucester

    Monday, February 08 2010, 9:45AM

    “Shaun Shute ¿ Tell us why every time a Labour Politician walks out of a toilet everyone nearby holds their nose? Shaun is it also true you sell red PD close pegs in Gloucester?”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by shaun is sooo funny !, Gloucester

    Monday, February 08 2010, 9:03AM

    “Shaun, Pot and Kettle spring to mind !!”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by Shaun Shute, Gloucester

    Monday, February 08 2010, 12:33AM

    “The Regeneration of Gloucester would not have happened under the Tories. We now have the worst opposition in history. Mr Cameron has turned into Mr Wobble.”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by John Doherty, Gloucester

    Sunday, February 07 2010, 11:15PM

    “TRY SOME LABOUR SPIN - Remarkable the techniques Labour Government Ministers use to give electors the brush off when electors question important bills passing through Parliament. A number of Ladies wrote to their MP¿s as they were perplexed on actually reading Clause 16 of the Equalities Bill, as opposed to the ¿Spin¿ around it.
    The MPs sent the letters for clarification, to Harriet Harman at the Equalities Office, and they were replied to by Vera Baird, Solicitor General, QC, MP, C.R.V.W. (Can't Read Very Well). Vera sent a form letter back to everyone, thanking them for their ¿Support¿ for the Bill and saying how great it was they ¿agreed¿ with the Government.
    So... the ladies then got very annoyed, replied back to their MPs about the MP not noticing the sleight of hand, and how they wanted An Answer...Not Spin.
    Vera Baird, Solicitor General, QC, MP... again sends the "Thank you very much for supporting the Equalities Bill" letter. She even rearranges the opening paragraph slightly, to show she's done something a wee bit different.
    This is Enormously Representative of ¿Evasive¿ Labour Politicians who believe the electorate is but dirt under their feet to be trodden on while they follow their own Labour creed. Yes it is the same Vera Baird who had to pay back expenses and indeed she IS the Solicitor General - I would say Really Nice people to place your trust in. Yes Sir”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by CIJ Advocate Member, Glos

    Sunday, February 07 2010, 8:19AM

    “If we are to love and trust our elected representatives again - and how we long to do so - then it is necessary for us to know whether they have assets parked offshore, regardless of their provenance. Reasonable people can disagree as to whether the use of offshore facilities is consistent with working as a representative of the British people, but we must be able to go about our business secure in the knowledge that our MPs are not being bribed by shadowy business interests.”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by John Doherty, Gloucester

    Saturday, February 06 2010, 8:44PM

    “Cockroach doing a Dance Dance in the streets of Gloucester. I was in heaven
    I was in hell Believe in neither But fear them as well Thay one's a Rosie whilt other one's a botched politician but both are cash fiends taking your money so back to your train and get out of Town”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by Orchid, Gloucester

    Saturday, February 06 2010, 4:32PM

    “John Doherty.

    Well said. I'll vote for you if decide to stand as Gloucesters next PM.”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by John Doherty, Gloucester

    Saturday, February 06 2010, 2:26PM

    “It is almost 5 years ago I kept warning there is a "tipping point" at which the government's share of the economy becomes so large that the private sector cannot function efficiently. That ¿Tipping Point¿ has been far exceeded and the ship is now lying at the bottom of the sea bed.
    When governments claim more than 40 per cent of national income those dreadful things begin to happen. And so they have. It was Chancellor Brown who raised the Government's share of GDP past that tipping point. Companies begun to take flight and with Cadbury sold off there a few British Companies left behind to pay Britain any taxes. Not even Hitler could have done such a wrecking job on this country. Goodbye Parmjit Dhandi and switch off the lights when you leave.”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by Charles Rickards, Cheltenham

    Saturday, February 06 2010, 2:08PM

    “Gordon Brown once talked of consigning boom-and-bust to the ash-heap of history but we no longer hear of his golden fiscal rules that have turned to lead. Mr Dhandi and Gordon Brown find it no longer possible to spill a bit more red ink across the national accounts as they have both run out of red Ink. New Labour has spent 13 years of spend, spend, spend, producing public sector borrowing on a scale not seen in 60 years and made it impossible for anyone to ever take New Labour views earnestly again. A group of primary schoolchildren could have done a better job”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by Parma Ham, Gloucester

    Saturday, February 06 2010, 1:43PM

    “Oooh I have been deleted, freedom of speech RIP.”

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