Hopefully those who have been duped by Huchen or those who cannot join the dots, at least understand that the Tories have next to zero chance of winning a general election. From that, it makes absolutely zero sense to have a Tory mayor with a Labour PM, and Labour MP's. He just will not get the same support or lying on his behalf from Labour, and why should they when they can back other areas which have the sense to vote in Labour mayors or other representatives. He'll be off down London literally lording it up more than he's here.
Sure, the airport is quite good, it's really quick going through security and easy parking, but it's just not attracting the airlines or the passenger numbers, it must be losing a fortune, at a time when there is no spare cash for things which lose money. I just don't see how this is ever going to work long term, it never even worked when it had everything going for it.
Sure, it's great that Teesworks will create some jobs, I don't believe it will meet the quoted numbers but anything is better than nothing, but the way the deal was done was terrible business for the local area financially, never mind what the UK government chipped in, but fair play on him getting them to chip in. The would have chipped in on something anyway mind, as they need votes in the area and they've took the **** for 14 years too long.
Chasing steelmaking again is F***ing stupid idea, we're never going to be able to compete on cost with foreign steel. That industry has been and gone in the UK and things don't last forever, it's always in cycles, we need to be looking for what is coming next. At least we're doing that with some of the Teesworks plans, but a lot of them are still plans. Plans are doing a lot of heavy lifting at the minute.
I think he's still going to win and we're going to see another painful example of you will reap what you sow. It's going to be another expensive lesson I think, and I can see a lot of "I told you so's" needing to be said in the next decade or so, which Labour will probably be running the country for.
Half of the reason Huchen got in was because the area was left to rot by the Tories, when they didn't want to help any of the local Labour leaders, which most people stupidly blame on the labour leaders who had their hands tied and pockets emptied. If he does get in I kind of want Labour to give him a bit of an easy ride and help him out, as he's incredibly naïve, either that or get him kicked out for corruption or gross negligence.