Stormy Weather

The autumn storm season has just brought forth it's first big 'un of 2009. I was relieved that it didn't hit Spelthorne as hard as had been forecast. Having said that, it was incredibly ambitious of London Irish to set up their latest exhibition showcasing their redevelopment plans in a marquee, and put up on Friday night! Sadly it didn't survive, and those of us there were shown to the club bar where it was hastily put together again.
It does bring into focus the changing weather, and the huge rise in energy costs faced by residents every winter, particularly the elderly. One thing that could be done to improve the situation, would be to properly insulate all the homes in the UK. As a party, we have comprehensive proposals on this. The Liberal Democrats’ Warm Homes scheme would be a national programme involving government, local councils and the private sector to insulate every home in Britain to the highest energy efficiency standards within the next 10 years. This is vital if we are ever to bring the 4 million people who currently suffer fuel poverty out of it. It is also an important long term way of tackling the effects of climate change. These are the strategic ideas that this country needs to provide long term benefits to people. It can't come too soon.