The sooner we get the money for the TIF bid the better! I'm using public transport this week and I have to say I'm not impressed. Yesterday morning I stood on Bury New Road for nearly an hour waiting for a bus, ridiculous. I then decided to nip home between fringe meetings, again waiting over half an hour in a massive queue, standing up all the way home, squashed in like a sardine. This was Sunday, heaven knows what it's like in the rush hour. Public transport needs massive investment.
I've always had an interest in Irish politics since school, so today I decided to attend the plenary to hear Shaun Woodward MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. He outlined the current position and the difficulties to be faced, but was determined that politics will win out and that the assembly will succeed.
Next I went to a fringe meeting "Towards a United Ireland" organised by Sinn Fein. Raymond McCartney MLA, addressed the meeting and outlined how Sinn Fein would continue to fight for a united Ireland and the political means it would use. A real change from the Armalite politics of yesteryear.
I ended the evening by going to the fringe meeting organised by the Agreed Ireland Forum to discuss Civil Rights in Northern Ireland.
I think as a Labour Party we need to keep Northern Ireland at the forefront of our minds and continue to work to keep the Good Friday and St Andrews agreements moving forward. I fear if the Tories ever get into power the whole thing would collapse due to their Unionist stance.
The leadership issue was still buzzing yesterday, two jabs Prescott was great the way he savaged Charles Clarke as leader of the "Bitterites".
It was also interesting that at the North West reception organised by NWDA a number of NW MP's sidled out before Gordon Brown turned up to speak to us.
