King's Lynn and West Norfolk's former MP Lord Bellingham backs Liz Truss for Tory leader and Prime Minister over Sunak

As well as visiting a number of pubs, we spent time with local farmers, small business owners, parish clerks, parish councillors etc. My immediate impression was that here was a very special person with real presence who could light up a room, but also someone who was really keen to listen and learn. Equally importantly in this part of Norfolk, she had great enthusiasm and a delightful sense of humour.

A few months later we were both successful in the 2010 election, and from that day onwards worked very closely together on numerous local issues and campaigns. Both our constituencies are served by the West Norfolk Council, the QEH hospital and the same rail service. This meant that we shared many meetings with the relevant officials, and quite often we would lead joint delegations to lobby ministers in Whitehall. At the same time we were regularly part of wider Norfolk and regional briefings and conferences.

One of my most abiding memories of these many meetings was that Liz was always exceptionally well briefed. Indeed she was often, not just up to speed with the brief we had been given, but had also researched substantial key additional information. I discovered very quickly that, among her formidable set of skills, is the rare ability to home in on a problem with laser-like efficiency, analyse and assess the options, and then come up with the answers.

I was the enthusiastic amateur with long-standing local knowledge alongside a class act. In other words a bit like an average club cricketer going out to open the batting with a young Test star!

Soon after the 2010 election we were confronted with the infamous Saddlebow incinerator saga, which quickly emerged as one of Norfolk’s biggest ever campaigns. At beginning it certainly seemed that the sponsoring authority, Norfolk County Council, with the support of at least three Government departments, held all the aces. I seem to remember that even the Lynn News described it as very much a ‘David versus Goliath’ contest.

However, although the then leader of the borough council, my dear friend Nick Daubney and myself were the main figureheads for the campaign, and whilst we had superb input from the indefatigable KLWIN and the Lynn News, Liz Truss was brilliant at every turn. Many local campaigners can quite rightly claim a great deal of credit for our eventual success, but part of the key to this was winning over and changing the minds of various ministers. It was Liz’s relentless optimism, shrewd tactics and sound judgment that really was the game changer with Whitehall.

In conclusion, I am convinced that Liz has exactly what it needs to become our next PM. I have already explained why I know she has the ability and strength of character to take on the top job. Of course, many of these qualities have already been very much to the fore during her time as International Trade Secretary, and now as Foreign Secretary standing up to President Putin, but she has something else as well, namely integrity. Indeed, the reason why we are having this leadership election is because the current PM ran out of integrity, and lost the trust of the public. Liz is by far the best person to restore the situation.

For all these reasons I am backing her 100 per cent, and I very much hope that the 1,000-plus Conservative members of the two constituencies spread across your paper’s circulation will do likewise.

Lord Bellingham,

Congham

Patience wears thin

Are we on the verge of unrest in the streets such we witnessed for Poll-tax? Except for the super-rich, the country is falling apart around us as we face a serious cost of living crisis and the threat of an increasing number of strikes. Meanwhile our elected politicians play ‘party’ games and are abandoning a rudderless ship while they holiday for six weeks. For many in the population, there is no light in sight at the end of a very long and dark tunnel. Economists do not have a good track record of forecasting the future and whether you subscribe to the Sunak or Truss offering there is no immediate solution. I sense that public patience generally is beginning to run out. So what situation will the politicians return to in September?

Bryan Brunswick,

Eastgate Street, North Elmham

POLITICS

Change the record, John

Yet again Turnstone (Lynn News, July 19) banging on about the pier. Get over it. Move on. Nothing will ever happen about it. Too many palms have been greased. It’s over 20 years ago. The same is true of the new development in the main car park in Hunny which went through after three (at least) votes until the vote required by interested parties went through to commence with the project. The Turnstone column goes under the banner of ‘Hunstanton and coastal news’. Can we have some news from your correspondent rather than history lessons or lectures in the benefits of being a vegan please.

Rob Yarrow,

Hunstanton

ANCESTRY

Help with burial site

I have been trying for years to find my grandmother’s burial site, I have joined all the ancestry sites but unfortunately got nothing.

My grandmother’s name was Sarah Anne Peacock, she was born in West Newton in 1878.

We know she married my grandfather John Peacock in 1900 in King’s Lynn. She passed away in King’s Lynn hospital on October 20, 1942. Her maiden name was Ringer.

Could anyone have any knowledge please?

Ken Roper

kroper2438@mail.com

TREES

What a loss this has been

Re the letter from Jenny Walker (Lynn News, July 22) ‘Are these trees alive?’ regarding the 6,000 young trees planted at Lynnsport and 500 at King’s Reach, the latter to replace trees that had been previously planted and died.

A report from Paul Kunes, cabinet portfolio holder for the environment, on May 24, states ‘this is the first large-scale planting programme as part of the borough council’s strategy to tackle climate change and offset carbon dioxide emissions”.

I have visited several times with others and it is very clear that despite the weeds and dry grasses between the whips (as they are termed at this stage of their growth) which were covering the whips having been mown down over the last week the majority of the whips are so dry that some have come out of the ground, the guards around the whips are full of weeds and some of the guards are either empty or destroyed.

The borough council’s Tree Planting for Net-Zero Report dated May 2020 assesses the feasibility, effectiveness and cost of a district tree planting programme to offset greenhouse gas emissions so as to comply with the Government’s legislation for local authorities to reach net-zero by 2050. The report gives detailed advice and raises lots of questions as to why the recommendations were not followed.

The list of trees planted does not adhere to the recommendations of the report, in fact beech is classed as unsuitable for King’s Lynn but has been listed as being one of the species planted.

The report also states that there are several funding opportunities for local authorities to undertake such schemes but the cost which was in excess of £80,000 came from the environment budget therefore taxpayers’ money.

The Woodland Trust recommends planting trees between November and March and not to plant a larger number of trees out of season as it can lead to a higher loss rate. These whips were planted March-April this year.

Mr Kunes said he expected there to be some loss but the trees at King’s Reach had to be totally replaced previously and may need to be again and many if not all may need to be replaced at Lynnsport.

What a loss of money, time and the actual whips themselves which would have been nurtured for up to year prior to planting and this could have been avoided with careful planning.

The area at Lynnsport was for many years a tip site which is why the land is high and prior to the tree planting top soil was laid on top and wildflowers seeds sown.

The area was used as mitigation for the loss of green space at Lynnsport as part of two planning applications despite it being unsuitable for children or adults to use safely. The land is very dry and compacted and boulders and concrete are evident and you have to wonder if this type of land is suitable for tree planting at all. With the recent high temperatures affecting us all, with the loss of water, and fires, the borough must make tackling climate change a priority in actions as well as words or not only will they not meet their net zero target by 2050 they will lose the confidence of the public in taking this issue seriously.

Sue Bruce,

Reffley