APPARENTLY the MP for North West Hampshire, Kit Malthouse, has recently been spotted at a Space APPG drop in session in Parliament, “commenting” on the fact that the town was “perfectly positioned” to attract jobs and investment from the space industry.

Wow! Little old Andover, a beautiful vibrant town consisting of three major department stores, the “baker, shoemaker and candlestick maker,” in 1967, when I and my family arrived from the slums of London, is now on a “promise”.

Add to this Andover is to become renowned for having a fantastic range of markets throughout the year. Andover’s evening and night time economy, through a range of events, shopping, food and an improved cultural and heritage offer, will be strengthened and grown. There will be £3.74m for architectural and technical services to deliver the new theatre in Andover. For how many people?

READ MORE: MP says Andover is 'perfectly positioned' to attract space industry

Nothing to do with it being an election year, I am sure.

But the reality is Andover, like the bulk of the UK towns under successive socialist Governments, and I include the so-called Conservative and Unionist Party, or as I like to call them Tony Blair’s party Mark 11, are complicit in allowing the heart of our towns to “wither away and die on the vine”.

Why do there appear to be dozens and dozens of foreign owned “barbers”?

The cycle and electric scooter menace on the pavements is getting worse. Many car cam videos I have captured on this law breaking is ignored by 101. I have actually witnessed a police car drive past a scooter.

Where are the 20,000 coppers often boasted about by the Government (who conveniently forget that it was this lot, under May I believe, who denuded the police service of 20,000 personnel in the first place).

And don’t get me started on the slashing of the strength of the armed services. We had more Territorial Army recruits in my days when I was a member for 22 years than we have fighting troops available today. In fact I believe that Wellington had a bigger army?

The roads are a disgrace with thousands of potholes and continuous flooding after a downpour, yet the motorist is regarded as a “cash cow” via the road fund licence, the money quite often used for “vanity projects”.

But Kit Malthouse, the champion and saviour of Andover is up in the bubble of London rooting for us.

So everything is not all “doom and gloom, Mr Mainwaring sir”, sorry Mr Malthouse, eh!

Mr D Skinner

Bishops Way

Andover

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