Welcome to Suffolk’s Gipping Valley, where another week starts. You may wonder about the picture, which comes courtesy of the Gateway 14 Residents Campaign Group. I’ve been spending the last week or so drafting my Parish Council’s seven page response to a planning application which is exercising local residents, which might reassure John Marriott that, despite my occasionally whimsical view of the world of parish councils, I take my responsibilities as Chair of my Parish Council very seriously.
We’ve got a busy day ahead of us, with articles on British pensioners overseas, EU citizens in the United Kingdom and a book review from Geoff Reid. I take what may be a mildly controversial look at one of the aspects of the Shamima Begum case which somewhat troubles me, and we have news of a candidate selection in Wales. That may not be all.
The big story this week will undoubtedly be Rishi Sunak’s Budget speech on Wednesday. Talk of stiff rises in corporation tax, rumours of adjustments to the tax regime for limited companies and the self-employed, a taskforce to pursue those who abused the furlough scheme, but the word ‘austerity’ is apparently not to be used. What would you do if you were in Rishi’s shoes?…
* Mark Valladares is the Monday Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice.


