An object lesson in why you shouldn't attack your political rivals too soon...

There are times when attacking your political rivals seems like the 'easy' thing to do.After all, you want the job that they, or their colleague, has. It is too easy to forget that, whilst you may not agree with their politics, they probably entered the political arena in an attempt to serve the people they represent, or have responsibility for.

This week, I have taken my campaign for better bus links for Stowupland a stage further. Rather than just bemoan the loss of the Sunday bus service for Stowupland and Cedars Park, I wrote to Guy McGregor, the portfolio holder for transport on Suffolk County Council, in the expectation that he would either not reply at all, or give me some vague answer implying that there is no money and that it is all too difficult.

You can therefore imagine my surprise on receiving a reply within fourteen hours (including the hours of darkness), indicating that he would ask the officers to look at the idea, copying an officer in on his reply. Yes, he did mention the cuts but, not knowing who I am, how would he know what I know?

So, I replied, thanking him for getting back to me so promptly, and supplying some more information that might assist the officers in evaluating whether or not a small subsidy might enable an extension of the newly introduced commercial service between Stowmarket and Ipswich, operated on Sundays by Galloways.

And again, in less than four hours, I received a reply, suggesting that the developments in Cedars Park, which I had prayed in aid of the proposal, might be a source of Section 106 funding. I'm not sure if it isn't too late for that to be a factor, but it was a sensible suggestion, and I'll be following it up.

In truth, this may all amount to nothing in the end, but it does demonstrate that, if politicians work together for the good of their communities, and treat each other with respect, the outcomes for local residents might be rather better than they sometimes are now.

So, I offer an apology to Guy McGregor for calling him a weasel in early January. Admittedly, by the standards of the blogosphere, that's pretty mild but, in retrospect, it was unnecessary. That said, I still think that he was wrong then...