Our Kelly...

Update (11th January):  Ms. Tolhurst has been writing to her constituents, as follows...

"I have become aware that there appears to be some confusion within the local community regarding my own position on this application. I would like to take this opportunity to clarify my position on this important matter.

…. From the outset, I have never confirmed that I outright support the application (my emphasis) and have not submitted any written letter of support to the Council’s planning committee…. But, I did say that I am in favour of a winery in principle given the jobs it will create and the financial benefits to the community and wider Medway Towns..."

Fake picture, true sentiment..."in principle..."  

Compare that to what she originally sent out to concerned constituents a couple of months or so ago...

"I can confirm that, on balance, I am in favour of this application (my emphasis) due to the jobs it will create both on site and in the supply chain, the financial benefits to the community and wider area, and it could help to secure the surrounding land us as agricultural rather than leaving it open to housing developers...

So, to avoid "confusion", let's be clear.  Kelly was "in favour" of the application.  Now, she's "never confirmed that I outright supported the application" but "I am in favour of a winery in principle". The difference between an MP being "in favour" of something but not "outright supporting" it is lost on me. It smacks of fence-sitting.

I think maybe she's changed her mind, simple as that.  She has a history of doing that.

That's good.  And from what she is saying above, maybe she supports the winery, but not where it's going.  Which is exactly where Cuxton Parish Council is coming from. As am I.

Or maybe she doesn't. Who really knows with Our Kelly? 

Perhaps Ms. Tolhurst might even come out and say she supports Cuxton Parish Council's view that the Vineyard Farms apparent "must have" need to build their wine manufacturing plant at Upper Bush because of "quality reasons" is just a smoke-screen, and that it should be built elsewhere.  

But I'm not holding my breath on that one.

I wonder what Tracey Crouch would do?