Great Western Coffee Shop

Ben Bradshaw promised last night to be the champion of the West after new Prime Minister Gordon Brown appointed him the region's Minister. The Exeter MP has been handed the task of fighting for the region's interests in Government (link below.)
http://www.westpress.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=146238&command=displayContent&sourceNode=146064&contentPK=17688042&folderPk=100268&pNodeId=145795

Our new champion has visited Bristol.....(link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=17998983&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

Well, is he our champion to the government, or the governments champion to us?

If he is to champion our interests, what chance does FGW have?

After all, the recent article by Christian Wolmar, http://www.christianwolmar.co.uk/articles/rail/570.shtml, describes how the First Group managaes their train franchises. All franchises, except FGW, are managed by the Operations Director, FGW is managed by the Financial Director. So, all First Group is interested in getting money from FGW, and us; operational management is not a top issue.

South West Minister Ben Bradshaw was last night accused of using taxpayers' money to drum up support for Labour after it emerged he has visited fewer constituencies held by the Opposition (link below.)
http://thisisdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=141507&command=displayContent&sourceNode=257390&home=yes&more_nodeId1=257393&contentPK=20008666

Gordon Brown appointed the Exeter MP last July to "act as a regional champion" and focus "specifically on regional issues". The Prime Minister also insisted his Government would work hard for the needs of "the whole country".

Figures compiled in Parliament show that in the first six months of his role, eight of the 18 constituencies visited by Mr Bradshaw are held by Labour.

Mr Bradshaw last night dismissed the suggestion of political bias as "nonsense".

In Devon he is listed as visiting only two seats - his own four times and Plymouth Devonport, held by Government Whip Alison Seabeck, once. In Cornwall, only Truro and St Austell has made it onto the Bradshaw itinerary- a key Labour target seat at the next election.

Across the South West region, just a quarter of the constituencies are held by Labour MPs - but 44 per cent of Mr Bradshaw's visits were to his parliamentary colleagues.

South West Minister Ben Bradshaw has defended his role as the "voice" of the region, claiming life in rural communities "isn't as bad as some people make out" (links below.)
http://thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232510&home=yes&more_nodeId1=232470&contentPK=20553368

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232450&contentPK=20553079&folderPk=108202&pNodeId=251466

One example he gave was that he had orchestrated a meeting between First Great Western and the South West business community, at which the company admitted urgent improvements had to be made.

I think that Labour's appalling showing in last week's elections represent a further threat to FGW.

Ministers will be looking for ways to demonstrate that they are, after all, "listening".

First may have improved punctuality over a short period.

But, by their own arguments when things were looking bad for them, shouldn't credit go to Network Rail for that?

This is a possibility, given the following Ben Bradshaw quote :