Sandra Chapman: ​​HS2 is dead in the water but another water issue needs attention - Lough Neagh

But these days British politicians have been hooked on the HS2 issue so I didn’t expect we’d get much of a mention. We didn’t have to wait long for the main subject. That particular project, expected to cost the country billions, has now been cancelled. Or maybe it’s just been put on the long finger, and may emerge again around Christmas when the Prime Minister is hoping to provide some cheer.

Those in the West Midlands who would have benefitted from millions of pounds investment if the project hadn’t been cancelled will not be happy.

There’s a certain amount of risk when a Prime Minister changes his mind about something quite important. Look at all the promises various British governments have made to us in the past. When the Protocol row took over I’m certain the government in London was quite happy to put them on the back burner.

In fact I hardly know what the Prime Minister has in mind for us. Does he give us much thought? The opposition isn’t much better. So I wasn’t expecting anything significant this week from the Tory Party Conference. I did notice though that Mrs Sunak looked rather fetching in an outfit of our favourite colour here – orange. Was she thinking about us?

Away from the conference I wondered when the government was going to deal with the extra sick leave being taken now by workers. It was 5.8 days pre-pandemic, now it’s 7.8. In fact I’ve been sick myself and I’m putting it down to the thought that Liz Truss could be Prime Minister again sometime soon.

The other issue plaguing me this week is something I’m certain this Westminster government should take an interest in – the future of our lovely Lough Neagh, now plagued with pollution. Does Rishi Sunak lose any sleep over this catastrophe? Has he any ideas on how it can be saved? This waterway, owned by the historic Earl of Shaftesbury’s estate, could be put up for sale. The 12th Earl of Shaftesbury Nicholas Ashley-Cooper told a TV interviewer this week that he wanted to do the best thing for the people who live around the Lough and so he should be treated as any business person would be.

I’m a south Derry girl, I spent years of my childhood living near the shores of Lough Neagh and perhaps it is time it came into public ownership. That would be a big undertaking but it’s doubtful that one ancestral family could take it forward. It’s current owner says he gets the blame for things which are outside his control. He says he wants to ‘do his best for the people who live there and to be treated as any business person’. Right now this important, historic lough needs healed and those living around it have the wealth of knowledge needed for its future. They could start by applying to the Treasury for funds.

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