Reflecting on the figures, Mr Watling said “It was once commented that you can prove anything with statistics, other than the truth’”. While the BBC is right to say there is a problem, I would observe that the figures are regarding “economically inactive people”, including people who retire here under 64, and not just people who have lost jobs. In fact, our benefit claimant count is not dissimilar to many Essex areas, and much lower than many city areas. Clacton has many thriving businesses and communities, and I reject the almost constant assault we get from some quarters of the media.
That notwithstanding, Clacton does need massive investment. I keep saying in Parliament, as we discuss “levelling up”, that the East of England is not homogenously rich. We have pockets that need attention. I am delighted we won the Towns Fund for Clacton, investment for Clacton Hospital and others – totalling over £40m of new cash. My fight for this continues with my campaigns on dental care and primary care – after all, you don’t grow an economy with a poor health environment for workers. However, we need more. Not just more cash, but smarter thinking.
Colleagues are aware that our Freeport, a suggested game changer, has seen me say that it shall be a failure unless it seriously opens up opportunities for areas in Clacton like Jaywick – I even put the CEO and Chairman of the Freeport in my car and drove them around to show them what I was talking about. Furthermore, I have held meetings and a Rail Summit where I have outlined to the County Council, Network Rail, Greater Anglia and the Transport Department how improving our rail in and out of Clacton, such as the restrictions at Hawley and Ely rail junctions and improved bus connections represent an opportunity to unlock potential which shall repay investment many times over. This means opposition to an “anti-road” agenda (bus and car travel is vital), boldly investing for the long term instead of piecemeal or short term projects, and increasing tourism take up on rail to help justify additional investment.
So, my message is that we shouldn’t talk Clacton down – instead, lets talk about the massive opportunities we have and how we must seize on them."