Year of change on high streets

It probably explains why there is an increasing reluctance, on the part of the major supermarkets, to develop the prime sites that they had previously acquired for new stores – the future of more than 1,000 acres of land across Britain is now in abeyance.

In many respects, this is good news for those market towns, and traditional high streets, which are fighting to preserve their identities. The pace of expansion is likely to be far slower in the coming years, not least because of the popularity of online delivery services and supermarkets opening convenience stores to meet the changing expectations of those customers looking to do a quick shop at unsocial hours.

Yet, while there will be some who will gleefully welcome the difficulties facing the supermarket sector because of its impact on independent retailers, some context is required. Supermarkets are major employers and tens of thousands of jobs, particularly part-time posts, depend on their continued success.

Furthermore, this month’s results are likely to see suppliers, and especially those in the dairy sector, come under pressure to cut costs. This needs to be resisted. For, while the results will, at face value, appear disappointing, these are still very profitable businesses. The one difference, moving forward, is that they will have to earn the custom of shoppers, and that can only be to the benefit of consumers as supermarkets face up to their own year of reckoning.

Clegg’s challenge

Coalition rules of engagement

NICK CLEGG finds himself in an invidious position as the coalition draws to a close. While the Liberal Democrats clearly want to differentiate themselves from the Conservatives, not least over welfare spending, they also need to accept collective responsibility for the policies that the two parties have implemented since 2010 when they came together in the national interest.

Despite the opprobrium that continues to be heaped upon the Lib Dems by the party’s voluminous critics, this Government has been far more stable, and successful, than many envisaged in 2010, not least because the passing of the Fixed Term Parliament Act made it very difficult for either party to walk away from their responsibilities to the country.

That said, this legislation – passed out of necessity after the next election – should be repealed before voters go to the polls on May 7. Most of the Government’s legislative programme has been passed, hence the weeks of political sparring that will now take place before David Cameron formally asks the Queen to dissolve Parliament.

With many opinion polls pointing towards the likelihood of a hung parliament, Britain’s party leaders should not be hamstrung by legislation that was passed five years ago – they should have a chance to form a government with a blank piece of paper. After all, it is going to be difficult enough determining what takes precedence – the party which returns the most MPs to Parliament or the party which accrues the most votes across the country.

As a leader who regards himself as a king-maker, perhaps Mr Clegg could make clear his intentions?

Road to reality

Motorists driven to distraction

AMID the ongoing debate over the high-speed rail revolution, motorists continue to feel that too little thought is being given to their plight, not least when it comes to those busy roads that are no longer fit for purpose.

Indeed, even after the shameful neglect of the network in recent years – and the subsequent backlog of repairs built up by councils across Yorkshire – it is a problem that would take just a quarter of the projected cost of HS2 to fix. The bad news for drivers is that only half that level of funding has been promised.

No wonder they were left scratching their heads last week when David Cameron launched the Conservative Party’s election campaign in Halifax by unveiling a new poster which urged the electorate to “stay on the road to a stronger economy”.

Astonishingly, the road pictured alongside the slogan was free of suspension-crippling potholes. The mystery was soon solved, however. It turns out the photograph was taken in Germany.