In My Book Open Water is The Same As Flooding

PROOF positive of my assertion that our present MP, James Paice, is still fence-sitting with regard to the National Trust s Wicken Vision is apparent from the Trust s own welcome of Mr Paice s so-called re-think on this vexed subject. Chris Soans,

PROOF positive of my assertion that our present MP, James Paice, is still fence-sitting with regard to the National Trust's Wicken Vision is apparent from the Trust's own 'welcome' of Mr Paice's so-called 're-think' on this vexed subject.

Chris Soans, of the Trust, goes on to report on Lord (Chris) Smith of Finsbury's recent visit to Wicken. His Lordship is now the chairman of the Environment Agency, which must be just the job for a redundant cabinet minister and the former MP for Islington South.

It's a shame that farming members of the Swaffham Internal Drainage Board were not invited to meet Lord Smith. They would have corrected the impression that he has evidently received, that "only poor farmland will be flooded".

Lord Smith has informed me by letter that "some of the national press coverage [of his visit] was inaccurate. It is true that the Wicken Fen Vision is considering 're-wetting' a very small amount of land ... this is not flooding ..."

I have subsequently been informed - by the National Trust's own officers, no less - that 200 acres of Burwell Fen alone will be 'open water' in their plans. In my book, 'open water' equals flooding and in my book, Lord Smith has been misinformed. I wonder what sort of further re-think Mr Paice will now consider.

GEOFFREY WOOLLARD

Independent Parliamentary Candidate, South East Cambrigeshire.

Chapel Farm,

River Bank, Nr Upware