Shropshire Star comment: Time for new parliament to deliver

Those of a Conservative persuasion will naturally be cock-a-hoop after their party’s decisive victory in the general election.

Armed with a majority of 80, Boris Johnson now has a mandate to push through his plans for the country, starting of course with our long-delayed departure from the EU.

For some of the other parties in Westminster however, the new year signals a time for major change.

In Labour’s case, that means drawing a line under the worst election performance in decades and electing a leader that can take the party forward after a period of regression.

The starting point is to get rid of Jeremy Corbyn. For many Labour MPs, his return to the backbenches cannot come soon enough.

His failure of a campaign was bad enough, but Mr Corbyn’s statements since the disastrous result have shone a light on just how detached from reality he has become.

By claiming to have “won the argument” in the election, and describing the last 12 months as “quite the year” for Labour, Mr Corbyn leaves a party that is fragmented and directionless.

This country needs an effective opposition, and the candidate who is eventually chosen by Labour members must be capable of leading by example.

The years since the EU referendum have been largely dark ones as far as our democracy is concerned.

The public has become accustomed to seeing MPs indulging in petty squabbles, and for too long there has been a collective failure to address the needs of the country.

Many were appalled at the apparent desire among politicians to ignore the result of the EU referendum, but the lack of progress in other key policy areas has also been frustrating.

Mr Johnson has pledged to address these issues as he implements his version of “one-nation” Conservatism. He has the numbers in parliament to drive policy – now he must turn his promises into the reality of a fresh start for Britain.

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It is hardly surprising that the vast majority of motoring offences across our region involve speeding.

But the huge number of offences that occur is, quite simply, shocking.

Police forces across the West Midlands snared more than 200,000 drivers for going too fast over the last 12 months, a huge increase on the figures from a year ago.

It is a remarkable tally considering the well-documented dangers of speeding and the efforts taken by the authorities to clamp down on it.

On one hand, it would be easy to conclude that motorists need to be more careful on our roads.

There is no excuse for breaking the speed limit, and those who are found to have done so must pay the penalty.

However, while motorists need to take responsibility for their actions, it is also imperative that speed limits are both appropriate and properly signposted.

There are too many instances where this is not happening. It is up to the highways authorities to rectify the situation.

It will take a collective effort if we are to stand any chance of improving safety on our roads.