Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [Lords]

Like my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley (Graham Stringer), I, too, was the leader of a local authority—although a much smaller one—when the right hon. Gentleman was a Minister. I feel moved to welcome his Pauline conversion to local democracy, which is all the more unexpected for not being expressed in the directions that he gave as a Minister, of which I was on the receiving end. However, I welcome his conversion and I hope that, in the unlikely circumstance that he becomes a Minister again, he does not revert to his old dirigiste tendencies.