Published at 11:20, Wednesday, 25 November 2009

West Cumbria should be grateful for the initial £1million pledged by Prime Minister Gordon Brown towards rebuilding its flood ravaged communities.

But nobody believes it is anywhere near the amount needed to get the region back on its feet.

After Gordon Brown visited Cockermouth, Tory leader David Cameron did likewise, pledging financial support should his party get into power.

One thing Cumbria doesn't need is to become a pawn in a political game of chess ahead of next year's General Election.

Money will count, nothing else. Bridges need replacing, roads need rebuilt, shops need compensating for the lost Christmas trade, residents need assurances that everything possible will be done to ensure this does not happen again.

If this means building higher flood defences as happened in Carlisle after the devastating 2005 floods then so be it.

We have to look to Government to provide the lion's share of funding - and think on this.

Each week, National Lottery players in this country raise £25million for good causes.

Could there be any better a cause than rebuilding communities who had no luck whatsoever?

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk