I’m writing this before the Chancellor delivers his Budget statement but I think we’ve pretty well got the gist of it. Help with childcare makes economic sense, helping low paid people back to work, but I suspect the remainder will be informed by the continuing need to bring down the deficit.

It was a pleasure to meet other local MPs, Councillors and the Wiltshire and Swindon Local Economic Partner-ship in Melksham on Friday to hear about the proposed City Deal bid for the north of the county and infrastructure improvements, notably in connection with the return of the Army from Germany by the end of the decade.

A303 improvements continue to be discussed although a flurry of media excitement about building at distant Lark-hill that, it is claimed, might impact, just, on the appreciation of sunrise over Stonehenge gives an indication of the scale of the challenge facing planners and the Highways Agency. The best solution looks like a bored dual carriageway tunnel but the cost would, almost certainly, be completely prohibitive. I’m getting a bit fed up with senior colleagues’ remarks about social mobility being misconstrued as attacks on the Prime Minister’s education.

What is important is that David Cameron is an man of truly exceptional ability who leaves his, perfectly nice, potential successor very obviously in the shade.

The PM has always had the humility to say how much he owes to having benefitted from his first class education and I know he genuinely aspires, with Michael Gove, to narrow the gap between the independent and maintained school sectors to reduce relative disadvantage. I think that’s a worthy goal. It was a pleasure to be the guest of the Mayors of Westbury and Trowbridge on Friday and Saturday and to celebrate the achievements of local people.

I’m looking forward to the Mayor of Warminster’s reception on Friday.