Opinion: Rachel Reeves' visit to Suffolk sets tone for poll

Then I engaged my brain and remembered that over the last few decades the full genius, or horror, of budgets tend to emerge in the days after the event - so maybe next week!

But sticking to an economic theme, last week's visit to the region by Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves told us a great deal about the likely direction of politics - and its impact on the region - over the next few months.

Firstly, Ms Reeves' visit was designed to highlight her party's links with business, in particular the growing energy sector along the east coast.

When she came to Ipswich she wasn't dragged canvassing around the town's Labour heartlands - she was taken to a professionally-organised business networking session at the town's most iconic commercial building.

She wasn't talking to a traditional Labour audience - she was meeting members of the business community, the majority of whom are probably more natural Tory supporters but who recognise which way the wind is blowing and want to find out more about the likely next government.

The meeting attracted business leaders and many seemed impressed by what they heard from Rachel Reeves. (Image: Charlotte Bond)

I couldn't stay for the meeting - it was scheduled right on my deadline - but everything I've heard about it suggests that the business community was impressed by her and party officials say she found it a very useful exercise.

This was exactly the kind of event Gordon Brown was attending in the run-up to the 1997 election, but I don't remember John McDonnell, or even Ed Balls attending such gatherings.

The other issue that came to the fore during Ms Reeves' visit to the region was the controversial question of energy distribution which has caused such a furore in the rural parts of East Anglia.

It was quite clear from what she was saying that an incoming Labour government would be, if anything, even more keen on the National Grid's proposals for pylons than the current energy ministers.

She will be offering compensation to rural landowners whose property values may be affected by pylons on the horizon, but a Labour government would not allow its plans for green energy to be stopped by a relatively small number of rural residents worried about the view from their kitchen window.

Objectors may have found experts to challenge the financials - but those actually working on ways of transmitting the power in the North Sea to the Midlands, the North of England and the South East seem to regard these alternatives with a huge amount of scepticism.

That is a message that will not go down well among the well-organised objectors, but it will probably be privately welcomed by the region's Tory MPs.

They are already aware that pylons may be a big issue for those living right on the line of the wires, but go a couple of miles either side of them and most people couldn't care less.

Assuming the Tories in "safe" rural seats do get back in, they know they'll be able to appease the objectors for the next four years lambasting the government from the opposition benches safe in the knowledge that no one's going to be talking about taking down the pylons once they're up!

When she was talking about the energy opportunities in this region during her visits to Lowestoft, Norwich, and Great Yarmouth, Ms Reeves was talking about the huge opportunities would bring to some of the most deprived parts of Suffolk and Norfolk.

As far as she - and actually most politicians from all sides of the political divide - see it, green energy is beneficial for the country and local communities (as well as being good for the planet as a whole). 

From their point of view upsetting a relatively small number of landowners on the route is a price that has to be paid to ensure the nation's energy security.

The opinions expressed in this column are the personal views of Paul Geater and do not necessarily reflect views held by this newspaper, its sister publications or its owner and publisher Newsquest Media Group Ltd.