APPARENTLY this week is Maritime London week. Yes news to me too, which is surprising given the Port of London has moved east to Thurrock!

What a great opportunity to showcase and celebrate our port industries. What a depressing failure of civic leadership that these opportunities are not grasped.

Last week I was pleased to call on Patrick McLoughlin, the Transport Secretary, with Stephen Metcalfe, John Kent and a delegation from Gravesham to articulate again our opposition to the three proposals for a new Lower Thames crossing.

The problem is that too many people have got there before us. These proposals have been in circulation since 2009.

And while Kent County Council grasped the opportunity to work up plans to get the best deal for Kent, Essex dithered and Thurrock simply buried its head in the sand.

In recent years some politicians in Thurrock have been focused more on playing the game of politics than on leading Thurrock.

The result is that no case was ever made for investment in J30/31, no case was made for investment in the A13 and no case was made that a new crossing had to be somewhere other than Thurrock.

I have secured funds for improvements but I am fighting from a position well behind comunities who have been far more effective than Thurrock in making a case to Government.

Instead of whinging about plans after the event, Thurrock Council needs to shake itself out of complacency and negativity and start to show positive leadership.

It helps to be at the table and show up to meetings when issues are being considered. If we are continually looking to London, Kent and Essex will walk all over us.

It means though Labour will have to step out of its comfort zone and start doing business with Conservatives in Thurrock and other councils.

The public have the right to expect all of us to put politics aside when issues facing the best interests of the community are at play. Some have been more willing to do that than others.