When Tony Blair eventually moves out of Downing Street, I have the perfect new job for him.

He can become a magician to rival the likes of Paul Daniels.

For Tone, in my very humble opinion, pulled off one of the greatest misdirections in history by telling everyone to concentrate on the strength of the economy at the recent election.

This clearly took everyone's eye off the "strong" economy and got them looking at immigration, health, tax and the war.

Well, we have news for you the economy ain't actually that strong.

We live in a prosperous part of the country where everything should be rosy. But try telling that to the staff of William Bartlett in High Wycombe which is closing in June because profits dried up after 141 years. Or to workers at other firms where jobs are threatened. Or the many businesses in this area who are clearly struggling to make profits.

I'm not known for my economic wisdom, but I reckon we are on the verge of a big painful recession.

That's not entirely the fault of Blair and Brown. But it is their fault, and the fault of their opposition parties, for failing to fully recognise this and flagging up the warning signs. This should have been the number one issue on May 5.

Of course, I could be proved wrong and this may well be a blip. I hope so.

Otherwise, it will be left to Gordon Brown, when he becomes PM, to pull some rabbits out of the hat and save our local heritage from being swept away by the storm.