I've spent some time considering three issues this past week and I've realised that there is a common link between the Conservative Party, police re-organisation and a regional casino.

The common denominator of all three issues is leadership. This is the number one factor which will dictate success or failure.

Last year I was invited to meet Michael Howard, the then leader of the Opposition, to discuss various things. Afterwards he invited a group of MPs into the room and we had a lively discussion about what the Conservatives and the Government should be doing.

One guy in an open necked blue shirt had some very interesting things to say; he struck me as natural leader material. I later found out he was David Cameron.

I've got nothing against David Davis, I've met him, I like him very much and found him to be a very honest and genuine man who I'm sure would do a good job.

It is a difficult decision, but I just feel that David Cameron is better equipped to hold the Government to account and to get across a message for those who don't follow the Labour line.

That's very important. I'm an independent Mayor and don't belong to any political party but I do feel the Government has been given something of an easy ride in recent years and, as a result, has not delivered the goods on certain issues - particularly law and order.

Speaking of law and order, there has been a lot of discussion as to which option is best for re-organising the police locally - a regional force covering the whole of the North-East or a Tees Valley force.

The reality is that it doesn't matter which option is adopted, it is the leadership of the force that will dictate whether the policing improves and the public feel safer.

I've liked the way Dave McLuckie, Chairman of the Cleveland Police Authority, has taken charge in recent weeks in marshalling the campaign for a Tees Valley force and leading from the front. That makes me think that a Tees Valley force could work and retain the vital local link I know the public prefer.

And then, yesterday, we launched the bid to bring a regional casino to the Tees Valley.

Such a development is not a gamble. It will provide 2,000 jobs and bring an estimated £150m into the local economy with planes, trains and cars full of visitors.

I want to see those visitors coming here. A regional casino on the Middlehaven site would be the magnet that draws them in, but once they are here they will be able to discover the other delights of the area, the wonderful mix of coast and countryside, shopping and leisure. I want to ensure that Middlesbrough and the Tees Valley gain maximum benefit from such a development.

I intend to ensure that no casino developer will get the green light until they have demonstrated that their plans are the best possible for the people of this area.

Three subjects, all at the crossroads, all with a common link. It will be interesting to look back in five years time and consider how leadership has contributed to the success or failure of the Tory party, local policing and the regeneration of the Tees Valley.

Published: 28/10/2005