Tory confusion

On John Prescott's plans to concrete over cricket pitches Caroline Spelman comments:

This is a licence to build on green fields. Mr Prescott seems single-handedly to be transforming the British countryside.

Actually John Prescott's personal fiefdom has powers over just England, not Britain. The Tories are stuck in pre-1997 mode; they don't understand devolution; and they cannot accept that they are the party of England, and that North and West Britain doesn't want them.