Leader’s blog: we’re due some sunshine!

Apart from my first fortnight in the leader’s chair, the Summer has been a bit of a washout so far. The long range weather forecasters seem to be saying that the later parts of July might bring some improvements. We all deserve them – only the other day the Oxford Mail revealed the full details of just how bleak a summer it has been so far compared to previous years in Oxfordshire. Surely the law of average means sunshine is around the corner?

With the Euro 2012 football over, we now have the conclusion of Wimbledon and the British Open Golf ahead. Virginia Wade was the last British person to win a singles title at Wimbledon in 1977 – the Queen’s Silver Jubilee year. Can Andy Murray win in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year? There’s still every chance.

Meanwhile it is now many years since an English golfer won a major tournament, despite the fact that the likes of Lee Westwood and Luke Donald are consistently in the top three in the world rankings. Let’s also hope the England cricket team can beat South Africa in the forthcoming tests and confirm themselves as number one side in the world.

Then of course there is the big one – the Olympics. The torch comes through Oxfordshire early next week. Will we get a break in the weather early next week?

I’m quite sure people in Oxfordshire and the country as a whole will turn out in force for all of these events regardless of the weather. I’m looking forward to each of them a great deal.