The way Suffolk MPs have started sharpening their political spurs over the last couple of weeks anyone would be forgiven for thinking they've seen an election on the horizon!

Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP Dr Dan Poulter isn't usually the most combative MPs in this area - he's usually the epitome of reason and gentle discussion.

But 10 days ago he launched a blistering attack on the new Green-led administration at East Suffolk Council and the decision to approve a controversial housing development in Framlingham.

He said they'd approved the application in the teeth of opposition from the town council and local residents.

That provoked an angry response from the Greens who said the application had in fact been approved at the end of last year and that June's decision was merely a rubber stamp after conditions imposed last year had been met.

They demanded an apology from Dr Poulter. He stood by his comments - saying that there were material changes from last winter that would have allowed them to reconsider the decision.

One of the advantages (or disadvantages) of being an impartial observer of how planning decisions work over the last 40-odd years is that I can see that both sides have a reasonable point to make here.

Yes, the councillors would legally have had the right to reverse the planning decision - but the likelihood is that their officers would have told them this would leave them in an almost indefensible position if the applicants appealed against the decision - which would have left the council with a massive legal bill.

Both sides in this argument were being very bullish - but I suspect both sides were really rather enjoying the position they put themselves in.

It gave Dr Poulter - one of the most senior Tories in the county now - the chance to have an early pop at the party's new main political foes in the county.

And it gave the Greens the chance to show righteous indignation about comments from a leading Tory.

Both parties will have been seeing this spat as a win-win outbreak of political knockabout!

A bit of political showboating that really didn't hit the mark so well came when Suffolk Coastal MP Dr Therese Coffey had a go at National Highways over the time they took to remove the 40mph speed limit on the Orwell Bridge.

I'm not the greatest fan of National Highways' communications skills - but this time they had been pretty open. 

Several weeks ago they told us the limit would have to be in place for some time because specialist equipment had to be ordered to complete the repair.

So for Dr Coffey to demand answers about the speed limit two days before they had told us the equipment was to be delivered did look a little bit odd. 

I suspect the MP, or members of her staff, had read our piece because her release mentioned the work should be complete by June 21 which was the date that had been give to us by National Highways.

So why the request for answers? Was it because her office hadn't read our article fully.

Or was, as some suggested on social media, that she was looking to take credit for the work when it started two days after she fired off her press release?

Whatever the reason was, it did look as if this intervention was not exactly the most effective of her political career! 

There are now 15 months to go before the next general election. Our Conservative MPs all have opposition-led district or borough councils in their constituencies.

I'm expecting much more political knockabout as they try to make their case - it could be a fascinating period ahead!