FREE flip-flops handed out by smiling Merseytravel staff as we left a sun-drenched Aintree racecourse summed up the weekend for me. High heels complemented the ladies’ stunning hats and dresses but, after a few hours, feet demand a break. In a great piece of public relations, the transport staff came to the rescue.

The usual good humour of the Merseyside crowd, combined with great efficiency by staff at Aintree station, got thousands of us onto the trains in double quick time.

OK, most people lost money when rank outsider Mon Mome won the National, but the three days of racing under blue skies showcased Merseyside at its best once again.

And while some of us enjoyed a break at Aintree, the Prime Minister did better than I expected at the G20 summit. There had been a risk of deadlock among world leaders on what to do to get us out of the economic mess, with our TV screens full of mayhem from large scale protests on London’s streets. In the main, people exercised their right to vent their justified anger responsibly, and there was enough agreement to sustain the hope that there might be light at the end of the tunnel.

There’s even a minor opinion poll bounce for Gordon Brown today. Do I think he can now win the General Election? Probably not, but it’s going to be fascinating to watch Labour strategists looking for those green shoots of recovery, a bit like Noah sending the doves out of The Ark. Then Labour will want to go to the country on a message of hope.

However, unemployment will be over 3m by next year, and the ability to give credible election bribes will be almost non-existent.

I don’t think we fully appreciate yet the huge pressure that will come to slash public spending after the election. A straw in the wind came last week from the same organisation that handed out those free flip-flops at Aintree.

Merseytravel won’t be getting a £25m windfall because of changes to a government funding formula.

Job cuts, economies, even the loss of one of the Mersey ferries are under consideration.

All public bodies will be facing similar squeezes, and, while the private sector would not wish difficulties on anyone, I have been struck recently by the number of Merseyside business people who have observed that so far they are the ones who have been taking the hits from the downturn, while the public sector has been relatively unscathed.

Working across both sectors is the North West Development Agency.

Set for emasculation by the Tories, an independent report last week found that, in the last five years, it had created or saved 97,000 jobs and created 3,500 businesses. One example is Liverpool Commercial District’s 1500 jobs. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, Mr Cameron.

So, big problems ahead, but I want to end as I began by inviting you to be optimistic by thinking of one man, Barack Obama.