Rochford & Southend East CF

David Cameron has set out a package of measures to bring transparency to the system of MEPs’ expenses.

He described the current system of MEPs’ expenses as “seriously flawed” and stressed a “deep clean” was necessary.

And he set out a series of arrangements to improve transparency and tackle some of the problems that have occurred:

- The use of service companies will be banned
- Details of any family members employed must be published
- Conservative MEPs will have to detail their expenses and allowances in ‘Right to know’ forms, based on the one MPs have to complete

All Conservative MEPs standing in the 2009 European elections will have to sign up to these new requirements.

David said he hoped Labour and other political parties would introduce similar arrangements.
It’s about time something is done about the issue of expenses, both in relation to MPs and MEPs. Stories and inquiries about Caroline Spelman and “Nannygate”, as well as the resignation of the leader of the Conservative MEPs Gile Chichester over breaching of expense rules, are going to take its toll.
At a time when the Conservative Party is riding high in the polls, it would be a shame to ruin it ourselves, because right now, Labour and the LibDems are certainly not hurting us!

mep-expenses-draft-code.pdf

Edward Timpson has become the new MP for Crewe and Nantwich, following the superb Conservative victory in Thursday’s by-election.

Edward received 20,539 votes, while Tamsin Dunwoody, the Labour candidate, received 12,679, and Elizabeth Shenton, the Liberal Democrat candidate, got 6,040.

In his victory speech, Edward praised Gwyneth Dunwoody for the “pride, passion and fortitude” with which she worked for the people of Crewe and Nantwich.

He thanked the people who voted for him, saying, “I’m on your side and I won’t let you down.”

And he said the voters had sent a clear message that “Gordon Brown doesn’t get it and the Government needs to change.”

David Cameron says their first by-election gain since 1982 marks “the end of New Labour”.He said overturning Labour’s 7,000 majority “can be the start of something different and something bigger”.

Labour leader Gordon Brown said the result showed his task was to tackle people’s concerns about rising prices.

Asked if he thought he would lead Labour into the next election, Mr Brown said voters had shown they wanted him to steer the UK through “difficult economic times”. This is slightly difficult to comprehend, when the election results quite obviously show the opposite!

David Cameron said it had been a “remarkable victory” but said: “I know that winning a by-election and winning a general election are two different things and we’ve still got a huge amount of work to do.”

He said that it was “encouraging” that “thousands of people who have never voted Conservative before have come across and put their trust in the Conservative Party” and said the party would not let them down.

He criticised Labour’s “negative.. xenophobic” and “class war” campaign and said it had backfired.

“I think what happened was that, for Labour, it was the end of being of being the party of aspiration, it was the end of being the party of opportunity, it was the end of New Labour, here on the streets of Crewe and Nantwich.”

   David Cameron has described the Local Election results as “a very big moment for the Conservative Party”.

We have achieved our best local government showing since 1980:

- 256 seats and 12 councils gained, including Bury, Nuneaton and Bedworth, and the Vale of Glamorgan

- 44 per cent of the national vote won

- Gains all across the country, from Southampton to Sunderland, Cardiff to Great Yarmouth

- In-roads into Labour heartlands like Rotherham and Barnsley

David said, “I think these results are not just a vote against Gordon Brown and his government; I think they are a vote of positive confidence in the Conservative Party.”

He stressed that people were “increasingly looking to us and trusting us to speak out on the issues they really care about.”

And he promised to use the months ahead to prove that we can make the changes people want to see on the big issues like schools, the NHS and crime.

Boris Johnson has pledged to be “tough on crime” following the release of figures showing that 597 violent crimes, 101 robberies and at least 9 gun crimes took place every day in London last year.

Boris said, “Wherever I go throughout London, crime remains the main issue of concern to voters”.

And he laid out his plans to make London safer:

- 1,500 extra police on the streets

- A crackdown on thuggish behaviour on public transport

- A ban on the consumption of alcohol on the tube

The Conservative candidate for London Mayor said the choice on crime couldn’t be clearer:

“Voters can choose between my plan to get tough on crime and provide fresh thinking to make our streets safer, and Ken Livingstone, who after eight long years has grown tired and out of touch and who only offers more of the same.”

Eric Pickles has reported Labour Ministers to the Cabinet Secretary for breach of Whitehall election rules.

The Home Office announcement on police staff addressing ‘radicalisation in local communities’ breaks both the convention and official rules that Civil Service resources should not be used to influence voters in the three weeks before an election.

Labour Ministers were told in March to delay making such announcements until after the local and London elections on 1 May.

Eric, the Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, said Labour Ministers were trying to grab headlines and mislead the public:

“It is clear that Labour Ministers have intentionally broken Cabinet Office rules in an attempt to create a political smokescreen. They are trying to hide the fact that police authorities across the country are now axing the number of police officers, whilst hiking the police levy on council tax bills.”

This latest incident follows the Home Office’s abuse of the Government advertising budget in March.

George Osborne has attacked Mr. Brown for doubling the 10p tax rate, saying it will “punish low income families” and add to their already rising cost of living.

5.3 million families will be hit by the doubling of the 10p rate. 30 Labour MPs have signed a motion against the rise, and the Labour-dominated Treasury Select Committee also criticised it.

A leaflet highlighting the cost of the rise will be distributed to those affected, including:

- nursery nurses - who will pay £154 more per year
- sales assistants - £227 more
- and library clerks - £203 more.

Across the country, the doubling of the 10p tax rate will hit one in five families, by anything up to £464.

Gordon Brown’s Tax on hard pressed families (pdf)

Conservative Future Continuing Campaign of Election Support

Rochford & Southend East Conservative Future continued their campaign of support for local politics contending with snow and icy temperatures to join Blaine Robin, Conservative candidate for the Kursaal ward, in engaging with the community on the Woodgrange Estate. The group knocked on doors and spoke with local residents to introduce Blaine and identify any issues of concern to the people in the area.

Blaine was enthusiastic about the opportunity to visit the estate: “It is really important to me to be a real person to the residents in the area” he said. “I have already done a lot of work in the community, from running a ‘Football Clinic’ for local children which had a great turnout on Saturday, to being involved with residents’ associations. But - I am always aiming to do more and this was a great opportunity to focus strongly on the Woodgrange Estate and get a feel for peoples’ concerns as well as introduce myself as a voice for these issues. The support from Conservative Future was extremely valuable as it increased the amount of people I could speak with and made a day in the snow a lot more enjoyable!”

Recent activities have been a positive and exciting step for the growing organisation. Conservative Future Chairperson, Louise Burdett said: “It is really great to be able to support local candidates like Blaine in engaging with the community who he is working hard to represent. Conservative Future had a fun day working with Blaine and got an insight into how positive his involvement in the ward is. We are offering our full support to Blaine in the local elections and feel he would be an excellent representative for the residents the Kursaal Ward.”  

The day in Kursaal is one of many planned by Conservative Future, so see Events or join our Facebook Group to keep up to date with our campaign events.

David Cameron today joined calls for the way in which Bills are made public to be updated so that they are compatible with the internet, allowing you to be able to find out what your MP is voting on.

David said: “I think that publishing bills in a way that works on the internet makes good sense - people should be able to see what Parliament is doing, what legislation means”

Join the ‘Free our Bills’ campaign at theyworkforyou.com/freeourbills.

David Cameron has launched a document which shows that the real cost of living is rising much faster than Labour claims.

Despite Gordon Brown’s claims that official inflation is running at 2.5%, the prices of many basic household items - bread, butter and eggs - have seen double digit rises in recent months. Gas and electricity prices have also jumped by 10% in the last month alone.

In addition to this, council tax has doubled since Labour came to power, train fares have gone up by a third and the cost of running a car has risen by a half.

Speaking at the launch, David said that “Labour now seem so out of touch with the lives of working people that they keep on making things worse, with an extra £110 of taxes a year in the Budget for the average family”.

He added that a new Conservative government would undertake “a long-term plan” to fix the country’s finances and “cut taxes and the cost of living.”

The Cost of Living under Labour (pdf)