Osborne Made Me Proud

Anyone hoping that yesterday’s Autumn Statement from George Osborne would signal a change of strategy from ‘Plan A’ is likely to be bitterly disappointed, as the Chancellor pressed ahead with proposals for radical cuts to departmental budgets to find an additional £5billion to kick-start the economy.

This aggressive approach will mean that departments are expected to slash 1 per cent off their running costs in 2013-14 and save 2 per cent the following year. The Government's economic strategy will continue to focus on reducing the deficit, restoring stability and rebalancing our economy. 

Osborne's central message was that Britain was on the right track, pledging:

- investing £5.5billion (gained by cutting Whitehall spending & benefit bills) into schools, roads and science

- a 2 year increase in the Annual Investment Allowance from £25,000 to £250,000 to support SMES

- corporation tax cut to 21p (the lowest rate in the G7 and the fourth in the G20)

- cancelling January's 3p fuel rise

- increase in personal allowance to £9,440, by a further £235 resulting in a further 24 million people getting a tax cut

- increasing state pension by 2.5% so that it will be £110.15 a week

This was a good day for Osborne and the Conservative backbenchers cheered loudly when he explained that 1.2 million new jobs had been created in the private sector since the Coalition Government came to power. 

To read Osborne's Autumn Statement in full please click here 

Croydon North Needs Andy Stranack

Tomorrow voters in Croydon North will go to the polls with a very clear choice about the future of their community. They can choose a complacent Labour candidate from another Borough or a dedicated community and charity worker in Conservative candidate Andy Stranack.

I know Andy well and I know how much respect he commands from his work on the ground with residents in Croydon North. Andy is a fighter with a strong heart who puts his community first and would make an excellent representative for Croydon North. When he was just five years old, he was told he would never be able to walk due to his cerebral palsy, just two years later he proved them wrong. Andy also rises above petty party politics, working closely with his friend, the late Croydon North MP Malcolm Wicks to set up the Croydon Disability Forum in 1995.

Tomorrow, Croydon North needs to select a representative that lives in and knows the area. Croydon North needs someone that will fight for residents and support them through thick and thin.

Vote Andy Stranack for Croydon North.

To view his five priorities please click here                      

Andy Stranack launches his campaign for Croydon North

Andy with supporters

On Saturday 20th October, our Conservative candidate Andy Stranack launched his campaign to become a new Member of Parliament for Croydon North after the sad death of Malcolm Wicks on September 29th.

We had a large turnout with various MPs, MEPs and local councillors attending and hope to see more people on the campaign trail soon!

The by-election will take place on 15th November and if you can offer your support to our excellent Conservative candidate Andy Stranack then please do let me know.   

Andy was born in Mayday hospital and has spent his life serving the local community. He worked for Croydon Jubilee Church as a Community Development Worker, helping to set up a number of community services including a debt advice clinic, a lunch club for the retired and several youth organisations.

I hope to see you on the campaign trail soon. 


Richard & Nicky Ottaway, Charles Tannock & myself campaigning



• Reflections on Conservative Party conference 2012

Finally, Cameron sets out our vision for the future

Last Friday, before heading to Birmingham with the rest of the party faithful, I called on David Cameron to use this party conference to set out his vision for the future and to place the Conservative party firmly on the side of hardworking families across the UK. I am delighted that David Cameron delivered this vision in his best speech yet and also provided a summary of what Conservatism means in practice for our country.

The central message in his speech was a commitment to aspiration and he outlined the core message underpinning the Conservative ideology as wanting to “get behind people who want to get on in life” and that the first rule of being a Conservative is that “it’s not where you’ve come from that counts, it’s where you’re going”.

David Cameron’s speech provided the finale for the message that we have heard throughout the conference on how “Britain can deliver as an aspirational nation”.

Before conference had even begun, the Daily Telegraph interviewed me setting out what ambitions Conservative Future Women had for conference and I also set out my personal views about what Cameron needed to deliver in a live interview Sunday morning on Sky News.

When Iain Duncan Smith spoke about his radical welfare reforms the mood inside the hall was electric, with delegates listening intently. Minutes away and outside the secure area, The Freedom Zone attracted huge turnouts and held a series of debates in conjunction with other organisations such as The Taxpayers’ Alliance and the Trade Union Reform Campaign. Headed up by the legendary Simon Richards, this year he attracted high-profile speakers such as Liam Fox and Eric Pickles who debated the issue of ‘pilgrims’ with delegates.

I was lucky to attend a whole host of receptions at conference such as the infamous narrow-boat booze cruise where we mixed with other delegates, the London Reception with both Boris & Cameron and other legendary receptions such as the local government one where Eric Pickles rallied the troops.

Birmingham was a significant next step for us, setting out our vision and message. Now, buoyed up by our theme of aspiration I now aim for Cameron to deliver his message of aspiration and fairness. 

A Make or Break Conservative Conference

This weekend Conservatives will travel from across the UK to Birmingham for one of the party’s most important conferences in recent years. The economy is stumbling, people are worried about keeping their jobs and paying their rent on time and this struggle is set to continue into the immediate future. Despite the gloomy economic outlook, the Government is taking steps in the right direction. The deficit has been cut by 25 per cent, obscene welfare bills have been slashed and public sector spending has been reigned in.

It’s time for the Government to set out its vision for the future, and that vision needs to be centered on deficit reduction. No hardworking family, saving the pennies to pay the electricity bill, or struggling to make ends meet would endorse taking on more debts and running up bills.

Hardworking Britons are all too aware of the dangers of overspending and the misery and problems it will bring. There is a clear moral case for cutting back on Government spending, not just to protect this generation, but to protect the next. After Labour brought this country to near bankruptcy, it is up to the Conservatives to clear up the mess, no matter how painful the process is.

This conference also provides David Cameron with an opportunity to rally the troops, by demonstrating his gratitude for all the hard work of our activists up and down the country. Each and every member plays a critical part in making our Party successful, working hard delivering, canvassing and engaging on the doorstep. Without these people, we would cease to exist as an effective political force and it’s time this was recognised and praised by the leadership.

Voters in Britain who are struggling in tough times don’t want miracles. They want clear, sensible and, most importantly, relevant policies that will help them and their families fight on for a better life. This conference provides David Cameron with an opportunity to put our party in line with these aspirations of every man, woman and child in Britain, if he does so, the Conservatives will begin the road to a majority in 2015.  

Croydon's Young People Invited to Have their Say

As Croydon's youngest councillor I try to encourage other young people to become involved in their local communities by attending resident or council led meetings or participating in Council led initiatives to improve their local areas. All  decision makers across Croydon have a duty to listen to young people having their say in how our town is run. 

On Monday 8th October, Croydon Council is hosting a Young People's Question Time at Croydon College from 5.30pm to 9.30pm where young people across the borough will be given a chance to question Council cabinet members and senior council officers about the issues and services that matter most to them. 

I hope to see many of the young people in Waddon and across the borough attending this important event.

For more information and to register please email: communications@croydon.gov.uk 

Conservative Future Women Update

Conservative Future Women was launched six months ago by the Rt Hon Theresa May and since then we have held hosted several events across the UK, have met many of our members and campaigned across the country in the local and London Mayoral elections. 

During the summer we hosted a Jubilee Summer Picnic in conjunction with Conservative Future and heard from a variety of politicians on the importance of the Diamond Jubilee. We held a very successful policy debate on whether women can shatter the glass celling with a panel of very successful female entrepreneurs and politicians.

Next week we have two events for our members to attend- a Networking and Skills Workshop that we will be hosting on Thursday 13^th September, (7-9:30pm) where attendees will have the opportunity to hear from a range of people in business, politics and professional networking including Baroness Jenkins, Mary MacLeod MP and Charlotte Argyle giving their advice on the skills, attributes and acumen it takes to be successful in business and politics. Get your ticket here

We are also hosting a campaign day for Surrey PCC Julie IIles with Marina Yannakoudakis MEP on Saturday 15th September and please click here for more information. 

We are also very supportive of the recent government reshuffle that has seen a new intake of female MP's stepping up to ministerial posts across education, health, welfare reform and justice and look forward to supporting them in the future.