Nick Hurd MP on Charities and Volunteering

Nick Hurd MP, Shadow Minister for Charities and Volunteering, visited us in Chiswick this week to talk to us about the General Election and about the need for change. He emphasised the Conservative Party's commitment to saying 'no' to a third runway.

Polls are not looking great right now, so there is still a lot of work to do if we want to avoid a hung Parliament. Every vote will count in the next General Election. It will be a vote for change.

Photo: Mary with Nick Hurd MP

The Iron Lady in Chiswick

A crowd of local residents gathered in Chiswick on Saturday to meet Baroness Thatcher. I invited Lady Thatcher and Gerald Howarth MP, the Shadow Minister for Defence (who is also a local resident) to meet people at The Station House in Chiswick.

Lady T is an amazing woman who, in her time as Prime Minister, truly changed and shaped the world. She had courage, determination, a real vision and an inner strength to make difficult decisions.

Naturally, not everyone agreed with everything she did when she was Prime Minister, but I believe she was deeply respected as someone who believed strongly in the United Kingdom, stood up for our country, did what she thought was right and had a profound impact on the world.

We need more people in politics who, like her, speak their mind, who are focused on doing the right things for the people of this country and create a lasting legacy for future generations to come.

If I am given the honour after the next General Election, of being a Member of Parliament, my aim will be to also create a lasting legacy – one of a stronger community, where there is less poverty, more aspiration and hope, where people believe anything is possible, no matter who they are or where they come from.

Photo: Mary and Lady Thatcher in The Station House

A vote for Keen is a vote for Heathrow

Starting today, the Labour Government’s plans to expand Heathrow stands on trial. A coalition of local authorities and other opponents of this potentially disastrous policy have taken the Government to the High Court.

Put simply, their case is that the consultation on Heathrow expansion was flawed and that the creation of a third runway is at odds with climate change targets.

Local Conservatives and I have been helping in this fight for a long time now with many others. It is clear to me that the majority of local residents don’t want the third runway and I know it will only lead to more noise, pollution, congestion and environmental damage.

A third runway can only mean a lower standard of living for too many local people and I am against it.

So I am backing the campaigners in court today in their efforts to stop this potentially disastrous policy.

I’d urge locals to remember that a vote for Ann Keen is a vote for a Third Runway. A vote for the Conservatives will stop a third runway.

Barbara Reid, local conservative councillor, has been a long and fervent campaigner against Heathrow. Here's a short film of her and I on the issue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZWTzjp5H5g&feature=youtu.be&a

Let's be more transparent

Billions are being wasted each year on bureaucracy and failed projects in government. It is about time something was done about this. We need change so that tax-payers money is used more effectively. I believe we should decentralise, be more accountable and transparent, to reduce dramatically the cost of government.

A Conservative government has promised to:
- put online all national government spending over £25,000
- put online the salaries and expenses of the 35,000 most senior civil servants
- abolish any quangos that do not perform a technical function or act independently
- open up government data and publish datasets in full and online
- not start any ICT projects without checking lower cost options

This is a start and will make an immediate difference.

Should MPs be put on trial?

Three Labour MPs and a Conservative member of the House of Lords are to be prosecuted for their expenses. The Conservatives have already withdrawn the whip from Lord Hanningfield after he was charged with false accounting over his expenses.

It is incredible that the three Labour MPs are trying to hide behind 'parliamentary priviledge' to avoid prosecution. It is a complete abuse of power.

If Gordon Brown is so keen to reform Parliament, then why does he not come out and insist that they must face court? It is so important to resolve this expenses issue as soon as possible or the public will never trust politicians again.

Funding the Campaign

I was interviewed by Channel 4 in Chiswick today about how we fund our campaign. Not included in the final film footage were some key points:

1. The Conservative Party is funded by many donors, not just Lord Ashcroft.
2. The election campaign locally is funded by a range of individual donors, as well as receiving some financial support from Conservative HQ.
3. My Labour opponent's campaign is funded by the £10,000 taxpayer-funded Communications Allowance. The Labour Party is also sponsored by the Unions, including the Transport and General Workers Union.

Fighting a 3rd Runway

If you're interested in taking steps against a 3rd runway at Heathrow, Cllr Barbara Reid, a Hounslow Councillor and long term campaigner against Heathrow expansion, explains what local Conservatives have been doing and how you can get involved.
Heathrow expansion is a critical issue nationally and locally, and so I have pledged my support to put a stop to the 3rd runway.

See Barbara here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZWTzjp5H5g