This week, I met up with Nigel Milton (Heathrow’s Director for External Affairs) and Cheryl Monk (Heathrow’s Head of Community Relations), along with Molesey Councillor Steve Bax (who sits on Heathrow’s local Noise Community Forum). The meeting was part of an ongoing dialogue since last year’s highly disruptive flight trial paths over Molesey (and Walton). […]
Read More
This weekend, after longstanding efforts by local residents and businesses, Mark and Megan George managed to get the farmers’ market to come to the George & Dragon pub car park in Thames Ditton. It was fabulous, with everything from jam to gin on sale (as well as the usual farm fare). Farmers’ markets are a […]
Read More
The monthly unemployment figures published by the Office for National Statistics this week, yet again, showed a welcome fall in national unemployment. The unemployment rate is at its lowest since mid-2008, with more people in work than ever before and average earnings rising by a healthy 3%. It was particularly encouraging to see a sharp […]
Read More
Today, I joined Walton Goose Fayre and Walton Heritage Day for a wonderful celebration of the town. Local businesses and civic groups lined the river and Bridge Road (including Walton Rotary club, pictured below with Mike Brown and Rob Freeman). The Cobham Band were on fine form (as below), and there was a hog roast […]
Read MoreI have long held the view that MPs’ pay needs to be re-set. It was artificially held down for many years, which means Parliament is at risk of deterring talented people from humble backgrounds from entering politics. I also agree it should be benchmarked to other comparable public sector jobs, and decided independently ie […]
Read More
With polling day looming, after numerous hustings, public meetings, dawn raids on railway stations, and meeting thousands of residents, I know that both voters and candidates are pretty exhausted with the general election campaign. So, to sum up, as we enter the last 48 hours before voting, I have written a column for Conservative Home, here, on […]
Read MoreThis week was a good week for the Conservative election campaign. Following a clear win for David Cameron in the BBC Question Time Leaders’ interviews, the Financial Times and The Economist both backed him to stay PM, a further vote of confidence in our economic record. Ed Miliband’s refusal to apologise for Labour’s record of […]
Read MoreDuring a general election campaign, the candidates stand on their party’s manifesto and their own local record. But, I also find that I get asked a lot what my personal core convictions are. What drives me personally? What are my priorities as a nationally elected representative participating in writing the laws of the land and […]
Read MoreThe Conservative Party manifesto was launched today. Key policies include: taking the minimum wage out of income tax, extending the income tax personal allowance to £12,500, raising the 40p income tax threshold to £50,000, extending the Right to Buy to social housing tenants, making the first £1million of any home exempt from Inheritance Tax, freezing regulated […]
Read MoreI have written a column for The Sun today, after a string of announcements by Labour’s Ed Miliband - hiking corporation tax, raising the minimum wage and banning zero-hours contracts. Despite their superficial populist appeal, they are a direct threat to the job creation of the last five years. On zero hours contracts it is […]
Read MoreBy continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Click here for the Data Protection and Cookies policy.