MENDING OUR BROKEN SOCIETY

David Cameron has spoken about the need to mend the broken society.
Speaking alongside anti-knife crime campaigner Brooke Kinsella, Cameron particularly addressed the issues of crime and violence that have so far largely been ignored by the other parties in this election campaign.
Cameron spoke about the tragic murders of people like Ben Kinsella, Rhys Jones, Gary Newlove, Sukhwinder Singh, Damilola Taylor and Jimmy Mizen.
"There is something about the frequency of these crimes, the depravity of these crimes, that betrays a deep and fundamental problem in Britain today", he said.
"As I have argued for many years now, these acts of murder and abuse are just the most violent and horrific expressions of what I have called the broken society."
Cameron went on to set out the progressive conservative approach to tackling these problems in our society. Criticising the Big Government approach, he said we need to "move from big government to the Big Society – a society with personal and collective responsibility right at its heart".
In moving to the Big Society, he went on to explain how a Conservative government would emphasise the principles of responsibility, common sense and people power.
I endorse David Cameron’s remarks. It is in the interests of us all that we make society more inclusive.

A NEW GENERATION OF STATE SCHOOLS

David Cameron and Michael Gove have reaffirmed the Conservatives' commitment to create a new generation of state schools with small class sizes and strong discipline.

They were speaking at a rally held by a group of parents in Yorkshire.

Cameron spoke to them about their shared ideas of what makes a good school.

"It’s a smaller school where the head teacher knows your child’s name. It’s a school where there are good standards of discipline, a school where they teach the basics so we open children’s minds to all the best things that have been written and said".

"It’s a school where there’s really high aspiration, we don’t accept second best we say that everyone can go all the way. It’s a school where we have common sense and we recognise that you’ve got to stretch the brightest pupils, you’ve got to help those falling behind. We all know what a good school looks like and it’s that good school that you want."

He promised that a Conservative government "will help make your dreams come true; a new school, a good school, a school that’s there for your community because you’re prepared to put your effort in to it and your Government should get behind you and help you rather than stand in your way".

I have continually said that a good education is the basis of Conservative policy, and is essential in providing the adults of the future with the skill sets they will need in today's world. I welcome these proposals.

PLANS FOR REAL CHANGE IN POLITICS

David Cameron has outlined new Conservative plans for real change in politics.
Speaking today, he said that following the expenses scandal "people are so downhearted, so disparaged, so cynical, so apathetic about our politics".
"They want to be back in control and they want change in our politics", he said.
He presented nine big ideas for real change in politics:
1. No more unelected Prime Ministers
2. Opening up democracy: More postal primaries
3. Expanding the Freedom of Information Act
4. Neighbourhood budgets: giving neighbourhoods direct funding
5. Public drafting: "Crowdsourcing" the drafting of government legislation
6. Opening up parliament: a Public Reading Day
7. Protecting whistleblowers: Strengthening protection on government waste and misuses of public money
8. A new right to data: Right to Data Act
9. Strengthening Select Committees
These ideas will give more people a real say in how their politics are run. I am please to support these proposals.

WE WILL TACKLE WELFARE DEPENDENCY

We have launched our new welfare contract. It is based on our belief that the old way – the big government way – has failed and we need to tackle welfare dependency in a new way
So in our new welfare contract our message is simple. Do the right thing and we will back you all the way but fail to take responsibility and the free ride is over.
For those who are looking for work there will be unprecedented support through our single, comprehensive Work Programme, which will be up and running by the end of 2010. By tapping into private and voluntary sector expertise, we will offer specialist and tailored support to individuals. We will make sure help is available when it is needed; straightaway for those really struggling to find work and after six months for under 25s.
But we know that to tackle unemployment we must also broaden opportunities. So we will offer substantial loans and access to business mentors to support self-employment as a route out of unemployment. For young people, we will offer 400,000 extra apprenticeship, training and college places over two years. Additionally, we will create a range of business led training places, including up to 50,000 in the hospitality and leisure industry, to ensure people are trained with the skills businesses need.
The other side of the contract is a new tough sanctions regime for those who don’t take responsibility. We will cut the benefits of anyone on Jobseeker’s Allowance who refuses to join the Work Programme; and if you refuse to take up a reasonable job offer your benefit will also be cut, for up to three years if you refuse three reasonable job offers. There will also be a tough new three strikes policy for people who commit benefit fraud, with up to three years loss of benefit for anyone committing fraud three times.
So the message is clear, government has a responsibility to help people find work but we’re all in this together and individuals have a responsibility to make use of the support that we will provide. Play your part and we will back you. If you don’t the free ride will be over.
The provision to offer 400,000 extra apprenticeships will be welcome in Brighton Kemptown. It is most important that we reduce youth unemployment in our constituency.

OLDER PEOPLE MANIFESTO

David Cameron has launched the Older People Manifesto.
The Manifesto unveils policies designed to appeal to the older community in Britain, placing them at the centre of the political narrative and continuing David Cameron's pledge to champion the great ignored.
"I want to bring older generations right into the mainstream of our national life", Cameron said in a speech today. "Yes, to treat them with respect and kindness, and to give them the dignity and security they deserve - but also to call on their wisdom and values".
1. Work and equality. Work to stop discrimination against older people and introduce better support for older workers who lose their jobs, by:
• Looking at how to end the retirement age to promote fairness in the workplace.
• Scrapping the effective obligation to buy an annuity by age 75, to give people greater control over their finances.
• Providing specialist back-to-work support for the over 50s.
2. Greater financial security. Protect pensioners’ benefits and create new forms of help to promote more independence and security, by:
• Protecting key benefits: the Winter Fuel Allowance, free bus passes, free TV licences and the pension credit. And unlike Labour, we will not scrap Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance for the over 65s.
• Providing a better basic state pension by linking it to earnings in 2012.
• Freezing council tax for two years in partnership with local councils, saving a typical Band D pensioner household over £200 a year.
• Giving more help to lower fuel bills through a ‘green deal’, helping to tackle fuel poverty.
3. Health and independence. Health and social care that is fairer and more flexible, reducing the increasing isolation and vulnerability of elderly people, by:
• Health and social care that is fairer and more flexible, reducing the increasing isolation and vulnerability of elderly people, by:
• Protecting NHS spending so it has the resources it needs to meet people’s rising expectations about the quality of care they should receive.
• Providing single budgets, combining social and health funding, to give older people direct control over the care they receive.
• Scrapping Labour’s jobs tax, and using the £200 million a year this will save the NHS to create a Cancer Drugs Fund – making sure that everyone has access to the cancer drugs their doctors think will help them.
• Devolving public health budgets, so communities can spend money to prevent older people getting ill in the first place.
• Making sure that no-one is forced to sell their own home to pay their care home fees.
• Delivering better palliative care to people at the end of their lives.
4. Family and community. Greater recognition of the important role that older people and grandparents play in their communities, and more opportunities for older people to take a more active part in building a stronger, more family-friendly society, by:
• Greater recognition of the important role that older people and grandparents play in their communities, and more opportunities for older people to take a more active part in building a stronger, more family-friendly society, by:
• Getting older people involved in new programmes of civic action and volunteering, at the vanguard of a new army of activists who will help build the Big Society.
• Creating new powers for local communities to save community assets, like post offices, that are of great value to older people.
• Giving greater rights to grandparents after parental break-up or in cases where a child needs to be taken into care.
I am very pleased about the emphasis placed upon the needs of older people in our manifesto. There are many older people in the Brighton Kemptown constituency who have suffered under 13 years of Labour government.
This manifesto puts older people and their needs at the heart of our platform for the future.

CAMERON IS READY TO LEAD

The first ever TV election debate has taken place between the leaders of the main political parties.
David Cameron looked ready to lead, in contrast to a negative and desperate Brown.
"I think it has been a great opportunity to have this debate", Cameron said in his closing statement.
He criticised "repeated attempts to try to frighten" people about a Conservative government during the debate.
"I would say choose hope over fear because we have incredibly exciting and optimistic plans for the future of our country", he said.
"A great vision where we build a bigger society, where we get our economy moving, where we stop Labour's job tax which can destroy that economy".
Cameron talked directly to the public about the issues that really affect them. But whilst discussion focused on policy, Cameron said that values were as important.
"Let me tell you mine: If you work hard, I'll be behind you. If you want to raise a family, I will support you. If you are old and you become ill, we will always be there for you."
Concluding, he said Britain was "an amazing country" that has "done incredible things".
He added that it can do more incredible things under a government "with the right values and also an understanding that we're all in this together and real change comes when we come together and work together".
"That's the sort of change and that's the sort of leadership that I will bring to our great country."

CONSERVATIVES LAUNCH MANIFESTO

The Conservative Party has launched its Manifesto: "an Invitation to join the Government of Britain".
This is not like any previous manifesto you’ve seen from a British political party.
The Conservative Party is saying that no government on its own can solve the big problems we face – everyone's going to have to get involved.
It’s an invitation to...
• be your own boss
• sack your MP
• run your own school
• own your own home
• veto council tax rises
• vote for your police
• save your local pub or post office.
The central idea in this manifesto is that we're all in this together, that working together we can change the country for the better:
• We won’t get the economy moving with a jobs tax and higher government spending – we need to help businesses create jobs.
• We won’t solve our social problems with more big government – we need to build the Big Society where families are strong and communities are safe.
• And we’ll never change politics if we leave it to the Westminster politicians – we need to give people real power and control over their lives.
I believe this is a really exciting manifesto, that puts the individual first, and promotes David Cameron’s ideas of the ‘Big Society’. People here in Brighton Kemptown will look forward to the opportunity to take more control over their own lives!

CONSERVATIVES ON EQUALITY

The Conservative Party has issued the following statement:
…”we do just want to say a couple of things”.

First, Chris Grayling has made clear that he voted for equality legislation – and indeed for civil partnerships – but has apologized if his comments caused any misunderstanding or offence.
Second, as a Party, we have changed. Yes, we’ve made mistakes in the past – not least Section 28, for which David Cameron has publicly apologised – but we hope you can judge us for what we are now.

And what we are now is a modern, progressive Party, with openly gay frontbenchers – including in the Shadow Cabinet – and candidates. In fact, if we win the next election, we’ll have more openly gay MPs than Labour.

In David Cameron’s first Party Conference speech as Conservative Leader he said that his support for marriage included civil partnerships – which we supported in Parliament. We backed new laws to prevent the incitement of hatred against gay people and we pushed the Government to introduce them.

We supported the Equality Bill.

If elected, we’ll build on all the progress made on gay rights over the last decade:
- We will change the rules so that historic convictions for consensual gay sex will be removed from a person’s criminal record
- We will tackle homophobic bullying in schools
- We will extend tax advantages and new rights to flexible parental leave to those in civil partnerships

Gay people aren’t the property of any political party. They want to decide on the big issues like any other elector.
And we want gay people to be able to vote for the modern Conservative Party because of our vision for the country and for change, safe in the knowledge that equality is here to stay.

Simon Kirby, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Brighton Kemptown said “If elected I hope to be a powerful voice for the LGTB community here in Brighton Kemptown. The Conservative Party has changed, and I am unequivocal about my support for equality”.

NICK HERBERT IN KEMPTOWN

Openly gay, shadow cabinet member – Nick Herbert, was in Brighton today – and held informal discussions with members of the local gay community in Kemptown, along with the city’s 3 Conservative candidates.

Nick also found time to visit the Aids Memorial in the New Steine with me.

“I discussed with Nick Herbert the ongoing HIV crisis in Brighton, which has one of the highest incidences of HIV in the UK”. “I told him how pleased I am that the Conservative Party is fighting this election to protect NHS spending, which has been ring-fenced by the Conservatives. This is not only important to protect HIV care in the city, but important for all of us who rely on the NHS”.

Nick Herbert then met up with all 3 Brighton & Hove Conservative candidates, and members of the Brighton gay community for what were described as ‘frank, informal discussions’.
Nick Herbert was able to tell community members that if the Conservatives win the election with a majority of just one seat then they will have 20 openly gay and lesbian MP’s.

CRACKING DOWN ON BENEFIT FRAUD!

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Theresa May has announced a new ‘three strikes’ policy to crack down on those who repeatedly defraud the benefits system.This comes as new analysis reveals that under Labour benefit overpayments due to fraud and error have cost £80 a second since 1997."For too long Labour have let benefit cheats play the system, costing the taxpayer millions", Theresa May said.
"It is astounding that since 1997 welfare waste has cost the public £80 every second".
• In total, Labour have wasted over £30 billion on fraud and error between 1997-98 and 2008-09. £14 billion of that has been wasted on benefit fraud.
• The Department for Work and Pensions has had its accounts qualified for the last 20 years due to the high level of fraud and error in the benefits system
• Between 2004-05 and 2008-09, only 143,838 people have been sanctioned for benefit fraud
The Conservatives have announced new plans to introduce tougher benefit sanctions for those found guilty of benefit fraud. This is about targeting the minority of those who are undermining the integrity of the benefits system.
Those who commit benefit fraud once will lose their out-of-work benefits for three months, a second offence will attract a benefit sanction of six months, and if someone commits fraud three times they face losing their out-of-work benefits for up to three years.
This is a big increase in the penalty, from the current situation where fraudulent claimants lose a maximum of 13 weeks benefits.

DAVID CAMERON LAUNCHES NATIONAL CITIZEN SERVICE

David Cameron has announced that a Conservative Government will set up a National Citizen Service for 16 year-olds.
National Citizen Service (NCS) will be a two month summer programme for 16-year olds, involving both residential and at-home components. It will be delivered by independent charities, social enterprises and businesses.
"I'm so excited about what we’re setting out today", Cameron said. "It’s been a long time in development – a lot of time and effort has gone into making it a reality – and I think it will be one of the proudest legacies of a future Conservative government".
A Conservative government will set for itself this ambitious goal: that over time, all 16 year-olds will take part in NCS. We want NCS to be a rite of passage for all sixteen year olds in Britain, and a shared experience that will bring young people from different backgrounds together. NCS will promote social mixing, help the transition to adulthood and promote community engagement.
Speaking at his first press conference of the election campaign, David Cameron described what the NCS is about: "We must give young people more to aspire to. More shape to their lives. More responsibility. More pride in themselves and what they can do. And we must all come together to do more about the national scandal of all this wasted promise. We owe it to the next generations."
Outlining how it would work, he said it was "a kind of non-military national service – a two-month programme for sixteen year-olds to come together in common purpose".
"It’s going to mix young people from different backgrounds, different ethnicity's and religions, in a way that doesn’t happen right now. It’s going to teach them what it means to be socially responsible by asking them to serve their communities."
I believe this is a great idea, and fully subscribe to these proposals. It is important that we engage the young people in our society, and this voluntary scheme will help many young people to develop important life skills.

THE POWER TO RE-CALL MP'S

Our People Power manifesto, will give local people the direct power to recall MPs found guilty of wrongdoing without having to wait for a General Election.
Conservatives will empower local people to cast a vote of no confidence in their elected representative and bring an end to the concept of the ‘safe seat’.
This proposal will make MPs directly answerable to their constituents over the whole of a Parliament – not just every five years.
How the Right to Recall process will work:
• The recall process will begin with the filing of a notice-of-intent-to-recall petition, to be signed by at least 100 constituents and submitted to the local returning officer
• Once registered, a recall petition can be circulated within the constituency, petitions for the recall of MPs must accumulate signatures equal to 10 per cent of the local electorate
• Any petition that crosses the signature threshold within 90 days would trigger a by-election
Shadow Leader of the House Sir George Young said:
“The last five years has been disastrous for Parliament and trust in politics has reached an all-time low. People want change and politicians must become more directly accountable for their actions.
“We have proposed a power of recall that will allow constituents to remove their MP mid-term without having to wait for a general election. Giving local people the power to cast a vote of no confidence in their elected representative will bring an end to the concept of the 'safe seat' and make MPs directly answerable to their constituents over the whole of a Parliament, not just every five years.
I hope these new proposals will help re-build trust in Parliament, and I very much support them.

ELECTION IS CALLED FOR MAY 6TH

Gordon Brown has finally called the General Election for May 6th. This is a big moment for Britain. It comes at a time when our economy is in deep trouble, we need to mend our broken society and rebuild trust in our political system. We can’t go on like this. Britain needs change to get the country back on its feet - to heal the mistakes of the past and bring new ideas and energy for our future.

This can be the year for change – and the Conservatives have the plans to make that a reality:

We will protect spending on the NHS and improve it for everyone.

We will stand up for families, sort out our schools and fight back against crime.

We will cut the deficit. As every family knows, the longer you leave a debt problem, the worse it gets.

We will take action to restore responsibility to our society.

And we will cut the cost of politics and bring transparency to Parliament.

When you’re standing in that polling booth with the pencil in your hand, I want you to remember this: your vote will help decide the kind of country Britain can be in the decades ahead.
Vote for a positive future.
Please vote Conservative. Voting for anyone else will only help Gordon Brown cling on to power. So please – for the sake of our great country – don’t miss your chance to vote for change. I hope very much to win here in Brighton Kemptown, where every vote will count in our marginal constituency. After 4 years of campaigning here, I know that so much more can be done for Brighton. I am ready for that challenge.