Back on the Candidates' List

I am absolutely delighted to be back on the Conservative Party’s List of Approved Parliamentary Candidates.

It is a real privilege to be back on the list, especially knowing how competitive the process has been since the last election and how many outstanding candidates were competing for a place. I am very grateful for the opportunity and the faith shown in me by the Party and to all my colleagues and friends in Halton for their trust in selecting me in 2008, and their support since. Like all candidates my focus remains on supporting our dedicated Council candidates, our fantastic Mayor in London, and our Prime Minister and Government, who continue to put country before party in the national interest.

New job, new focus for this blog

I was recently appointed as the Director of Strategy and Communication at the General Medical Council (GMC). As part of my new role, I am responsible for the GMC's relationships in Westminster with politicians of all parties. I will therefore continue to maintain my blog when I am campaigning but will not be commenting on a day to day political news or developments.

I hope you will keep following my blog, but will understand why I have changed the focus of it.

I continue to be contactable on benjaminjohnjones@hotmail.com

Happy New Year

I would like to wish you all a very happy, peaceful and healthy New Year.

Politically, there is much hard work to do in 2011 as the government continues to take the tough decisions needed to get Britain out of the mess left to us by Labour. I wish them every success in this vital work for our country.

2010 in review

It is that time of year when people look back over the last twelve months and reflect on the highs and lows. This blog is no exception (although reading other's thoughts over the last few days it is clear there is much consensus on 2010).

Highs;
- The excitement of the TV debates (and Gordon Brown's first performance, which will forever be known as the "I agree with Nick" night!)
- David Cameron’s “big, open and comprehensive” offer to the Lib Dems the day after the election; it was a stunning and breathtaking moment (especially for those of us who were at that time highly sleep-deprived!)
- The Coalition negotiations and the poker faces of Hague, Laws and co with the UK press chasing them down the street for five days
- Seeing David Cameron on the steps of Number 10- it made the previous few months all worth it
- The Rose Garden press conference; another stunning occasion which hardly anyone who watched could quite believe was happening
- A personal highlight was seeing my name on a Parliamentary election ballot paper for the first time and the privilege of representing the Conservative Party in Halton; a truly humbling experience

The lows;
- Alistair Stewart shouting throughout the first TV debate!
- Just coming up short on election night (despite the amazing result in Cannock Chase with Aidan Burley defining the odds to win)
- Gordon Brown’s petulant exit from Number 10 to avoid being photographed leaving in the dark (not quite how our constitutional arrangements should work!)
- Almost every Liverpool FC game!

Christmas

I would like to wish all readers of this blog a very merry Christmas and a happy, peaceful, and healthy New Year.

Thank you

As the year draws to a close, it is a great opportunity to thank everyone who supported me this year in my campaign in Halton. Your help was simply fantastic. I will always be grateful for all that did for me and our brilliant local Councillors and Council candidates.

It was a huge privilege to work with you during 2010.

What a year!

2010 has been a huge year for our country. We eventually saw the back of Gordon Brown and his failing Labour Government, and then saw the Conservatives and Lib Dems put party differences to one side and come together to work in the national interest.

It has not been without it bumps and scrapes along the way, but who seriously would have thought it could be any different? We are two distinct parties. We have our own ideas and policies. Our own identities. But we have put our country first to give Britain the strong and stable government it needs, at a time when it needs it most.

The challenges we face working as a Coalition are nothing compared with the challenge of clearing up the mess the Labour Party left behind. I am really proud of the progress the Government has made since May, especially as it had to make so many difficult and often unpalatable decisions. We are already starting to see signs of improvement in our economy and in society; the longer this Government continues, the more progress I believe we will see. We can look forward to 2011 with a renewed sense of optimism that our great country is back on track.

Gateway campaign paid off

Great news for Halton

I am absolutely delighted with the news from this week's Spending Review that the Mersey Gateway project is being supported by the Treasury.

The hard work done by Halton Borough Council, the Mersey Gateway Team (led by Steve Nicholson), and local and national politicians of all parties looks to have paid off. They all deserve great credit for their commitment and endurance during this long campaign.

It is also a great tribute to this Government, who has recognised that although paying down the deficit (after Labour's decade of debt) is our priority, so too is investing in key capital projects which will deliver jobs and prosperity for our country. As I have written many times before, the Mersey Gateway project will benefit not just the people of Halton, but the whole North West region.

In these dark economic days, this is a ray of bright shining light. Well done to everyone involved.

Chancellor supports Mersey Gateway

I was really pleased to hear the Chancellor's supportive comments last week about the Mersey Gateway project, describing it as an ‘incredibly important project’.

We all know how difficult the economic climate is within government and what a mess the Labour government left us with. We also know how important this project is for Halton and the north west; delivering jobs and investment that will build a long term legacy of growth for the region.

During my time as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate in Halton I gave my full support to the project, trying to use whatever influence I had with the key decision-makers.

I hope that the new government will be able to support the Mersey Gateway despite the disastrous economic situation it has inherited.