A great year

A year ago today, I was selected as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Halton.

It has been a huge honour and a real privilege to fulfil this role over the last twelve months. I am grateful for all the help and support I have received from local people and look forward to continuing to work with them to fight for the things that we care about; safer communities, better public services, more openness and honesty in politics, a fair deal on tolls for the new bridge, protection of Halton's greenbelt, and more besides, between now, the general election, and hopefully beyond.

I will continue to campaign with my Conservative colleagues in Halton, for the change that our borough and the country desperately needs.

Weekly News- Candidate’s promise to “do his bit”

http://www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.co.uk/runcorn-widnes-news/runcorn-widnes-local-news/2009/11/09/webhead-55368-25125665/

THE Tory prospective parliamentary candidate for Halton has pledged his support for the armed forces.

Conservative Ben Jones - who will go head to head with MP Derek Twigg at the next election - made the pledge when he met Royal British Legion representatives at the recent Conservative party conference in Manchester.

He was handed the RBL’s manifesto for the coming election, which sets out priorities for the next Government to improve conditions for the British armed forces past and present, as well astheir families.

Kevin Shinkwin, the Legion’s head of public affairs, said: “We’re really grateful to Ben for making the time to meet with us and listen to our concerns.

“Our message to every candidate standing at the general election is very simple: ‘It’s time to do your bit’.”

Mr Jones, said, “They are an outstanding organisation, making a huge contribution to our country.

“They have an important role to play in highlighting the needs of the whole Armed Forces family.

“I have pledged to do my bit and would encourage everyone to do the same by visiting www.timetodoyourbit.org.uk.”

Remembrance Sunday

It was a great honour to take part in the Remembrance Sunday ceremony in Widnes today. Alongside Councillor Peter Murray, I represented Halton Conservatives, joining the march through Victoria Park and laying the Party’s wreath at the cenotaph.

It was extremely humbling to stand alongside hundreds of local people, including veterans and their families, whose bravery and sacrifice we remember today. I was also struck by the number of young people who attended the ceremony to show their support and respect. At this difficult time for our whole armed forces family with the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, we remember not just the fallen from the two World Wars and subsequent conflicts, but the daily sacrifices being made by our troops and their families in our name. I was very proud to be with some of them today.

Merseyside Conservative Ladies' Lunch Club

Yesterday I spoke at the Merseyside Conservative Ladies' Lunch Club at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool. I was very grateful for the invitation and enjoyed catching up with many long-standing friends and meeting new ones. In my speech I focused on the campaign in Halton (updating the ladies on what we have been doing over the last tweleve months since my selection), the national political picture, and what factors I believe will decide the next election.

I also talked about my background and political history, explaining my reasons for joining the Conservative Party saying; "It was conviction that brought me into the party; a conviction that this is a great country, with proud values and a capacity for its people to achieve anything if they are given the freedom and the opportunity to do it.

I have always believed that we should only have as much good government as we can afford; that society does exist, but as David Cameron says, it is not the same thing as the state; and that a Conservative government should reward those who take responsibility for themselves, and care for those who cannot."

Weekly News- letter published

The following letter was published this week in the Widnes and Runcorn Weekly News:

"I have followed with interest the recent letters from Frank Harasiwka and subsequent related correspondence.

Underneath the usual Lib Dem tactics of trying to be all things to all men and misleading the electorate on the positions of their opponents, there lurks a more corrosive message. Mr Harasiwka’s references to the “Burlington Club” and George Osborne not having had a “proper job” are an attempt to smear my Conservative colleagues, and to turn the next election into a class war. Labour got its fingers burnt just down the M6 last year when it tried to run a by-election campaign in Crewe against “Tory toffs”; you would think politicians would have more faith in the British people than to think they would fall for this nonsense.

In Britain we care about where people are going, not where they are from. This great country of ours is a place where someone from any background can rise to the height of their chosen field. Forget political differences; the fact that John Prescot could make the journey from ship steward to Deputy Prime Minister is a tribute to our country and the fairness of our values. In the same way, David Cameron and George Osborne shouldn’t have their school or their background held against them.

For my part, I went to my local state schools in Rainhill and St Helens. I was the first person in my family to go to University, and I live in London now because that’s where my wife and I work. I hope when Halton’s voters come to cast their vote at the general election, they will vote for candidates because of their values, their commitment to local people, and their plans for tackling the issues that matter.

Over the next few months, I hope that we will hear more from candidates about their ideas and values, not their prejudices."

Yours sincerely,
Ben Jones
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Halton

Weekly News- MP Chris Grayling tours Farnworth, Widnes

http://www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.co.uk/runcorn-widnes-news/runcorn-widnes-breaking-news/2009/11/03/mp-chris-grayling-tours-farnworth-widnes-55368-25080449/

ANTI-SOCIAL behaviour was the main topic of discussion when shadow home secretary Chris Grayling MP visited Widnes this week.

Mr Grayling, who is also the Conservative shadow minister for Merseyside, was taken to St Luke’s Church, Farnworth, which has seen a number of incidents of graffiti and vandalism.

Ben Jones, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Halton, said: “Chris is spending a lot of time listening to people up and down the country in his role as shadow home secretary, seeing for himself the effect crime and anti-social behaviour has on communities.”

Mr Grayling met Farnworth residents, police officers and representatives from the church and Halton Borough Council’s anti-social behaviour co-ordinator to discuss vandalism and under-age drinking in the area.

Mr Jones added: “It was a great pleasure to have him visit Halton and to spend time talking about this key local issue.

“I look forward to his continued support for the area if he becomes home secretary after the next general election.”

No more family firms in Westminster

It looks like the Kelly report, due to be published next week, will propose the end to MPs being able to employ members of their family. I would welcome this change as we move to restore confidence in our politics.

In March (before the expenses scandal hit) I made a pledge on my expenses which included not employing members of my family (http://benjaminjohnjones.blogspot.com/2009/03/my-expenses-pledge-to-voters-of-halton.html).

It is no good MPs now complaining about the unfairness of these changes; they only have themselves to blame for turning a blind eye where abuses of the system were taking place.

The penny still hasn’t dropped

It was disappointing to hear Jacqui Smith using the old defence that “I took advice” and “it was within the rules” in relation to her expenses on Question Time last night. When will the penny drop? The anger felt across the country is about MP’s using the system for their own ends, or being party to the culture of silence around expenses and allowances by looking the other way. They cannot continue to hide behind the rules or the Fees Office, they need to take responsibility for their own actions.

I hope the penny will drop soon. Perhaps in Ms Smith’s case it will be when the people of Redditch get to give their verdict on her conduct at the General Election.

The BNP and Question Time

Yesterday was a good day for free speech and democracy in Britain.

I fully support the BBC’s decision to allow BNP Leader, Nick Griffin, to be a panellist on Question Time. The voters elected him to the European Parliament and the BBC were right to reflect this in their decision to invite him on their programme.

His appearance and subsequent abject performance confirmed what I have felt for a long time; the more opportunities the BNP get to put their case the better, as it only serves to expose their bigoted, racist and frankly bizarre, ideas and beliefs. Last night’s programme was good for our democracy as it allowed many people who may have voted for the BNP, or been tempted to vote for them, to see the truth lurking behind their election rhetoric. Those who felt they were standing up for Britain will have seen a party only interested in dividing and discriminating.

All politicians need to face into the BNP. We need to debate with them, and fight to expose their despicable, hate-filled prejudices. Last night was one step on the road to doing that. I look forward to more of the same.

Hillsborough papers update

A number of media sources are reporting success for the Hillsborough families in their fight to gain access to papers relating to the disaster that have been kept secret from them. One source (the Daily Mirror) reports that the Government will, within three weeks, announce it is setting up The Hillsborough Independent Panel into the tragedy, including a representative from the families.

This will be extremely welcome news, if the "full disclosure" promised by the government is delivered.