Ben Jones

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T10:13:00.002Z

I would like to wish all readers of my blog a very merry Christmas.

Best wishes,
Ben

Weekly News- letter published on the economy

2009-12-23T10:10:00.003Z

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

It is easy for politicians to attack bankers for their greed and incompetence. But we also need politicians to be straight with the British people on failure of the Government to tackle our current economic problems.

In Britain we have a £178 billion deficit. The Government will spend £64 billion a year on debt interest; this is equivalent to the money raised each year from fuel duty, inheritance tax, stamp duty and council tax combined. The deficit will also push up interest rates over time, meaning more expensive mortgages and credit card bills for all of us.

This is a dire state of affairs, made worse by the Government’s failure to take the tough decisions needed on spending before the election, which means there will be higher taxes and higher interest rates if they win the election.

Last week, the Government had an opportunity to be honest with the British people and use its Pre-Budget Report to take the action needed to help our economy. Instead, they failed to set out a credible plan for dealing with our debt crisis. They failed to show how they would return the economy to growth, but instead punished hard working people by introducing a National Insurance hike which will mean a smaller pay packet for anyone earning £20,000 or more.

By contrast, the Conservatives are being straight with people. We have made tough decisions to cut the cost of Whitehall by a third, reduce benefits for better-off families, bring forward the increase in the state pension age, and freeze public sector pay for all but the million lowest earners. We have also set out a plan for supporting the economy back to growth by being pro-enterprise and pro-wealth creation. Within 50 days of taking office we would introduce an Emergency Growth Budget to reduce the main rate of Corporation Tax to 25p and the small companies’ rate to 20p.We will cut red tape on business and abolish tax on the first ten jobs created by new businesses during the first two years of a Conservative government.

Unlike Labour, we are not ducking the tough choices. We have bold plans to fix our broken economy. Only the Conservatives can offer Halton and the country the change it desperately needs.

Yours sincerely,
Ben Jones
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Halton

Hillsborough panel

2009-12-18T14:56:00.003Z

I welcome the news that an independent panel has been formed to oversee the disclosure of the Hillsborough disaster documents. It is also heartening that the Bishop of Liverpool, The Right Reverend James Jones, has been asked to chair the panel. I hope this panel will help us get to the bottom of this great injustice.

Halton MP Derek Twigg has been instrumental in campaigning for justice in relation to Hillsborough and the setting up of this panel. He has done excellent work on behalf of the families and all those concerned about this case. He deserves great credit for his commitment and hard work. I was able to thank him personally when we met earlier this year and I do so publicly again now.

Another weekend on the campaign trail

2009-12-13T18:34:00.007Z

Despite the cold weather this weekend, it was great to meet up with colleagues and friends in Halton as we continued our campaign before the local and general elections. We have now clocked up many, many weekends of pounding the Halton pavements and are continuing to receive an excellent response on the doorstep.

It is clear that this week's cynical budget has hardened many people's resolve to remove this exhausted government when they eventually get the opportunity next year.

Pre Budget Report

2009-12-11T14:13:00.005Z

We shouldn't be surprised, but once again this failing Labour government showed it was more interested in politics than the country this week.

The Pre Budget Report was all about putting off the tough decisions until after the election. It was all about saving Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling's jobs. It was all about appearing to be fair, but was really a cynical ploy to avoid the real action needed to solve our national economic crisis.

To take one example, increases in child benefit and disability living allowance; it looked like great news but the changes are only rises for the period of the election, followed by real terms cut after the election.

Britain has a £178bn national deficit; where was the government's plan to tackle it this week? The country deserves better than this cynical and exhausted government.

Weekly News- Afghanistan letter

2009-12-05T16:36:00.004Z

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

The British people are questioning our mission in Afghanistan and asking whether the war can be won. A recent ComRes opinion poll showed that 64 per cent said that the war is “unwinnable”.

These respondees are not questioning the dedication and bravely of our troops, over 230 of whom have laid down their lives since 2001, but are questioning why they are in Afghanistan.

One of the reasons the British people believe the war cannot be won is that the Government has not properly explained to us our mission.

The mission should be to deny Al Qaeda territory to plan more attacks against Britain and to prevent any resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism that will inevitably lead to more attacks on the streets of Britain, and against our interests around the world. That has to be better explained by the Government.

Along with this confusion over our mission, concerns have been rightly raised over the availability of helicopters for our troops, the provision of body armour, cuts in the TA budget, and the risks our troops faced to provide security for the recent deeply-flawed and discredited elections and to support President Karzai’s corrupt administration.

We need to focus our efforts, not on trying to impose democracy in Afghanistan, but to help the Afghan Government provide the security forces it needs to tackle the Taliban and Al Qaeda on its own.

As we continue to ask British soldiers to fight and die in the conflict, we need to ensure they are not fighting and dying in vain. We need to remember why they are in Afghanistan. And we need to give them the tools they need to do the job so they can return home.

Yours sincerely,
Ben Jones
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Halton

Inheritance tax

2009-12-06T17:36:00.002Z

Inheritance tax is a real concern for millions of people in Britain, who work hard and save all their lives to try to hand something on to their children and grandchildren.

Currently more than two million homes are worth more than £325,000 and are at risk from Inheritance Tax. The Conservative Party believes that only millionaires should pay inheritance tax. That is why we propose raising the threshold upon which the tax should be paid to £1 million. Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling are constantly telling the country that cuts in Inheritance Tax are not a priority. What they need to explain is why they have cut it last year, and this year, and why they still propose to do it next year. Is this yet more hypocrisy from Labour and Gordon Brown?

Class war

2009-12-06T17:33:00.001Z

Gordon Brown signalled last week that he wishes to fight the next election on “class” lines. This is frankly bizarre, especially when we consider that Tony Blair spent fifteen years modernising the Labour Party to shake off this out of date approach to politics in Britain.

As I wrote recently in the Widnes and Runcorn Weekly News, Labour got its fingers burnt in Crewe last year when it tried to run a by-election campaign against “Tory toffs”. The people of Crewe responded emphatically, rejecting Labour’s negative message, and electing Edward Timpson. Thankfully, in Britain we care about where people are going, not where they are from. We care about whether the people who want our vote have the right ideas and values to represent us; not worrying about which school they went to, or whether their parents were rich.

It is the hypocrisy of Gordon Brown on this issue that disturbs me most. He makes constant references to Eton as if to embarrass David Cameron, but doesn’t mention that Labour’s most successful leader, Tony Blair, went to one of Scotland’s most prestigious public schools. He sees David Cameron’s background as a barrier to high office but not (rightly) John Prescott’s. What a strange way to try and win an election in 21st century Britain.

Weekly News- Rebuilding trust in politics

2009-11-29T18:19:00.003Z

The following letter was printed in this week's Widnes and Runcorn Weekly News:

Politics and politicians have taken a major knock in the last year. All of us involved in politics have to rebuild trust with the electorate before the general and local elections, due at the latest by the beginning of June 2010.

In Halton, the Conservatives are committed to doing our bit to restore faith in politics and prove that we can deliver real change for local people.

Between now and the elections, we will make specific promises to the people of Halton of practical things we will deliver if elected in 2010. These pledges will offer the people of Halton a clear choice when they come to vote; knowing exactly what the Conservatives will do if put in charge of the Town Hall.

As we finalise our pledges for the elections, we are committed to listening to local people. We have already received lots of encouragement from local residents who have shared their ideas with us. To tell us what you think our priorities should be, please email via Ben Jones’ blog (http://benjaminjohnjones.blogspot.com) or write to us at Halton Conservatives, 63 Victoria Road, Widnes, Cheshire, WA8 7RP. We would like to hear from as many people as possible across Halton.

Together, we can give Halton and the country the change it desperately needs.

Yours sincerely,
Ben Jones (Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Halton) and Councillor Peter Murray (Leader, Conservative Group, Halton Borough Council)

Weekly News- BNP blasted by Ben Jones

2009-11-26T10:45:00.003Z

British National Party deputy leader Simon Darby defends use of Sir Winston Churchill in campaign material amid criticism from Ben Jones, prospective Conservative candidate for Halton

http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_method=full&objectid=25252813&siteid=50020-name_page.html

THE BNP’s use of Winston Churchill’s image on its campaign material has been blasted by prospective Conservative MP for Halton, Ben Jones.

But senior figures at the BNP have hit back, claiming former Tory Prime Minister would have agreed with many of its views.

Images of the Second World War leader – a Tory for most of his career – have appeared alongside BNP leader Nick Griffin on his party’s website.

Mr Jones – who will stand against Derek Twigg MP at the next election – said: “Winston Churchill is rightly regarded as one of the great Britons of all time, who was a national hero during the Second World War.

“It is unfortunate that an organisation like the BNP, which is neither great nor heroic, should seek to use his image on their website and in their campaign materials.

“The best way to defeat the BNP is to ensure that all mainstream political parties tackle head-on their lies and bigotry and get their own supporters to the polls on election day.”

Simon Darby, deputy leader of the BNP, said Churchill would have shared many of his party’s views.

He said: “We believe if Churchill had the same political outlook now as he had then, he’d be thrown out of the Conservative party.

“Under mainstream parties we’ve seen the sell-off of British gold, and seen the loss of more freedoms to the EU.

“Thatcher took us into Europe and ensured we were wrapped in the tentacles of the EU federalist monster.”

He added: “If he were here now, we’d be the only party he could join.”

Liverpool Hope Radio; The Lisbon Treaty

2009-11-28T11:57:00.005Z

Yesterday, I did a live interview on Liverpool Hope Radio to talk about The Lisbon Treaty. The programme had interviewed local Labour MP Jane Kennedy and UKIP MEP Paul Nutall, and asked me to provide a Conservative Party perspective.

I reminded listeners of the betrayal Gordon Brown and the Labour Party had committed in refusing the give the British people the referendum it had promised in it's 2005 manifesto. I also reiterated the Conservative Party's commitment to our continued membership of, and support for, the European Union, but emphasised that we want to an open, flexible Europe, which serves the people not the other way round. I also reminded listeners of David Cameron's commitment to change the law so that never again would a government be able to agree to a Treaty that hands over areas of power from Britain to the EU without a referendum.

Dithering on MP's expenses

2009-11-20T08:58:00.006Z

One of the biggest issues facing the country this year has been MP's expenses. We could have reasonably expected action on it to form part of the legislative programme announced this week by the government. No such luck. Despite all the talk of cleaning up politics and restoring faith in politicians, the government has failed to act when it had the perfect opportunity. The story doesn't end there.

Just hours after the Queen’s Speech, the Prime Minister was already doing one of his famous retreats. He refused David Cameron’s offer of help to pass new laws the public demand on expenses reform; instead he sat talking to Harriet Harman. Then, following criticism from Sir Christopher Kelly, he changed his mind and admitted new laws are needed. It's another total shambles from this failing government and failing prime Minister.

It also confirms what I have written here for some months; they still do not get it!

Queen's Speech

2009-11-20T08:53:00.004Z

This week, we once again saw the Prime Minister put party before country. The Queen's Speech had one objective; save the Labour Party from electoral defeat. Gordon Brown had nothing to offer the country except a series of half-measures aimed at partisan point-scoring, which even Cabinet Ministers admitted was about playing politics not improving people’s lives.

What a shameful act by this failing government, which is out of steam, out of ideas, and hopefully soon, will be out of office. We don't need more of this desperate clinging to power; we need a general election.

Traffic chaos; we need the second bridge

2009-11-19T21:19:00.002Z

The recent Silver Jubilee Bridge chaos experienced by local residents and businesses confirms my long-held view that we need the second bridge, and quick. I join Derek Twigg MP in his calls for the matter to be put beyond doubt by the Transport Secretary acting quickly to confirm approval for the project. The report of the Public Inquiry is due next month; I hope the people of Halton will not be left waiting on this vital issue.

Weekly News- MP Chris Grayling tours Farnworth, Widnes

2009-11-03T16:39:00.004Z

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.”

A great year

2009-11-12T18:11:00.011Z

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”

2009-11-10T13:38:00.001Z

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.”

Weekly News- letter published

2009-11-07T11:31:00.002Z

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

Remembrance Sunday

2009-11-08T18:27:00.001Z

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

2009-11-07T11:34:00.006Z

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."

No more family firms in Westminster

2009-10-30T18:10:00.003Z

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

2009-10-30T18:08:00.001Z

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.

Weekly News- Halton Tory candidate uses conference to air borough issues

2009-10-15T21:10:00.005+01:00

http://www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.co.uk/runcorn-widnes-news/runcorn-widnes-local-news/2009/10/15/halton-tory-candidate-uses-conference-to-air-borough-issues-55368-24929603/

BEN Jones, the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Halton, attended the Party Conference in Manchester last week. During the week, he met leader David Cameron and Halton Borough Council representatives to discuss important local issues.

Mr Jones said afterwards: “Conference is a great opportunity to meet with a range of people and organisations to discuss key issues affecting the people of Halton.

“I used my time productively to hold a series of meetings to discuss the Mersey Gateway project, issues affecting older people in Halton including social care provision, law and order - especially in relation to anti-social behaviour - and health needs.”

He continued: “I took every opportunity to meet with key organisations, senior party figures and other candidates to promote Halton and to speak up for the needs of local people.

“With the general election probably just a few months away and by May at the latest, this conference season has been important in helping voters compare the ideas of the respective parties as they decide who can give Britain and Halton the change that it needs.”

The BNP and Question Time

2009-10-23T15:23:00.002+01:00

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

2009-10-20T17:26:00.004+01:00

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.