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!
Friday, 31 December 2010
Friday, 24 December 2010
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.
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.
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.
Friday, 12 November 2010
Saturday, 23 October 2010
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.
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.
Saturday, 9 October 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, 26 September 2010
New leader. New Labour?
I would like to congratulate Ed Miliband on his election as Leader of the Labour Party.
But the closeness of his victory- only made possible by the strong support of the trade unions- raises questions about whether he really has a strong enough mandate to deliver change for his party. If he now focuses on repaying the unions for their support, ditching New Labour and lurching to the left, then he will take the Labour Party on a huge backward leap. He also has to prove to the country how he can be the solution to our economic and social problems, when he was part of the team that got us into this mess, and one of the few members of the Cabinet who appeared to support Gordon Brown.
His election yesterday begs lots of questions. How he answers them over the coming months will determine whether the centre ground of British politics is a lonely place.
But the closeness of his victory- only made possible by the strong support of the trade unions- raises questions about whether he really has a strong enough mandate to deliver change for his party. If he now focuses on repaying the unions for their support, ditching New Labour and lurching to the left, then he will take the Labour Party on a huge backward leap. He also has to prove to the country how he can be the solution to our economic and social problems, when he was part of the team that got us into this mess, and one of the few members of the Cabinet who appeared to support Gordon Brown.
His election yesterday begs lots of questions. How he answers them over the coming months will determine whether the centre ground of British politics is a lonely place.
Friday, 24 September 2010
Liverpool FC
I have always tried to avoid blogging about Liverpool FC for fear that once I start, I will not be able to stop! But this week I feel I have to break the habit.
Wednesday night's result was desperate. Our start to the season has been awful. Roy Hodgson has inherited a club, and a team,,in a mess.
Until the ownership issue is resolved properly, and the off the field uncertainty is removed, we will struggle to find the consistency we need on the field. But we must also remember that although Roy has made some moves in the transfer market (which look so far to have been very positive) he has a huge job ahead to clear out some of the dross he was left by the previous manager.
This dross not only creates short-term selection problems, but a longer-term drain on the wage bill. We have too many overpaid, under-achieving players. It is very simple. The players we currently have (apart from a small few) are not good enough.
Liverpool fans do not need me to list the players who are not fit to play for the club, or to state the obvious areas in the squad we need to invest. What we do need is to back our new manager with time and support, hope for a speedy resolution to boardroom uncertainty, and hold our nerve through this rocky period. It is a long, dark winter ahead, but I believe there will be a golden sky at the end.
Wednesday night's result was desperate. Our start to the season has been awful. Roy Hodgson has inherited a club, and a team,,in a mess.
Until the ownership issue is resolved properly, and the off the field uncertainty is removed, we will struggle to find the consistency we need on the field. But we must also remember that although Roy has made some moves in the transfer market (which look so far to have been very positive) he has a huge job ahead to clear out some of the dross he was left by the previous manager.
This dross not only creates short-term selection problems, but a longer-term drain on the wage bill. We have too many overpaid, under-achieving players. It is very simple. The players we currently have (apart from a small few) are not good enough.
Liverpool fans do not need me to list the players who are not fit to play for the club, or to state the obvious areas in the squad we need to invest. What we do need is to back our new manager with time and support, hope for a speedy resolution to boardroom uncertainty, and hold our nerve through this rocky period. It is a long, dark winter ahead, but I believe there will be a golden sky at the end.
In Conference!
We are now in the midst of Conference season. Earlier this week I was in Liverpool for meetings at the Lib Dem conference; the first time I have attended our coalition partner's annual gathering.
It was pleasing on two fronts; firstly, to see Liverpool do a magnificent job at hosting such a large scale event (testament to the huge development in hotel and conference facilities in recent years), and secondly to feel a genuine mood of commitment to the coalition delivering its five year programme.
Although politics is a fickle business and the media love to talk about divisions and splits, I saw a real sense of unity and determination to finish what we have started in the national interest. I am looking forward now to Birmingham!
It was pleasing on two fronts; firstly, to see Liverpool do a magnificent job at hosting such a large scale event (testament to the huge development in hotel and conference facilities in recent years), and secondly to feel a genuine mood of commitment to the coalition delivering its five year programme.
Although politics is a fickle business and the media love to talk about divisions and splits, I saw a real sense of unity and determination to finish what we have started in the national interest. I am looking forward now to Birmingham!
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