My four campaign priorities
Fair play to the Observer.
Yesterday, I went to Observer Towers with a member of my campaign team to discuss the paper's proposed coverage of the forthcoming elections, and was impressed with how carefully the paper has considered how it wants to operate, and the commitment to fairness that it has made in respect of reporting.
As far as we Lib Dems are concerned, this is imperative – particularly in the weeks leading up to the General Election – as time after time on the doorstep people have said that they have yet to make up their mind about how they are going to vote when polling day finally comes around.
The election result is by no means decided. There will be many factors which will influence people – local, national, policy, personality...
What is important therefore, is that voters are able to make as informed a choice as possible when they get into the polling booth.
I am pleased to relate that I have confidence that they will get this from their local paper – which is a good (and sometimes rare) thing to be able to say.
For my part, as the Liberal Democrat candidate, I have an obligation to put across (in the most effective way that our comparatively small election budget will allow) my party's four main priorities at a national level – a fairer education system, fairer taxes, a green and sustainable economy, and fair votes (ie political reform).
At a local level, my campaign priorities are as follows – protecting health services; standing up for our fishermen; promoting the Lib Dem tax pledge that people will pay no tax on the first 10,000 they earn; and fighting for improved (particularly public) transport links for our area.
These are the issues that I have been campaigning on since my selection as the Lib Dem candidate back in October 2007.
Today, for example, I am in Westminster, lobbying Andrew George MP (the Lib Dem Fisheries shadow minister) on behalf of our local fishing fleet.
In the coming weeks, I hope that you will get involved in the opportunities to debate and ask questions of your candidates.
In my view, the General Election will be one of the most important in our country's history for some considerable time.
There are enormously important economic decisions still to be taken; there remain battles to be fought in respect of social inequality and regeneration; there is a fragile environment to protect...
Without being melodramatic, our national future – the possibility of a fairer Britain – really is at stake.
Please get in touch if there are issues that you want to raise with me directly.
And if you want to help our campaign, we will be only too pleased to hear from you!
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Weather for Hastings
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
