A Message from David Cameron

The expenses scandal is still the number one topic of conversation across the country. In offices, on buses, at home, the strength of anger being voiced is like nothing we've heard for a long time. But I don't think that anger begins and ends with expenses. I believe it stems from a long, deep dissatisfaction with the way that politics and power work in our country.
The fact is that people feel they have very little control over the world around them - and they're right. While some areas of our lives offer us choice and control as never before - in media, travel, shopping, entertainment - when it comes to the things we ask from politics and the state, there's a sense that someone else is always pulling the strings, always pulling power away from people.
Today, in a speech to the Open University, I set out our plans for a radical redistribution of power back to the people: from the state to citizens; from Whitehall to communities; from bureaucracy to democracy. This is a massive, radical change. But I believe that through decentralisation, accountability and transparency we can take power away from the political elite and hand it to the man and woman in the street. You can watch the speech - and look at the live Q&A blog I did afterwards - by clicking here. David Cameron

Post Office to Re-Open

The Post Office have written to confirm that a new main post office for Ashford Town will be opening on 4th June at 72 Church Road, Ashford. Local Conservatives have campaigned hard for a main post office in Ashford after the closure a year ago of the main post office in Church Road. This is a good example of how the community can work together for a successful result.

Petition - Against Capping of Surrey Police

Please support our campaign against capping of Surrey Police
A petition has now been opened on the Surrey Police Authority website for local people to sign in support of the case.
This can be accessed at www.surreypa.gov.uk<http://www.surreypa.gov.uk> In two days, the petition has received more than 2,100 signatures, and they continue to come in at a rapid rate. Please do add your name now.

Ashford Town Investment

Spelthorne Borough Council will be investing £100,000 over the next three years into improving Ashford Town. As the County Councillor for Ashford, I have asked to be involved in this, and would like to use some of the funds allocated to me through the Spelthorne Local Committee to add value to the scheme. I will be at a stall on Sunday 7th June, at the Ashford on The Map day at the Brooklands College, Ashford Campas, asking Ashford residents and shoppers what improvements they would like to see. Please do come along on the day, or if you can't make it on the Sunday, come along to my surgery on Saturday 6th June in Ashford library from 11am to noon. If you can't make that either, please do give me a call to discuss what you would like to see.

David Cameron to reopen the Conservative Parliamentary Candidates List.

David Cameron has announced that he will reopen the Conservative parliamentary candidates list.
In an interview on the Andrew Marr show, David said he wanted to “open up the talent that is available in Parliament".
And he urged people to apply for our candidates list even if they have never been involved in politics before:
“If you believe in public service, if you want to help us clean up politics, if you share our values come and be a Conservative candidate.”
David said he wanted to see more "open primaries" where everyone in a constituency can vote for the next Conservative candidate:
"We have had open primaries for many of our candidates for the forthcoming elections and they have been really successful. Opening up the hall and saying to anyone in the constituency – whichever party they belong to – come along and vote for the next Conservative candidate has worked fantastically well.”
If you are interested in becoming a Conservative candidate and believe you would make a good Member of Parliament, please write to Gareth Fox at Conservative Campaign Headquarters (30 Millbank, London, SW1P 4DP) setting out why you would like to be a candidate, and enclose a copy of your CV. Please set out any work you have done in your local community, and achievements in your work or your personal life which you think would make you an effective MP.

Make Labour's next U-turn an EU-turn

Richard Briers digs in to stop the third runway

"This new runway is just such a daft idea. It's obvious to everyone who digs a garden that the climate is already changing, and things are set to get even worse, so why make Heathrow the biggest single emitter of CO2 in the country?" - Richard Briers
When the time came to dig an allotment on the Airplot, we knew that we needed some expert advice. And who better to turn to than the man who brought allotments to the attention of millions in 70s TV sensation The Good Life, and organic gardening supremos Garden Organic?
Yes, the latest guest to the Airplot is Richard Briers, who has dusted off his spade and started digging up the land earmarked by Gordon Brown for the construction of a new runway at Heathrow airport.
Richard is joining Gardener's World presenter Alys Fowler to plant organic carrots on the plot - they want to send vegetables to every member of the cabinet, in the hope that they'll enjoy them so much they'll ditch their plans for a third runway.
The allotment will be cared for using organic practices for the benefit of the local community. Unless of course, BAA and the government get their way and a new runway tarmacs over the allotment and the local community with it. But with businesses, environmentalists, gardeners and celebrities joining the tens of thousands of people who've signed up to the Airplot, that's never going to happen, because we own their runway and they're not getting it back!
As Richard says: "If thousands more people sign up to become beneficial owners of the allotment land we'll be able to stand together against Gordon's Brown's silly idea, armed with root vegetables and the knowledge that we're right and he's wrong."
To find out more and join Richard Briers as a beneficial owner of the plot, visit the Airplot site.