It finally happened

After ten years and three elections, I was privileged and honoured to be elected as MP for Harlow last night with a majority of 4925.

It has been a long election campaign and I have to admit, felt pretty exhausted today. After some rest over the weekend, I will be going to the House of Commons on Monday, to begin a week of induction for new MPs. I know that there is much to learn, but will do all I can to work hard as MP for Harlow. I have been immensely touched by the many hundreds of emails, Facebook and Twitter messages I received today, and I think I have now responded to each one.

Nationally, although the Conservatives did not get a full Parliamentary majority, we won many new Constituencies and are now the largest party. Labour has suffered its worst defeat since 1931. Strangely, Gordon Brown stays in Downing Street - for the time being. It seems odd that you can lose an election and yet remain as Prime Minister. Whatever will Labour think of next?

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

A helpful guide before voting

This election will decide whether we get our economy back on track, get lower taxes, control immigration, have more police, and get our powers back from Europe.

So these are the things Conservatives will fight for:

1. Bringing jobs back to Harlow. Cutting National Insurance Contributions. Lower business taxes for small business. Proper job training and support.

2. Helping Families and Pensioners: Supporting couples with a married tax allowance. Stronger support for single parent families. Restoring the pensions link with earnings. Maintaining the free bus pass and winter fuel allowance.

3. Harlow Housing money for Harlow people. Stopping Gordon Brown taking away £13.5 million of OUR housing rent money.

4. Saving our green belt from Brown's bulldozers.

5. An extra by-pass to the M11 from the A414. After 13 years of Labour, nothing has been done.

6. Better education and skills for our young people: 200,000 extra apprenticeships over two years and 1,000 for Essex. 100,000 more College places. Giving parents more choice over schools. Bring back traditional teaching.

7. A stronger NHS. Stopping Gordon Brown's regional cuts to A&E and Maternity Services. Giving patients more choice over their GP and Hospitals and providing the cancer drugs they need. Extra support for Sure Start with 4,200 additional health visitors. GP surgeries open on weekends.

If you don't vote, it means Gordon Brown will win again. If you vote for any other party, Mr Brown will be Prime Minister. Vote Conservative for change.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

General Election Day Twenty Nine: Almost Over

Hard to believe that tomorrow is the last day. It has been a long few weeks. Meeting thousands of voters and handing out thousands of leaflets. Long hours from 06:30AM to late at night. But it has been worth it. The response on the street and the doorstep has been magnificent and we have won many new supporters as each day has past.

Each day has been exhausting but exhiliarating. Tomorrow the voters have their say.


by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

General Election Day Twenty Eight: Schools and P.A.C.T.

In the recent election hustings debate (last Thursday), a main disagreement between myself and the Labour Candidate came over discussion over Conservative Education Policy.

As well as focusing on parental choice, improving standards and giving teachers greater discipline rights, a central plank is to allow parents and charities to set up their own schools. Money would follow parents and pupils, with more cash allocated to deprived areas. My opponents response to this was that no parent in Harlow would want to set up their own schools.

I disagreed heartily, arguing that this view was somewhat patronising. Harlow parents were different to no other parents around the country, and if given the chance would want to establish their own schools. My view was confirmed today by chance, when I met some parents of autistic children in Harlow.

These parents have set up a group called P.A.C.T (Parents of Autistic Children Together). They told me - without prompting - that they would be very keen to set up a school in Harlow for Autistic Children. It was good to meet these parents, and I would welcome the opportunity to assist them in their objectives. If a Conservative Government comes to pass on Thursday, their task will be made that much easier.

P.S. The New Schools Network is already helping parents and charitable organisations set up new schools. You can read more about them HERE.

P.P.S. The picture shows me at Downs School in the New Library at an earlier visit.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

General Election Day Twenty Seven: Grant Shapps and Norman Tebbit

A long campaigning Bank Holiday, as we had two visits from two senior Tories. Conservative Housing Spokesman, Grant Shapps came in the morning to meet shoppers at Broadwalk and then visit Berecroft residents. Grant was well received by residents and managed to convince a number of waivering Labour voters to support us on Thursday.

In the afternoon, we were met by Lord Norman Tebbit and were surrounded by loads of volunteers and supporters, young and old alike. Lord Tebbit was MP for Harlow and Epping in the early 1970s so it was really good to have him back in Harlow. It was quite an exciting occasion, as he gave a morale boosting speech to all assembled. His visit was covered on TV by Anglia and for the Harlow Star. Lord Tebbit was on top form and received huge rounds of applause from all present - especially from a number of first-time voters that had gathered around to take part in the proceedings.

All in all a really busy election day.



by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

A further visit to Berecroft with Conservative Housing Spokesman Grant Shapps

Given that Berecroft residents have endured their third fire in recent times, I thought it important to bring the Conservative Housing Spokesman Grant Shapps today to meet local residents

Mr Shapps was accompanied by prospective Harlow Conservative MP Robert Halfon, Harlow Conservative local councillor and housing committee chairman Lee Dangerfield and Berecroft Residents Association chairman Zulqar Cheema when he visited the estate this morning

The second major fire in the terraced properties in ten months has led to renewed calls for South Anglia - the housing association which owns the properties - to carry out major work to make the homes safer.

Viewing the fire-damaged properties, Mr Shapps observed:

"This is a shocking fire and it must be very frightening for the residents. The construction of these properties is obviously a real worry. I've seen a range of different problems here and concerns too because the housing association involved, South Anglia, has issued a statement saying they are actively working on the estate which turns out not to be true when you come here. I will be writing to the managing director today to find out what they really intend to do. It's quite clear there's not much going on at the moment.\What people want to know is what is going to happen about it."There's a small political point here, I don't think the regulation of the housing associations is anything near right.What should happen is the local authority should get to look after those housing associations and ask them to take action when the construction is as it is here.

At the moment there is some very bureaucratic process involving quangos and the rest of it . I think if we brought that control down to a local level we can help get these problems fixed and faster and that's one of the things we will do if we win on Thursday."

I'm glad that Grant Shapps came to Berecroft. I wanted him to see the terrible fire that took place a couple of days ago. It's wrong that the residents have suffered in this way. I'm going to be seeking an urgent meeting with South Anglia because something needs to be done to make sure this never happens again.

Harlow Conservative councillor and Housing Committee Chairman Lee Dangerfield said:

"I've called for an urgent meeting with local residents and South Anglia Housing. We must make sure these works are done as soon as possible."

Berecroft Residents Association chairman Zulqar Cheema stated : "We need to move a little bit quicker. With these organisations you have this sort of treacle-type movement whereas local residents and people want it done the following day and there should be something that gets it done fairly quickly. We need to push it and get it done."

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

The Conservative Party | Policy | Our Contract With You

The Conservative Party | Policy | Our Contract With You

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

General Election Day Twenty Six: Defence and Europe

Gordon Brown's failure in Foreign Affairs has hurt our armed forces and our country. The Labour Government sent our brave soldiers to war, with ill-defined purpose and lack of strategy. Many feel misled about the reasons for invading Iraq. Our army was put to battle without proper equipment and have arrived home lacking the welfare support they need.

In Harlow, residents ask why it was necessary for Gordon Brown and Bill Rammell to close our local Territorial Army Centre because of so-called 'cost savings', yet the Government managed to give MoD bureaucrats over £47 million in bonuses. Just a fraction of this money would have kept our TA open.

We desperately need to rebuild trust with our armed forces:

• A strategic review to determine what our armed forces need, so that our brave soldiers always have the proper equipment;
• Doubling the operational bonus for frontline soldiers;
• Establishing a new welfare service to look after Veterans; and
• Higher education scholarships for the children of armed forces killed on active duty.
  

On Europe too, we need radical change. Breaking his Referendum pledge, Gordon Brown signed Britain's powers away, when he joined the EU Constitution. So Conservatives will act to get our powers back from Brussels:

• A renegotiation, to get our powers back on criminal justice and social and employment laws;
• A guaranteed Referendum on any new EU Treaty; and
• A UK Sovereignty Bill so that British Law is paramount, and so that ultimate power always stays in our Parliament, in our country.
  

Restoring trust, giving pride back to Britain, ensuring we get our powers back from Brussels. Conservatives will provide the change Britain needs in Foreign Affairs.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

General Election Day Twenty Six: Fire

Remember the fire at Berecroft last August?

Today there was further bad news as there was another fire on the same Estate, with the same misery for local residents including evacuation and loss of possessions.

About 18 homes were evacuated early today (Saturday) after a fire broke out in the bedroom of a mid-terrace house.

We must do all we can to help residents caught up in this latest incident - the cause of which is currently being treated as suspicious.My heart goes out to the many residents whose lives have been affected by this latest fire. I feel greatly for them all at this time and will endeavour to do everything I can to help and support them. I was pleased to meet with some of the evacuated residents today at the Latton Bush Centre and I will do all I can to assist those who need help.

I intend to meet with the emergency services once their investigations are complete and liase with Harlow Council over what we can do to help these families who face upheaval in their lives as their properties are repaired.

As Staple Tye Conservative Councillor Lee Dangerfield stated: "Once again residents of Berecroft have been affected by a major fire and once again we will be doing everything we can to support them and ensure that everything is done to get their lives back to normal as soon as practicably possible."

P.S. Pictures courtesy of www.everythingHarlow.co.uk and Cllr. Lee Dangerfield

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com