03/05/2010 by Steve Barclay.

Bank Holiday Monday and also my 38th birthday.  Out in Withcham, Mepal, and Sutton today delivering leaflets with Karen and my parents in law.  It builds on our constituency campaign day on Saturday where a team of 30 covered Chatteris and Littleport with our final leaflet.  With my brother joining the team on Saturday, my parents helping all last week, and friends heading over, there is a real sense of monentum to the campaign.  3 days to go.

Our message is clear.  The only way to guarantee a change of Government is to vote Conservative.  A hung Parliament risks delay and dither at a time when the economy needs strong leadership.  It is clear on the doorstep that people are fed up with Gordon Brown.  After 13 years the time is up for Labour. 

As for the Lib Dems, their policy to give an amnesty for illegal immigrants resulting in over a million extra people claiming benefits gets short shift.  So too their desire to scrap the pound and give more power to Brussels, abolish jail sentences of less than six months (for offences like assulting a police office, drink driving or domestic violence), and their opposition to welfare reform for those who can work but choose not to.

David Cameron’s strong performance on Thursday night has firmed up support amongst many undecided voters, although a few are still to make up their mind. Lots of emails and calls in to the office which is positive.

We need to deliver a change of Government on Thursday.  Don’t wake up on Friday morning to five more years of Gordon Brown supported by the Lib Dems.  If you can help on polling day please get in touch - 01354  652295.

Posted in General Election, Liberal Democrats, Conservative Party, My Campaign | No Comments »

08/04/2010 by Steve Barclay.

Clear today out on the campaign that the endorsement from national business leaders of the Conservative Party position against increases in national insurance is shared locally by leading businessmen.

In Gorefield this afternoon I was chatting with Edward Newling (pictured) who farms 178 acres of apples and pears supplying Sainsburys.  He has 6 full time staff, 10 agency staff and 40 fruit pickers with a combined tax bill each year to the Treasury of over £300,000.  As Edward said this tax rise would be a disaster, and it will mean he will be reluctant to take on extra workers.

It was the same message in March this evening.  Another successful local businessman Adam Triggs was equally explicit.  Adam has just landed a new contract to put the signage on 200 vans in London.  He said it is a straight forward business decision.  If the Conservatives win, he will probably be putting an ad in the local paper shortly afterwards for two extra jobs to help with this contract and a growing order book.  If Labour get in and increase National Insurance, he expects he will simply sub-contract the work to a firm in London, rather than hiring staff locally.

People sometimes says political parties are too alike.  On National Insurance there is a clear difference.  Jobs are on the line locally.  Businessmen nationally, and now locally, are making it clear that they back the Conservative policy.

It build on the best day I have ever had on the campaign trail in over 15 years of grassroots campaigning.  Canvassing in Elm this morning, one of my helpers had to pop back to the association office to collect some more posters as we ran out of those we had taken.  It is fair to say Gordon Brown is an electoral negative for the Labour party and a plus for us.  There is still a long way to go and a lot of work to be done, but today marks positive progress.  We finished off with a pint at the Ship pub in March which has just been refurbished.  What a fantastic job Paul has done - it looks fabulous inside and I will certainly be going back.

Posted in National Insurance, General Election, Gorefield, March, Conservative Party | No Comments »

08/04/2010 by Steve Barclay.

Clear today out on the campaign that the endorsement from national business leaders of the Conservative Party position against increases in national insurance is shared locally by leading businessmen.

In Gorefield this afternoon I was chatting with Edward Newling (pictured) who farms 178 acres of apples and pears supplying Sainsburys.  He has 6 full time staff, 10 agency staff and 40 fruit pickers with a combined tax bill each year to the Treasury of over £300,000.  As Edward said this tax rise would be a disaster, and it will mean he will be reluctant to take on extra workers.

It was the same message in March this evening.  Another successful local businessman Adam Triggs was equally explicit.  Adam has just landed a new contract to put the signage on 200 vans in London.  He said it is a straight forward business decision.  If the Conservatives win, he will probably be putting an ad in the local paper shortly afterwards for two extra jobs to help with this contract and a growing order book.  If Labour get in and increase National Insurance, he expects he will simply sub-contract the work to a firm in London, rather than hiring staff locally.

People sometimes says political parties are too alike.  On National Insurance there is a clear difference.  Jobs are on the line locally.  Businessmen nationally, and now locally, are making it clear that they back the Conservative policy.

It build on the best day I have ever had on the campaign trail in over 15 years of grassroots campaigning.  Canvassing in Elm this morning, one of my helpers had to pop back to the association office to collect some more posters as we ran out of those we had taken.  It is fair to say Gordon Brown is an electoral negative for the Labour party and a plus for us.  There is still a long way to go and a lot of work to be done, but today marks positive progress.  We finished off with a pint at the Ship pub in March which has just been refurbished.  What a fantastic job Paul has done - it looks fabulous inside and I will certainly be going back.

Posted in Gorefield, March, Conservative Party | No Comments »

06/04/2010 by Steve Barclay.

After a long wait we now have the chance to put an end to Labour’s mismanagement.  Five more years of Gordon Brown would be a disaster, and the feedback on the doorstep this morning has been fantastic.  There is a clear desire for change.

We launched our campaign in Manea before heading over to Benwick this afternoon.  A really good response and a positive note on which to start the campaign.

Thanks to Sabrina from Sabs Photography in Manea who joined us today and took some photos out on the campaign. 

Posted in General Election, Manea, Conservative Party | No Comments »

28/03/2010 by Steve Barclay.

Election preparation gathers pace

Thurs night was our association AGM with a good turnout and an upbeat mood - everyone just wants to get on with the election now, put our message across, and prevent another five years of Gordon Brown.  I round off the meeting with a speech making clear what is at stake for our country at this election.  Am a little embarrassed to receive a standing ovation - clearly they are up for the battle ahead!

Friday morning I had a very interesting meeting with the Wisbech ADHD Support Group at the Oasis Centre in Wisbech, to discuss the challenges faced by families with a child with ADHD.  I learnt a lot about the practical issues faced, and it was impressive to see the mutual support and can do attitude of everyone there.  A fun day has been arranged for August 11th which they kindly asked me to open.  I then headed over to Regal Road in Wisbech to help open a new business unit of Rapid Employment, which is a thriving recruitment agency that has spotted a gap in the market and is expanding.  Travel back via the association office to catch up on correspondence, before heading over to Littleport to open the new IT suite at YPL Littleport.

Saturday morning I was back at the Whittlesey Conservative Club for their Easter Coffee morning, before joining our campaign team out in Sutton on Saturday afternoon to distribute our latest four page leaflet.

Steve Barclay meeting the Wisbech ADHD Support Group at the Oasis Centre

Steve Barclay opening the new internet room at the YPL, Littleport

This photo taken by Helen Drake of the Ely Standard.
Steve with members of the Whittlesey branch

Steve presenting a certificate to Cllr Kay Mayor
in recognition of 100% quota raised by the
Whittlesey branch

Posted in Conservative Party, Littleport, Whittlesey, Wisbech | No Comments »

14/11/2009 by Steve Barclay.

A great night at the Braza Club in March last night with our annual Conservative Ball sold out.  It was especially pleasing to see so many new faces, and a real buzz and upbeat atmosphere. 

Thanks to Debbie and Charlie for organising such a fantastic evening.  There was lots of speculation as to when the General Election will be - whether 25th March or 6th May.  For what it is worth, I am sure the Prime Minister has not decided yet (and he dithers at the best of times).  Given that he dislikes elections, and would not even allow one for the Labour leadership, I suspect he will cling on as long as possible.  If so, the budget will make for interesting reading in March next year - not least hearing about the over £1 billion a week being spent just to pay the interest on the debt he has run up.  £1 billion a week would pay the salaries of a lot of extra teachers, doctors and nurses.

Posted in March, Conservative Party | No Comments »

06/10/2009 by Steve Barclay.

At the Conservative Conference I catch up with Kevin Shinkwin and Charlotte Tailby of the Royal British Legion.  They have set out a manifesto for the next Government to improve conditions for the British Armed Forces past and present and their families. It encourages MPs and Candidates to “do their bit” for Service Personnel and their families, the bereaved, veterans and dependants.  It is a chance to add my support to their campaign.

The Royal British Legion is a tremendous force for good.  The sad reality is that Gordon Brown has never been willing to pay for Tony Blair’s wars.  Troops have been sent to war without all the equipment they need.  Attempts to fight on the cheap - like the mad decision to cut £1.4 billion from the helicopter budget in 2004 whilst the army was fighting two wars - have cost lives and left many more young men and women with serious injuries.  The Royal British Legion does so much to help young and old veterans and their families faced with hardship.

The need to respond to their agenda will get greater I expect in the years ahead.  More service personnel from the Falklands campaign have committed suicide than were killed in action.  There is likely to be a hidden time bomb of mental health issues from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  In Liam Fox we will have a Defence Secretary who is also a GP, and who both understands the challenge this will pose and has the will to address it.  It will not be cheap, and with the economy in such a mess money will be short.  However it must be a priority.  Care for troops cannot stop when they are no longer in uniform.

As Kevin said, the entire Armed Forces family needs the support of politicians from all parties.  I hope all candidates will back their campaign.  You can find out more by visiting their website -www.timetodoyourbit.org.uk

Steve is pictured with Charlotte Tailby of the Royal British Legion

Posted in Royal British Legion, Conservative Party | No Comments »

22/09/2009 by Steve Barclay.

It is really good news to see so many former Lib Dem members now joining the Conservative Party, and a sign of the change taking place in British politics.  Realistically only the Conservatives can end Gordon Brown’s Government.  It makes sense for former Lib Dem members who oppose Labour’s 42 days detection, want to scrap identify cards, and stop a third runway at Heathrow to vote Conservative to make these things happen. 

This shift is also being helped by the Lib Dem Leader himself, who seems increasing confused over the direction of his party’s policy.  At the start of their Party Conference this week the Lib Dem leader said he wanted “savage cuts” on public services and that they would have to scrap their pledge on tuition fees.  Former leader Charles Kennedy contradicted him, as did other senior Lib Dem MPs like Evan Harris.  So now he is saying they may not scrap their pledge on tuition fees after all.  Confused?  If so, don’t try to understand their policy on child benefit - again the Lib Dem Leader said they might introduce means testing of child benefit, before their Work and Pensions spokesman intervened and said there would keep it as it is. 

Unfortunately the Lib Dem leader has form for such confusion over his policy.  After promising a referendum on the European Constitutional treaty in their election manifesto, the Lib Dem Leader then bizarrely imposed a three line whip on his MPs to abstain when the vote took place.  He could not even make up his mind whether to vote yes or no on the most important vote in this Parliament!  Nor is he able to come clean and say what he would do in the future if there is a hung parliament after the next election.  This is the key circumstance when his opinion would really matter, and yet he tells the public it is a secret.  He will decide behind closed doors without telling them before they vote.  How long will it be until the Lib Dem members who are left rebel and install Vince Cable as their new Leader to provide some direction? 

With most current Lib Dem MPs in former Conservative seats, whilst their next generation of Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidates with the best chance of winning are in Labour seats, the tension and confusion over the direction of their policy is likely to get worse.  However after only managing 14% of the vote in the European elections, it is right that Lib Dem members increasingly see the Conservatives as the best way to deliver change on civil liberties, the environment and localism.  These are three key values for many Lib Dem members, and are at the heart of Conservative policy for the 21^st century. 

Any Lib Dem member in North East Cambridgeshire wanting to join us should please get in touch with me.

Posted in Liberal Democrats, Conservative Party | No Comments »

18/07/2009 by Steve Barclay.

Up to Norwich early to help with the by-election following the decision by Labour MP Dr Ian Gibson to step down over his expenses. I was already planning on a trip up to help but lunch last week with the Party Chairman meant it was not an option to fail to pitch up. Good to see lots of posters for our excellent candidate Chloe Smith on the Yarmouth Road as I approach the sector office. I must have spent all of 90 seconds in the office as a pile of leaflets and individually addressed letters were ready for collection - ideal organisation.

Then in the afternoon I travel to Huntingdon for a meeting with Cambridgeshire Chief Fire Officer Graham Stagg and Fenland Road Safety Campaigner Graham Chappell. Two hours of constructive discussion with a clear desire from all sides to get action to improve safety on our rural roads. Cars are at risk of going into the Fen drains which run alongside the roads.  Really positive to hear about the new dry suits that the Fire Service intends to issue to Fenland crews together with the ice inflatable pathways, both of which will help with shallow water rescue.  Crews can be trained for wading rescue and deep water rescue - at the moment Fenland crews are not trained to go into water however shallow.  The sad reality is that if a car is fully submerged then it is unlikely any rescue crew could get there in time given how cold the water is.  However Graham and I are working to improve the rescue capacity if cars are partially submerged, and to help prevent accidents in the first place.

There was also good discussion on prevention, specifically on the budget front regarding the potential for action on barriers. These need to go at the highest risk sites to help prevent accidents, in conjuction with the work the council is doing to reduce speeding. See the campaigns section for more info. Torrential ran provided a noisy backdrop throughout the meeting and I was almost wading back to the car afterwards.

Posted in Huntingdon, Campaigning, Conservative Party | No Comments »

16/06/2009 by Steve Barclay.

Allowing high levels of immigration into Britain was not a policy in the Labour Government’s election manifesto.  The British people have not voted for such levels of immigration.  It highlights the growing sense that the Left wing elite act in a way removed from the wishes of the public they claim to serve.

We now have seven people attending the British Cabinet who are unelected.  The House of Lords is unelected.  The cabinet of Europe, all 27 commissioners, is unelected.  Scottish MPs vote on laws for England when they are not elected to decide the same laws in Scotland.  Quangos of unelected officials increasingly decide policy.  And even Labour’s manifesto commitments, of a referendum on the European Constitution and not to increase income tax, have been broken.  Is it any wonder that people increasingly question what difference their vote makes?

The public frustration with this Government was shown in the recent County and European elections.  Labour are divided and hopelessly out of touch

With unemployment continuing to rise rapidly, Labour still insist on issuing huge numbers of foreign work permits.  When someone who has worked continuously for more than 10 years loses their job, they receive only the same Job Seeker’s Allowance as someone who has never worked.

Huge sums of money are still being wasted on large state run schemes.  Labour’s New Deal has cost £75 billion but has failed to deliver its intended outcomes. The training offered is often unsuitable for the needs of the person being trained or for the jobs each community needs.  It should be replaced with local programmes run by people sized organisations which fit the needs of each locality.

The Labour Government is also running up massive debts, to be paid in the future by those who have no say today.  We are currently borrowing £500 million each day. Future generations will face higher tax to pay the interest on this debt.

Labour is even printing money to help pay for their spending.  Savers who have been hit today through interest rate cuts face the risk of inflation in the future wiping out any savings they have left.

The public did not ask for this Government to sell off our gold reserves on the cheap, to raid our pensions, or impose a host of stealth taxes.

The next Conservative Government will respond to what the public are saying - with stronger border controls, a fairer benefits system, and better help when people lose their job. We also need to ensure that those taking decisions on behalf of the public are accountable directly to the public.

This Government is on the wrong path.  It is time for change.  We need a General Election.

Posted in Articles, General Election, Conservative Party, My Campaign | No Comments »