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EBT D IS RIS ld C y chi ever 00 How 2,5 ce £2 ill fa bt w of de Charlie Elphicke Putting families REA first L L Ho IFE w th c e cr h runc edit RVIEW: ittin h is INTE g ord n on helping fam inar David Camero ilies y families and honesty in politics
WHAT LOCAL CONSERVATIVES ARE DOING FOR YOU – SEE INSIDE What’s inside this issue
2 Reporting back Charlie Elphicke tells us what he’s been up to 2 Contact us How to get in touch with your local Conservatives 3 Day in the life The typical day of a Parliamentary candidate – if there is such a thing! 4 Real Life: surviving the Putting credit crunch One family’s experience of the current recession families first 6 Interview: eople often ask local David Cameron area are struggling to get by. Our parliamentary candidate We ask about the help a P local economy never seems to Charlie Elphicke “why do you Cameron government would provide the jobs we need to care so much about local give to local families make life easier. We all know healthcare and getting our fair families do better when less share on jobs and money?” under financial pressure. His reply is simple “it’s all That’s why Charlie is so Promoted by Neil Parsonson on behalf of Charlie Elphicke, both of Dover & Deal about the things we need to passionate about economic Conservatives, 54 The Strand, Walmer, make things better for local development and getting our fair Deal, Kent, CT14 7JG and printed by TPF Group, Lexicon House, Midleton Road, families”. share. And as a national expert Guildford, Surrey GU2 8XP For Charlie a proper local on tax and the economy he hospital is a must. Our little ones hopes he’s well placed to really need to get the best healthcare deliver for all of us. Useful Numbers treatment quickly and our Charlie also wants more for Victoria Dover District Hospital, Deal Council grandparents shouldn’t have to young people and families to do. 01304 865400 01304 821199 struggle over to Ashford or So he is working hard to see Buckland Dover Job Centre Margate. It would be another what can be done on play areas, Hospital, Dover 01304 866100 pressure off the is making the case for our 01304 201624 Deal Library lives of hard castles to provide more great Deal Police 01304 374726 pressed family days out and engaging 01304 362167 Dover Library os Dover Police t mums and with our young people on what 01304 204241 ho P ck families. they want to see - ideas like "dry 01304 240055 NHS Direct ba Crimestoppers ee And pubs". (0845) 4647 S r for (0800) 555111 ove jobs? As a father of two from Deal, c ign Charlie is whose family has been in Kent Contact mpa ca ps deeply for hundreds of years, Charlie Charlie Elphicke sna concerned understands family life and Phone how so many cares about our community. 01304 379669 families in our Email [email protected] Post Dover & Deal Conservatives, 54 The Strand, Walmer, Deal make things better Kent CT14 7DP www.elphicke.com for local families “ ” A day in the life of
e 60 seconds with Charlie Elphick Charlie Elphicke What’s your favourite thing to do? Spending time on Deal or Dover seafront with Natalie, our kids Charlotte and Thomas and Star the dog . . . and going for a great fry up at the pier café! What are the best attractions locally? Natalie and the kids love the Having fun with Cllr excellent swimming facilities in Nigel Collor, seeing what Dover and in Deal. And that a great job firemen do feeling you get as you look down from the White Cliffs at the ferries going back and forth is second to none! Yet we need a lot more for kids and families to do. I am passionate about that. Why are you standing for Parliament? Our community is great, but we don’t really do as well as we should. We’ve so much going for us Relaxing – the Gateway to England, beautiful down the pub raising , while money for th countryside and great determined Hospi e Dover tal campaign people. I am in it to make sure our area isn’t the forgotten corner of Kent so we can see our community realise its full potential. What’s your favourite film? Every day is filled with emails, letters being Carve her name with pride about answered and calls being made – trying to Violette Szabo GC, a shop girl solve the problems and local issues which who did special operations growing numbers of people are getting in behind enemy lines in WWII. A touch with Charlie about. Charlie most heroine, she paid the ultimate enjoys chatting to people at fetes, public price. Just shows how the person meetings or on the doorstep to hear what in the street you least expect can people want for the future. be totally amazing! As well as fitting in a day job, Charlie What do you Charlie with Charlotte spends a lot of time sitting down with care about most? and Thomas in a vain Shadow Ministers to make them aware of More jobs and money for local effort to support Deal’s the challenges we face locally. Like the Woolworths families, better healthcare, a fair need to protect our port from Labour’s share for our families here in privatisation plans and to ensure local Dover & Deal – and making firms can take advantage of the new high Britain really great again! speed rail link.
L REA LIFE
As job losses mount the future is uncertain for many families. Surviving the credit crunch: A husband and father tells his story
“ bsolutely none.” That’s “How am I going to cope?”. having a professional job, I became an how much help Alan Hamilton After ten years working for a ex forklift truck driver looking for a A feels he’s got from the Labour Japanese firm in the UK as a software job on the minimum wage. Government after he lost his job and engineer, a drop in business meant “When after four weeks this was was left worrying about his future. that Alan’s job disappeared. sorted out I was given ‘professional’ Alan’s typical of many suffering in Having worked all his life and signing on. That simply means that Gordon Brown’s recession. He’s 53, been sensible, signing on wasn’t easy rather than going in person to the married to Sharon and with three – literally: Job Centre they phone you every two teenage daughters. And with them “The Job Centre is a bureaucratic weeks and ask for the three steps you approaching the time of going to box ticking exercise. In my case they took to finding employment. University, the question which he mixed up the paperwork and I found Pointless.” can’t answer is etched on his face – myself with the wrong name and from One of Alan’s main fears at the
moment is his long-term financial future. help for hardworking people like them What would the “Last October my personal pension which prompted Alan to make a plan fell by over 40 per cent in value in difference himself a couple of years Conservatives two weeks due to the economic ago, joining David Cameron’s do to help people downturn. As I'm now 53 I wonder Conservatives and standing for how I'm going to recover that loss.” election to the local Council. like Alan? And Labour’s handling of the “Today the best help is the help Equitable Life collapse is also you can give yourself. Protecting jobs. continuing to hit Alan: “Government needs One of the reasons businesses “I was with Equitable Life when it to get better at have been going under during failed. I lost thousands back then. The helping people” the recession is that banks Government has dragged its heels and won’t lend them money (credit). avoided its responsibility for as long as “The Government needs to reward The Conservatives would get possible.” initiative rather than strangle it at birth. credit flowing again with a big, Labour's track record in helping seems “I worry they will suffer” bold and simple National Loan to be the reverse Midas touch - Alan’s proud of his family, there are everything it touches becomes worthless. Guarantee scheme. This would photos on the wall of them in happier “There needs to be less regulation help businesses to carry on times. Katie is their eldest daughter. and legislation, all that is happening is trading and help to save jobs. She’s 18 and set to be going to anything productive is being weighed university soon. down by rules, regulations and more Helping people “When Katie, and then my other taxes. back into work. two daughters, go through university “Government needs to get better at they will end up with thousands of People like Alan are struggling helping when people need it. I've had to find new jobs because very pounds of debt. I want to support to tighten my belt to get through being few businesses are taking on them but my redundancy money won’t made redundant, a lot of people will new staff. The Conservatives go far and I worry they will suffer.” find themselves doing the same.” Alan’s wife, Sharon, currently works would help get companies as a foster carer and looks after hiring again by giving tax children with special medical needs. breaks to companies which She helps others but both Alan and create new jobs and with cuts Sharon feel they’ve been let down by in National Insurance and Gordon Brown and by Labour, the Corporation Tax for all small question is what will be left for the companies. children? It was the apparent lack of Help with the cost In the current climate, people of living. like Alan are looking for more Soaring bills and the rising cost help in the hunt for new jobs. of living, like petrol prices, are adding to Alan’s worries. : Conservatives would take some FACT More than 10 of the pressure off by freezing businesses go bust every day council tax for two years by Figures published earlier this year revealed that cutting wasteful government more than 10 businesses have been going bust EVERY DAY spending. This would be worth because of the recession. over £200 for the typical family. Conservatives would also FACT: 2000 people losing their provide up to £6,500 worth of job every day energy improvements for every And shocking new figures show that over the last household, saving energy and year 2,000 people have lost their job every day. reducing bills. And they would The Bank of England has warned that we face a abolish stamp duty for nine out difficult and protracted recovery. of ten first time buyers.
5 David Cameron at work in his House of Commons office
HELP FOR FAMILIES David Cameron’s team have drawn up plans for a universal health It’s a daunting thing to visiting service for every family. By the end of its first Parliament, a become a parent – and the Conservative Government will give parents a minimum guarantee of: Conservatives are determined two home visits during the later weeks of pregnancy to advise to do all they can to help in a child’s early years. them on nutrition, health, and preparing to raise their child; six hours of Health Visitor support in their home during the first two weeks of their child’s life and home visits every two weeks for the next six months; Helping families
David Cameron aWe ansk d hoabnout tehe hselp htisygovernimennt woulpd givoe to hlarid-wtorikincg fams ilies Unemployment is already over It’s often those with children two million, and all the predictions who find the financial squeeze on the news seem to suggest harder. What support can those it’ll continue to rise – what will the with young families expect if Conservatives do to help people you become Prime Minister? and their families through the recession? I know that juggling the pressures of work and parenthood can be First we’ve got to protect good firms hard, in particular when your from going under and help them invest children are very young. So I’ve in new jobs. That’s why we called for said that we should give parents months for the Government to more choices when it comes to introduce a £50 billion National Loan balancing family and work Guarantee Scheme to help get credit commitments by extending the right to flowing again and save jobs. After a lot request flexible working to all parents of The truth is that Britain faces a debt of dithering they finally introduced children up to the age of 18, not just crisis – and real spending plans will have a similar scheme, but so far not those with children under 6 or those with to be cut whoever is elected. We have enough companies have received the disabled children under 18. already set out some specific cuts that a help they need. Under our plans for Flexible Parental Conservative Government would make We’ve also said that we would help Leave, parents will be entitled to share – scrapping the ID card scheme, small companies with their cash flow, their leave. The first 14 weeks will reducing the number of quangos and allowing them to delay VAT bills for six automatically apply to the mother. After cutting the cost of politics. And we have months, and give tax breaks to that it’ll be up to both parents to decide set out whole areas we will radically companies which create new jobs. how they share the remaining 38 reform to get better value for money – weeks between them, and they’ll even like education and welfare. I believe that And what about help for families be able to take up to 26 weeks of being honest with people about the feeling the pinch? leave simultaneously if they choose. tough spending decisions that need to be taken is the way to win back trust. For a start we’ve said we would work with This is sensible, practical support that I local councils to freeze council tax for the believe will make a big difference to What about some of Labour’s first two years of a Conservative many families. accusations that you would cut Government. Under Labour, council tax With faith in MPs so low, how can SureStart programmes and things has gone through the roof. Our two-year politicians regain the public’s trust? like winter fuel payments and free freeze would be worth more than £200 TV licences for the elderly? for the typical family. If politicians want to regain people’s We’d also try to make it easier for trust, the first thing they must do is be Again, this demonstrates Labour’s people who’ve lost their job to get a new straight with people. We’ve seen a inability to be straight with people, not one by giving businesses tax breaks if complete contrast of approach on this in just about their own plans but about ours they take on new workers – and we’ve the current debate about public spending. too. We’ve said that we want to said re-training courses should be Gordon Brown’s repeated denials that he strengthen the SureStart programme, available the moment people become is planning to cut public spending show a focussing more help on a child’s early unemployed. At the moment people complete lack of respect for the British years by providing more health visitors. have to wait six months, and that’s just people. They deserve the truth – however We’ll use money which Labour have set not good enough. hard that is to hear. aside for ‘outreach’ workers to pay for 4,200 new, trained health visitors. What Labour have said about winter fuel payments and free TV licences is just monthly visits, either in the home or in a Health Visitor base, for all plain wrong – we have no plans to scrap either. That’s just more evidence that the children aged 6-12 months to support parents as their child starts choice at the next election will be between eating solids and as they try to establish good sleep patterns; and a Conservative Party which tells the truth at least two visits every year for every child aged 1-5 for advice on about the economy and our plans for public spending, and a Labour Party injections, hearing and vision tests, and other developmental checks. which will keep spinning and misleading A Conservative Government will also establish a £10 million-a-year people to try and cling on to power. Child Health Inequality Fund to support families in our most deprived areas. In our Community
Family feast
Charlie enjoying a community family lunch at The Ark in St Radigunds.
High flyers Charlie supports the Air Training Corps and all cadet groups.
On the march Marching to save Meeting Dover Port jobs Home help Charlie arranged for the A258 Action Charlie opposes excessive Group to meet the Shadow Transport house building Secretary