SUMMER 2007 The 60p (where sold) Winchester Post For Winchester and surrounding villages, including Chandler’s Ford OUR PRIORITY: INSIDE Page 2 “No-one owns Winchester,” THE LOCAL NHS Steve Brine THE number one priority of an incoming important freedoms to deliver more interviewed efficient and truly modern care, free Conservative Government can be from endless meddling by Ministers.” Conservative leader David summed up in three letters: NHS. Cameron has made clear his priority Page 3 Staff and managers at the “Obviously I am pleased that the for Government is the National Winchester & Eastleigh NHS Trust have closed their deficit and Health Service; “We would continue Nominate Healthcare Trust, which runs the Royal the team should be congratulated to fund the NHS, and we would Hampshire County Hospital, may be after what has been a challenging continue to increase funds for the your favourite able to breathe a collective sigh of year,” he says. “But we should NHS, and we've made absolutely relief after a recent savings plan remember it has come at a price for clear it's our priority and it's going local business managed to close an £11m deficit but some of those working at the other to be the first call on resources we they know we cannot afford to take end of the pay scale inside the make.” and win our eye off the ball for one second. RHCH. I think the important thing Steve adds, “I am determined Winchester’s Conservative now is for everyone to look positively we will be positive about the future Parliamentary Candidate, Steve to the future with confidence and of our much loved hospital and work Brine, has focused his attention on optimism. In my view this demands together to see Winchester has a Page 4 the crisis in our local NHS since being a successful bid for Foundation range of local services worthy of the chosen in November to contest the Status which will give our hospital place recently judged to be the best seat at the next general election. and the staff working within it area to live in the entire country.” Help demanded for Steve Brine (second from Brown’s right) with local campaigner Rob pension Ducker talking to shoppers in victims Winchester as part of the Conservatives recent National NHS Action Wonston & Day Micheldever Kings The Worthy Alresfords Littleton Itchen & Hareston Valley Sparsholt Winchester City Otterbourne Hiltingbury Twyford Chandlers Ford www.stevebrine.com Promoted by Paul Twelftree on behalf of the Winchester Conservative Association, both of 1 Station Hill, Winchester, SO23 8TJ and printed by Culverlands Press, Winnall Valley Road, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 0LN Page 2 - THE WINCHESTER POST New Winchester - new man Winchester’s current So you actually What do you currently do to pay the bills? MP, Mark Oaten, is live here then? I am one of the Directors of a company called The Azalea Group. standing down at the Yes! I’m not drafted in from London, We are a specialist marketing agency focused on the golf industry, Scotland or even Newbury - Susie based in Winchester, London and Petersfield. Our clients include next General Election and I live between Kings Worthy and Europe’s largest consumer golf show (The London Golf Show), The meaning we will have a Alresford, bang in the middle of the Leaderboard Group (which owns courses such as The Oxfordshire new Winchester constituency. and Sandford Springs) and the Scotland Tourist Board. It’s quite new Member of a new company but the potential is enormous and we are all golf Parliament when the mad so there is never a dull moment. I play off a handicap of 17 country next goes to before you ask. My wife Susie (pictured below in ‘quick-fire questions’) the polls. Local Steve with works as a Speech & Language Therapist in the local NHS. nephew and Conservatives have Godson Oliver So you’re not a riding the chosen Steve Brine to Watercress Line career politician contest the seat. then? Constituents describe Why do you say the ‘new’ Winchester? No! I have real experience him as “energetic”, Because Hampshire as a whole has been the subject of some of the political world both “eager to win” and significant boundary changes since the last General Election in May at its heart in Westminster 2005. The ‘new’ Winchester constituency centres on the city itself and out here on the someone who is and includes Alresford, Colden Common & Twyford, Compton & doorsteps in a true marginal breaking the mould of Otterbourne, the Itchen Valley, Littleton & Harestock, Kings Worthy, constituency which is very a traditional Tory MP. Oliver’s Battery & Badger Farm, Sparsholt as well as Wonston & important if you aspire to Micheldever. In addition it now includes Chandlers Ford & Hiltingbury be the next Member of Steve is a keen dart player, pictured here which was previously in the Romsey constituency. See map below. Parliament. I already have at The Cricketers, Easton while Popcorn The writer and a great deal of experience watches on in a precarious position!’ A recent poll showed politicians to be among the which I think will serve me novelist well in providing this area with the strong voice it deserves. Politics Michael Dobbs least trusted professionals, why on earth do you and my career are very important to me but my family and my friends spoke to Steve want to be a Member of Parliament? will always come first and I know they will always be there to keep to find out Because I believe it’s a job where I can do what we’re all trying to my feet on the ground wherever this path takes me! do - make a difference to the world around us. I care deeply about what makes him tick, this country and about Winchester; there are many problems facing Do you think you will win this constituency back and a few other things us after ten years of a Labour Government and I think I can provide for the Conservatives? besides... the local area with a strong voice in Parliament. An MP has to look The new Winchester will be one of the most keenly watched and at the national and international picture as part of the UK Parliament marginal seats in the whole country at the next General Election. and take decisions such as whether we go to war but he or she also I think we have a tremendous chance to win the seat but nothing You can keep up-to-date with has to look at the local picture to fight for a fair deal for their comes for free and that is true in politics as in life! We have to get Steve’s campaign and sign up constituency in areas such as NHS funding. They must also fight out there, as we are doing, and tell people why I deserve their for regular newsletters via on behalf of individuals who very often have nowhere else to turn - support and why Britain so desperately needs a new Conservative www.stevebrine.com it’s not just a job for me, it’s a vocation. I am well aware it’s not for Government led by David Cameron after ten years of Gordon Brown everyone but I am very excited at the prospect of becoming and Tony Blair. No-one owns Winchester, but it is a very special Winchester’s next MP. place, it is my home and I promise you I will fight for every vote to give local people positive reasons to support me - and vote for me OK, but what experience do you have of - when the time comes. politics and the life of an MP? Wonston & Micheldever I was fortunate to work with William Hague in Westminster when he was Leader of the Quick-FireQuick Fire Questions Opposition; as a media ghost writer, a speech contributor and member of the Conservative Favourite sport? Kings The Alresfords Research Department. I was also Golf and football; I am a Spurs fan for my sins and my Dad Worthy able to work inside the Houses of is a season ticket holder at his local club. Littleton Itchen Parliament with members of the Shadow & Hareston Valley Cabinet as we followed pieces of legislation through both Favourite film? Sparsholt the Commons and the Lords. It was an amazing It’s always been Back to the Future; I am fascinated by the experience and gave me a true insight (warts and all!) into the idea of time travel. Winchester City work of the oldest Parliament on the planet and the life of a Otterbourne Member of Parliament. Beatles or Stones? Beatles What experience do you have outside of politics? Blair or Brown for dinner? Hiltingbury Twyford I am a trained radio journalist and have worked within the BBC, Can I pass on that one? Oh ok, Chandlers independent local radio here in Hampshire and for a large media Blair - he’d be much more fun. Ford group in Chicago, USA. I was a reporter, feature maker and producer. I also spent a period working for a consultancy firm specialising in Boxers or briefs? training programmes for the airline industry, but was made redundant Definitely boxers, I am a from that role after the attacks in New York on September 11th, Conservative after all - 2001. I want to be free! Focused on climate change Steve Brine launched Green Winchester with a special screening in February of the Oscar winning film An Inconvenient Truth. The film fronted by former Vice President of the USA Al Gore, offers a passionate and inspirational look at one of the big issues of our time - climate change.