With just a few weeks to go until an important election, both for Mansfield and for the country, there is a lot at stake for local people.
After many years in the wilderness, with a Labour MP who hadn't even mentioned Mansfield in Parliament for years, we've worked to put our place on the map. Mansfield now has an identity in Parliament. It's talked about. Our priorities are known and understood.
Since I was elected in 2017 we've also secured record levels of investment and positive change. Some projects are already complete, like the new Warsop Leisure Centre, new Sixth Form Centre on Chesterfield Road, or the NTU University Campus. Some are underway, like our new SEND school at Ravensdale, and the Community Diagnostic Centre at the Community Hospital. Others are funded, but still in planning stages, like the £30m major regeneration of Stockwell Gate. We've made huge progress, though there is obviously still much more to do.
Nationally - and indeed globally - the last few years have been tough. A global pandemic. Rising global conflict. Inflation putting pressure on the cost of living. The whole world is in a tougher place as a result, and it's changed the complexion of things. Between 2010 and 2020 we'd turned the economy around after the 2008 economic crash. We'd doubled the tax free allowance, giving everyone huge tax cuts. The quality of education improved. Unemployment fell. We were in good shape.
Then obviously Covid has hit the world hard. Government stepped in with billions of support, paid wages through the Furlough scheme. Has subsidised energy bills and offered billions in cost of living support. It's been a tough time, and we've also had record levels of financial support for households and families through this period.
This Labour mantra of '14 years of Tories' doesn't hold true. These challenges are recent, built around these difficult global events, but from 2010 to 2020 we were on a really positive trajectory Now we're getting back on track. The economy is growing, inflation is back down, we've had pay rises and tax cuts, interest rates are set to fall this summer. We're finally getting back on a level. As the Prime Minister says, now is not the time to gamble on a Labour leader who flat refuses to tell you what he plans to do, or how he plans to pay for it - it's tax rises, by the way!
The Conservatives have laid out our plans for the future. Protecting the triple lock and cutting taxes further. Investing in defence and supporting our armed forces in an increasingly volatile world. Rebuilding a sense of respect and ownership for young people through local service in their communities. Cracking down on those local problems that affect you, like antisocial behaviour, fly tipping, or nuisance tenants who make their neighbours lives a misery. We have clear plans to take us forward.
In the TV debate a few days ago, Keir Starmer consistently refused to tell you a single thing he plans to do. The only things he committed to were that, despite being a millionaire, he wouldn't save his dying relative if it meant using private healthcare. Ideology over morality. And that he's planning to raise taxes. That's not leadership. That's a total con.
Locally, I've always been a voice for Mansfield's values. I've called constantly for a tougher stance on immigration. For a common sense approach rather than political correctness. For investment in our community. And we've had a lot of success. I've worked to put Mansfield on the map in Parliament, after our last Labour MP let us down.
In our political system, local residents choose their local representative. They pick their local MP. Here we have a choice, between me - someone who has been that visible and vocal advocate for our area, who has been a voice for decent common sense values, and who has a record of delivering investment - or going back to a Labour MP who believes the polar opposite to you and me, and who won't stand up for those values. They'll just toe Keir Starmer's line.
I understand the frustrations with our national challenges. I know we've had some tough times recently. But I also know we're turning a corner, and I know that we have made real progress here in Mansfield in recent years. Whilst it might be tempting to vote 'none of the above' or stay at home, the nature of our political system is that a vote for anyone but me and the Conservatives is just one more step towards a Labour MP - a step backwards, to when we had no voice and no identity.
I need your help on July 4th to continue to deliver major investment, to tackle our remaining challenges like town centres and roads, and to be able to continue to have your voice heard in Parliament. If we want to have an MP who shares your decent, common sense values and will stand up for those values in Parliament, then I am the only person on that ballot paper who both shares those values, but importantly who can also win! It's me or Labour. Every poll, every indicator, even recent elections just a few weeks ago, show that Reform will come third. But they could let Labour in, and then our voice is lost.
So I need your help. Please support me on July 4th.
