Today, I announced proposals for action to protect consumers from the minority of cowboy companies, who find their credit rating devestated when county court judgments are enforced against the wrong address without their knowledge.
You can read the Law Society Gazette reporting here.
Today, Prime Minister Theresa May launched the 2017 Conservative election manifesto. It is a bold prospectus for keeping the economy firing on all cylinders, delivering lower taxes, easing the pressure from the cost of living, making our society more meritocratic, addressing burning social challengers like care for the elderly, and – of course – making a success of Brexit.
I compare the Conservative and Labour pitches to voters in a column for The Independent. You can read it here.
In a recent interview with Total Politics, I talk about Brexit, – both the months that followed the referendum and the next steps – as well as social mobility and the British Bill of Rights. You can read the full interview here.
Yesterday, I wrote an article for the Sunday Times, about the need for the government to push meritocracy – in corporate boardrooms, the Honours system and our wider society. In particular, I’d like to see a renewed drive to boost social mobility. You can read my article here.
Last week, I visited Walton Oak School in Walton for the Top of the Class final. Organised by our brilliant Walton Rotary Club, it is an annual competition between Year 6 pupils at schools right across the borough. This year, 18 schools fought it out in several rounds, until we got down to the final two: Walton Oak versus St Lawrence CofE Junior School.
In the final, last Friday, Tony Stephens from Walton Rotary proved yet again a magisterial question-master – firm but fair – as the two teams contested 10 hard rounds, ranging from maths conundrums to trivia teasers. Both teams were superb, but eventually St Lawrence won. Congratulations to the winners (pictured below), runners-up, and Walton Rotary for organising such a great competition.
During a general election campaign, the candidates stand on their party’s manifesto and their own local record. But, I also find that I get asked a lot what my personal core convictions are. What drives me personally? What are my priorities as a nationally elected representative participating in writing the laws of the land and setting the national agenda?
The bottom line is that I went into politics to fight for free enterprise, liberty and a more meritocratic society. What does that mean in practice? Here are six of my key priorities to give you a flavour of my own personal vision of a better Britain …
The Conservatives have a strong record on education over the last 5 years. We have enacted legislation to strengthen teacher discipline in the classroom. There is a greater focus on the basics like numeracy and literacy. We have restored academic rigour to the syllabus, so children are equipped for working life once they leave school. We have also put in place investment in a major expansion of apprenticeships and other vocational training, for bright – but not necessarily academic – youngsters.
We have, through the academy and free school program, given dedicated and pioneering head-teachers, school governors and parents greater freedom to innovate in their local schools – to tailor the education for their pupils and community, and drive up standards. The result? We now have 1 million more children in schools rated outstanding or good by Ofsted.
Locally, I have fought for a fairer deal for local funding. As a result, I secured a doubling of the capital funding for local schools, and an increase of £212 in the per pupil funding for local children. We have a major school-building program underway, which will ease the acute pressure we face for school places (because of the last Labour government’s under-investment).
I have also worked with local schools and Surrey County Council to get more sensible catchment areas for some schools. We have an increasing number of academies – and two new free schools in Cobham – and standards of teaching are rising across the borough.
As well as working to ease pressure on local school places, I have been making the case nationally for a meritocratic revolution to boost social mobility. Last year, I published The Meritocrat’s Manifesto here, which sets out the ladders of opportunity I’d like to see to expand opportunities for youngsters irrespective of their background.
