Having a long term plan for our economy, does not just mean getting the decisions right today on investment and cutting taxes, but also thinking ahead about the infrastructure we will need in the future. We are seeing a real benefit today from the High Speed Rail service from Kent to London, and the Folkestone […]
The memorial arch to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War was put in place on Thursday last week, and it makes a striking addition to the Folkestone skyline. The location of the arch is very fitting, standing overlooking the harbour where the ships waited to take millions of soldiers to […]
Standing underneath the newly constructed Step Short Memorial Arch Damian explains: "Behind me on the Leas you can see the Memorial Arch that we've built to mark the centenary of the First World War. We've built an arch on this site to remember the journeys of the men who went to fight in France and […]
Three years ago I set up a competition for new businesses to allow them to exhibit for free at the annual Conservative Party conference, in a special area called the Start-up Hub. This week we have launched the competition again to find twelve new businesses to take part in the Start-up Hub, following the 33 […]
The latest figures on unemployment published last week showed further significant progress for our area. In the Folkestone and Hythe parliamentary constituency unemployment has fallen by one third since May 2010. There are now more than 800 people fewer out of work and claiming the job seekers allowance in our area than there were a year […]
Friday 6th June was the seventieth anniversary of the D Day landings in Normandy; the start of the liberation of Europe and a major turning point in the Second World War. I was honoured to attend last week’s service at the Garden of Remembrance in Folkestone, along with members of the Normandy Veterans Association, including […]
There is nothing more exciting in business than to see someone take an idea, turn it into a new venture, and then make it work. Start-up businesses have been one of the big success stories of the economic recovery so far. That's thanks to the hard work and ingenuity of the people who have set […]
The latest allegations that payments were made to FIFA officials by Mohamed Bin Hammam, in return for their support for the Qatar 2022 World Cup bid, are further cause for grave concern. If true, these allegations amount to a clear breach of FIFA rules which state that countries bidding to host the World Cup must […]
The votes have been counted from last week’s European election and there has been a huge amount of discussion and scrutiny of what the results mean. For me the message is clear for all of us serving in public life; in parliament, the government and local councils; that we have to work hard to secure […]
The decision to allow the controlled expansion of Lydd Airport was given the green light by the High Court last week, ending years of speculation and debate over its future. The High Court’s decision upholds the approval previously granted by Shepway Council, the Planning Inspectorate, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and […]