The General Election campaign has reached its third week and the response on the doorstep has been overwhelmingly positive, which is really encouraging. Many local people who I have spoken to have been very supportive of the plans set out in the Conservative Party manifesto, particularly our pledge to double free childcare to thirty hours […]
Yesterday the Prime Minister unveiled the Conservative Party's manifesto with a positive message, telling voters: "we are on the brink of something special in our country. The next five years are about turning the good news in our economy into a good life for you and your family." Included in the manifesto were a number […]
The election campaign is in full swing and I've enjoyed taking part in a number of hustings events across the constituency. They are an important way for members of the public to scrutinise the positions of each party and candidates on various issues, as well as being an opportunity to grill us with questions. All […]
The first week of the General Election campaign was hectic and rewarding; and not just because of the glorious weather that we have been enjoying here on the South Coast. I have been out and about across the constituency: at hustings, meeting with local businesses and speaking to residents about the issues that matter to […]
Last week was English Tourism Week, and with Visit Kent, I joined Danny Martin and his team at the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch railway. These wonderful steam trains have been a popular attraction for people of all ages for nearly ninety years, and the railway continues to go from strength to strength. Tourism is one […]
A Kent MP will lead the calls in parliament today to end the restrictive EU fishing quotas squeezing on the county's industry. Damian Collins, the MP for Folkestone and Hythe, is presenting the debate in parliament immediately after the Budget is delivered. Mr Collins says it is a landmark alternative to a fishing ban that could […]
On Wednesday evening this week, following on from the Chancellor’s statement and debate on the Budget, I will be leading a separate debate in the House of Commons focused on our local fishing industry. In the Budget we will be able to see how businesses are expanding, creating new jobs and investing in our economy. […]
This week the latest survey published by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) shows more growing confidence as the economy recovers. Small businesses collectively are the major employers in this country, as more people work for them than for large firms. They are also closer to the ground and more sensitive to changes in the […]
Kent can be a powerhouse of our economic recovery, with high levels of job creation and new business start ups. However, Kent should also be a powerhouse in its structure and organisation, like the new Northern powerhouse that is being created around Manchester. Kent in terms of population is similar in size to Northern Ireland, […]
This Saturday I will be leading the community walk from Dungeness to Folkestone to raise money for the Kent charity, the Young Lives Foundation. We will be departing from the old lighthouse at 9.30am and it would be great to see you there if you would like to join us . The route of the […]