Standing to be the Southampton Test MP

Last night I was selected as the Conservative candidate for Southampton Test at next year's General Election. Really honoured to be chosen and will work hard to become a good constituency MP.

David Cameron Launches NHS Manifesto and Conservatives Launch the Election Campaign in Southampton Test

Yesterday Southampton Test Conservatives held an action day to coincide with the launch of the NHS chapter of the Conservative Manifesto.

Local activists and many MPs including Shadow Minister Nick Herbert joined me in talking to residents around the General Hospital.

I'd like to thank everyone who braved the freezing cold to come out throughout the day to help. It was a great day despite the weather and together we managed to speak to hundreds of local residents.

David Cameron has quite rightly made the NHS the centre piece of the Conservative General Election campaign and has made the following pledges:

1. Scrap hospital targets.
2. Give patients detailed information about the performance of doctors, hospitals and GPs.
3. People allowed to choose where they are treated.
4. More private and voluntary providers in NHS
5. GPs’ pay linked to their performance and results.
6. Cut cost of NHS administration by a third.
7. Independent NHS board to manage the health service.
8. Hospitals will lose money if patients contract MRSA.
9. End mixed-sex accommodation.
10. Drug companies paid according to effectiveness of treatments.
11. New hotline for urgent care to run alongside 999.
12. New maternity system giving mothers more choice.
13. Every five-year old given a dental check-up as part of overhaul of NHS dental service.
14. Fines for those missing dentist appointments.
15. New drive to help the mentally-ill.
16. Department of Health turned into Department of Public Health.
17. More funding for poorest areas to tackle health inequalities.
18. £10 million a year to support hospices caring for children.
19. Single budget for each person suffering from chronic illnesses to cover their health and social care.
20. Everyone can protect their homes from being sold to fund residential care by paying a one-off insurance premium of £8,000 when they retire.

Selected For Southampton Test!

Yesterday afternoon I was selected to be the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Southampton Test at the next General Election.

I am honoured by the faith that local party members have put in me by selecting me. I am also thrilled to be selected to represent my home seat.

I grew up in Southampton and went to school, college and university here. My family have lived in the city since 1948. So I really care about the area and I will always campaign positively to make it a better place.

I am looking forward to getting stuck into campaigning and to meeting as many people as I can.

I do believe that the wheels are really starting to come off Gordon Brown’s government and locally our MP seems to be more interested in representing the Government, rather than fighting for the interests of Southampton in Parliament.

I am determined to be a strong, local voice fighting for the interests of the city and I will work hard to represent everyone in Southampton.