Best of luck to Nadhim in the coming election.  It was a pleasure to see him again, and meet his lovely wife and charming son.

My husband, Paul, and I have really enjoyed the last couple of weeks, meeting people and listening to what their next Member of Parliament can do for them.   Last weekend, we set up home in Stratford-upon-Avon, which has also acted as campaign headquarters for Team Atkins in the run-up to Friday’s meeting.

John Maples MP

John Maples has been an excellent MP for Stratford-on-Avon and it is clear from speaking to people that he is very warmly regarded by constituents and association members alike.   Just after the shortlist was announced, I met with John to discuss some of the issues in the constituency, listening to his encyclopedic knowledge of the area, built up over his 13 years of service to Stratford-on-Avon.  

My father was a Conservative Member of Parliament for 18 years and so I know the absolute commitment required.   It is a way of life, not a job, and one that must have the full support of your family.   Paul is as excited as I am at this chance to represent Stratford.   

• As your Conservative candidate, I will make my home in Stratford-on-Avon.  Paul and I will move immediately to Stratford and make our home here, at the heart of the community.

Local businesses

I have met employers large and small across the constituency.   I was delighted to attend the first Stratford Business Forum breakfast this week, to meet 120 guests representing local businesses, all offering a range of services and products.   As I said to the audience, the fact that they were at the breakfast, having survived the last 18 months, means that they are doing something right.

However, three messages are clear:

• local businesses need help with business rates and stealth taxes to survive this recession;
• they want to be left to get on with their work, with minimal interference from central government; and
• internet and mobile access, as well as good transport links, are key to business success.  

I have always been self-employed and I helped my husband run his own business before he sold it, so I know the pressures of meeting the pay bill each month and the time wasted on form filling.

• As your Conservative Candidate, I will campaign for better roads, less red tape for local businesses and the speedy removal of Alistair Darling’s hike in National Insurance so that our local businesses can concentrate on creating jobs and profit.        

Healthcare

I met with the Shadow Health Secretary’s team to discuss healthcare in Stratford. I raised out of hours care and ambulance call-out times as issues that must be improved in the constituency, as well as care for the elderly.   Care is a local and national issue that needs urgent attention.   Our plans to introduce a voluntary insurance scheme, involving a one-off payment of £8,000, highlight the shame of Labour’s compulsory £20,000 death tax.  

• As your Conservative Candidate, I will start campaigning from Saturday for the maintenance of excellent local healthcare in the constituency.

Policing

I met with Sergeant Crust, who heads up the Safer Neighbourhoods Team, and also visited a mobile police station outside the RSC.   Crime levels remain low in Stratford compared to surrounding areas and national patterns.   However, anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related violence are issues here as anywhere.   Police efforts to engage with local residents and spot potential trouble-makers are important.   Tourism in Stratford-upon-Avon brings its own unique policing tasks, not least tackling pickpocketing and handbag snatchers.

• As your Conservative Candidate, my experience in working in the criminal courts prosecuting drug traffickers, gun runners, benefit and tax fraudsters means that I know where common sense is missing in the system.   I want to put this right.  

Campaigning

Every Councillor, all Association and Branch Officers and many potential constituents have received a letter from me, setting out why I believe I have what it takes to be the Conservative Candidate for Stratford-on-Avon.   Please forgive me if I have not included wives, husbands and family in this correspondence: I have been working from the Association Directory and used the names given to me.

I am trying to call you all as well, which has been very enjoyable and informative.   Please forgive me if I do not get the chance to speak to you before Friday evening: you are a chatty lot!

Throughout the two week period since the shortlist was announced, my website has had the most visitors and Google searches of any of the Candidates – and still has!  

• As your Conservative candidate, I will use my campaigning experience, combining modern and traditional campaigning methods, to reach existing and new voters.

And not campaigning…

A little time off now and then is important, so Paul and I were delighted to sample some of Stratford’s rich culture with the Orchestra of the Swan on Tuesday evening.   The arts are vital to Stratford’s world-wide reputation and the Swan Orchestra is a marvellous example of this.

We have also enjoyed some excellent pub lunches, including the Red Lion today in Long Compton (thanks to Philip Boreham for the recommendation!).   I think a good pub lunch is as vital to campaigning as stuffing envelopes.   If I am lucky enough to be selected as your candidate, the pub lunches during the election campaign will be planned as meticulously as the Battle Bus route for canvassing!

The future

A thriving Association is vital to success both at the General Election and forthcoming local elections.  

• As your Conservative Candidate, I will work hard to increase membership from all walks of life, for local and national elections alike.

Friday evening is about the future of Stratford-on-Avon.   It’s about who offers the most for Stratford-on-Avon both now and in the years to come.   The hard work starts on Saturday.

If you have any questions for me, please email me or call me on 07952 235749.

With the privilege of being shortlisted, comes the hard work of campaigning.   One of the first things I have done is talk to police officers and PCSOs who patrol Stratford-upon-Avon.   We met in a mobile police station, set up in front of the RSC on Saturday evening.   It was a good example of the police reaching out to the community, encouraging residents to discuss their concerns or problems.   Three themes emerged during the course of our discussion:

Anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related violence are a concern here, as anywhere.   One late night incident in town recently involved over 100 drunken youths, many fighting.   Whilst Stratford-on-Avon as a whole has a low crime rate, it is important that incidents continue to be dealt with swiftly and decisively, and that licensed premises act responsibly in weeding out trouble-makers.   I know from my work in the criminal courts that complacency can breed criminality.

The difference that timely help or guidance can make.   I was impressed by the efforts of local police and organisations to engage with youngsters and spot problems before they develop.   I met a young woman who had stopped to chat with the officers.   The officers were particularly proud of her story.   She had had a tough upbringing and, a couple of years ago, started getting into trouble.   The community support officers got to know her and gain her trust.   They helped her access the support she needed to move into her own home, and she is now in further education, studying land management.   She told me that when she passes her exams, she wants to work to preserve the countryside.   She was very excited about the next part of her course which involves jumping off a mountain in Wales!   I know from my work in Youth Courts and Crown Courts that timely help and guidance can mean the difference between a criminal record and a worthwhile future.

Less paperwork would help!   Just about every police officer I meet is fed up with the paperwork they have to complete for the simplest of tasks.   Of course, some paperwork is necessary, but national targets imposed by Whitehall, which bear no relation to Stratford’s needs, don’t help local residents or police officers.   Less paperwork = more officers on the beat = a safer Stratford-on-Avon.

Finally, I welcome Conservative plans to re-introduce honesty into sentencing.   Automatic release dates and overcrowded prisons mean that many defendants laugh at the sentences handed down to them as they know they will soon be free.   Our minimum/ maximum sentencing measures will bring clarity to sentencing for victims, communities and defendants.

If selected as the candidate for Stratford-on-Avon, I will use my experience working in the criminal courts to help re-introduce some common sense to policing and the courts, enabling Warwickshire police officers to determine how best to use their time and resources for the benefit of the decent majority.