April 2010 - Newsletter from Margot James

April Newsletter

Keeping you up to date with my latest activities in Stourbridge. The latest campaigns, letters to the press and events in and around Stourbridge. 

Dear Supporter,

Next time I write to you it will be six days to go before the General Election, assuming Gordon Brown calls an election next week. For many people the choice will be a straightforward one between Gordon Brown and David Cameron. Last month both of them were interviewed by a panel of undecided voters in Stourbridge for the BBC Politics Show. Gordon Brown was defensive and ill informed about the situation on the ground. David Cameron was open and struck a good balance between being realistic about the problems we face and optimistic about Britain’s long term future. Unlike Brown, Cameron was not afraid to disagree in a good natured way when someone’s views on education and immigration were irreconcilable with his own. It was wonderful to see the hundreds of staff and students who turned out to greet David, it was a very enthusiastic welcome given how different times are to 1997 in every possible way.  Matt Cole, the excellent head of Politics at King Edwards, was delighted that David made time to do a question and answer session with his politics A level class after the recording.

Campaigning

I would like to thank everyone who has supported the increased distribution and canvassing effort this month – particularly those first time canvassers! Thanks to your help we are out knocking on doors and delivering our message every day. And more offers of help are coming in every day as people respond to the crying need for a new government and new leadership.

Out and About

• I attended various national policy briefings from the following groups:
  - Sense – on democratic access for people with disabilities.
  - Marie Curie - research has shown that 75 per cent of people seriously ill with cancer would like to be cared for at home and Marie Curie welcomed our party’s commitment to end-of-life care.
  - 2020 Public Services Trust on the future of public services.
  - The BBC on their strategy for the future.
• Michael Gove MP visited King Edward’s College and I facilitated a meeting with school heads and representatives of Dudley Council to discuss education policy under a Conservative Government.
• I helped the students I’ve been mentoring at Stourbridge College with their Young Enterprise exams and report.
• I visited St James’s Primary School in Wollaston and talked to pupils from the school council and the vice principal. Read more
• I met with Contact Care UK, this is an excellent organisation that enables contact between children and a parent who no longer lives in the family home. They are desperately short of funds and I will support them all I can if I am elected.
• I attended meetings of the Stourbridge Area Committee and the Stourbridge Township Council.
• It was International Women’s Day at the beginning of March and I joined in the celebrations held at Dudley College.
• The Mayor’s charity event at Himley Hall was fantastic and I am very glad I was able to attend.
• Another fabulous event I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at was the Centenary Dinner of the Quarry Bank Conservative Club. Mayor Pat Martin made a fascinating speech about the history of Quarry Bank.
• I spoke to the City Branch of Birmingham Conservatives.
• The Royal Naval Reserves came to Stourbridge on a recruitment drive and I was delighted to hear from local member Mark Rogers that they attracted almost as many expressions of interest as they did in Birmingham City Centre.

Media

• The Stourbridge News covered the visits by Michael Gove and David Cameron.
  Top Tory Gove pledges red tape cuts Stourbridge students give Cameron the pop star treatment
• I was interviewed for an hour by Al Jackson on ‘The Bridge’ radio station.
• I did the paper review for the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1.
• I gave an interview to the Vibe a website for people under thirty. Click here

Feedback

Please forward this campaign update on to any fellow Conservatives in our area who you think would be interested. If there is any further information you would like, or if there is something you would like to let me know about, please do get in touch.

It is now time to help the campaign in Stourbridge so if you can please contact me I would be most grateful:  margot@stourbridgeconservatives.com.

Thank you for your support.

Best wishes

Margot

www.margotjames.com