No issues with expenses

The Legg report said that “Mr Harper has no issues” and had nothing to repay. The Sunday Telegraph survey ranked Mark 29th in their ‘best value’ table by comparing how much work MPs did with the amount of expenses claimed.

Protecting local businesses and jobs

To ensure that our local businesses and jobs are secure we must keep interest rates low. That means the new Government must make an early start to getting the deficit under control, otherwise interest rates will rise sharply. We’ll cut Labour’s waste so we can stop their national insurance tax rise on working people which will cost jobs and kill the recovery. Our recovery can only be guaranteed by strong small and medium sized businesses. Taxing businesses more for every person they employ will drive up their costs and instead of encouraging them to grow and take on more people will result in job losses as Alistair Darling has admitted. 7 out of 10 working people will be better off with the Conservatives than under Labour.

A world class NHS

Maintaining and improving an NHS that’s free and available to everyone is Mark’s priority. That’s why he fought to prevent the Dilke and Lydney hospitals being closed. The Conservatives want an NHS which puts local people first not Whitehall targets.

Fighting crime

Mark wants a police force that responds quickly and properly to local people and problems. So when the Government tried to merge Gloucestershire Constabulary into a remote regional force he successfully opposed it. Our police should be close to the communities they protect.

Supporting our troops

Mark is proud the Forest of Dean is home to 1 RIFLES. Those risking their lives for us should get the support they need and Mark visited them in Afghanistan to remind them they have the backing of everyone at home.

Protecting older people

We’ll keep the winter fuel allowance, free TV licences for over 75s and free bus passes for pensioners. We’ll protect the state pension and, unlike Labour, we’ll protect Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance for pensioners.  We’ll freeze council tax for two years.

Dealing with immigration

Mark wants to see net immigration reduced to tens of thousands, down from the hundreds of thousands under Labour. Immigration will be properly controlled by a Conservative Government with a new dedicated Border Police Force to protect the UK’s borders.

The EU

Mark voted in Parliament for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty as he promised.  But Labour and the Lib Dems broke their word and voted against. Mark wants the law to require a referendum for any future transfer of power to the EU.

Keeping council tax down

Mark believes that councils should keep costs down and standards high. He is pleased that all local Conservative controlled councils have kept council tax rises below inflation and the rise in the basic pension, delivering better services at lower cost.