Category Archives: Articles

The issue of Europe will not go away, much though the federalists wish it would. The BBC have gone back to saying the Conservatives are obsessed by Europe and split over it. The truth is somewhat different. Most Conservatives want the UK Parliament and government to be able to make decisions in the interest of [...]

The UK economy grew at an annualised rate of just 1.2% in the first three months of 2013, whilst the US economy grew at double the pace by 2.5%. I Have been urging the government to ask why, and to copy more of the policies that the USA has used to get better growth. Some [...]

Today I wish to remember the life and achievement of Margaret Thatcher. It was my fortune and privilege to work closely with her in the middle years of her administration, and to be a helper and Minister in the later years. The woman I knew was kind, keen to do the right thing, honest, and [...]

Many of the things constituents write about are matters decided b y Wokingham Borough Council. Some people seem to think the MP has power to override the Council or to tell the Councillors what to do. I can assure you we have 54 directly elected independently minded Councillors who make their own minds up, exercising [...]

Mansion taxes are much in the news. Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats in Parliament have chosen £2m as the witching level which turns a home into a mansion. Fortunately most homes in my constituency are below that valuation. If the aim is a wider asset tax you will have to be careful if you [...]

The Coalition government came together to sort out the poor state of the nation’s finances. On leaving office Labour legislated to halve the extra borrowings in the years ahead, without making clear how they would do this and without saying which budgets would be cut. The incoming government said they would get rid of the [...]

It was a wet end to 2012. I was worried to receive a call from the Environment Agency at lunch time on Boxing Day about flood warnings, but relieved to be told that they thought the most threatened locations would get by without flooding of homes or electricity installations. I am following up with various [...]

There was some good news in the Autumn Statement, which turned out to be kind of mini budget. The tax threshold for Income Tax has been raised again, this time to £9440, helping income taxpayers with lower bills. Both Coalition parties are keen on this tax cut. The planned increase in fuel duty by another [...]

DAILY MAIL (London) November 28, 2012 Wednesday THEIR MESSAGE TO DAVID CAMERON With the publication of the Leveson Report on Thursday it is clear that the central issue will be whether the Press should, for the first time, be subjected to st cheap cialis online atutory regulation or have the opportunity to put in place [...]