Category: Wokingham and West Berkshire Issues

I would like to thank all those who supported me in the election.

I will take up those issues which many of you stressed to me mattered, in the new Parliament.

I promised to work had for policies which advance the country’s prosperity, and to work with the Council on the many local planning, environmental and transport issues which affect our daily lives in  the area.

I also wish to reassure those Remain voters who voted for parties offering a second referendum that I have every belief that we can be better off out of the EU. I know many of you are concerned that the UK will lose income and wealth from our exit. I  am setting out policies that promote greater growth as we leave, in part by using freedoms we gain and in part by changing the economic policy successive governments have been following whilst in.

I will of course wish to represent you all to the best of my ability. Where you have legitimate worries about policy direction and government management I will seek to find ways to make things better.

I did not get my wish of a  debate between all 5 candidates. I held out to try and get such a debate but two candidates apparently turned down all offers.  I compromised with Radio Berkshire and joined two of the other parties for a three way.

In the hour long exchanges no questions were asked  about many of the local priorities I have been working on. There was nothing on traffic and congestion, or road safety and jammed junctions. There was nothing on planning and the need for a slower rate of development in the next plan period. There was nothing on the need for more and better rail services, and nothing on plans and budgets for our schools.

We did get to discuss poverty, NHS staffing, an individual migration case, climate change, as well as fake news, participation by electors in the election, participation by candidates in debates and other media oriented topics.

The programme opened with quite lengthy interviews with us over Brexit, and our past and present views on how this should be handled. I made sure we also discussed the crucial issue of the economy, setting out briefly Conservative plans for greater prosperity with a budget to boost growth early next year if there is a Conservative majority.

Near the start of the election I was asked if I would join a five candidates debate to be organised by the Churches Together. I responded swiftly and positively, and offered a choice of dates. The organisers tried to get the other four candidates to agree, but half of them refused to attend.

I said I was still happy to do an all candidates debate and was willing to find a different date or time if that helped. I was told recently that half the other candidates are still refusing to undertake such a debate. I therefore will not be attending a joint platform meeting with just half the other candidates.

The main sensible purpose of any such  meeting is to provide undecided  voters with the opportunity to hear exchanges between all candidates before deciding how to vote. How can we have a sensible debate for example  about the range of options on offer on the very important topic of green policy without the Green party representative present?

Having meetings with a few candidates largely attended by their own supporters is unlikely to help  an election. I also would like to know why I am being  denied the opportunity to  answer the false allegations made about me by the Advance candidate.

Radio Berkshire have said they want to hold an all candidates debate. I would urge the other four to accept this offer as I have done. I have not heard back from Radio Berkshire about where it is happening, though I was told it would be on December 11th.

Some voters have asked me when they will be getting more leaflets from us. We spent the first two weeks hand delivering a personalised letter from me to all postal voters, who also received a letter from the Conservative leader, as well as canvassing and delivering a short leaflet as we went.

Each two person household will be receiving two different leaflets by free post, and each one person household one leaflet. We will be hand delivering a large four page leaflet with a more detailed statement on what I have been doing for Wokingham and to influence national policy, and what I would like to do for the constituency if re elected.

I also make extensive information available on this website. It has a good Search facility enabling those interested to see what I think and what I am doing about a wide range of issues. If there are things you want to know more about please contact this website or use Ask John on my Facebook page or send me an email

There are rightly strict limits on spending by candidates in an election. Our campaign is designed to be comfortably within those limits, and depends on the free post and volunteer deliverers to avoid paid for delivery service costs.

I was disappointed to learn we still do not have a debate scheduled for all five parties to set out our positions. I repeat my enthusiasm for such a debate and my willingness to find a different date and time if the original proposal is difficult for two of the candidates.

During my walks and talks with voters this week I have found continued interest in the national campaigns and in the alarming contents of the Labour Manifesto. There is concern we could end up with a Labour led government in a hung Parliament. People fear the large spending increases would result in higher taxes and unsustainable debts.

There have also been detailed questions about local planning and transport matters and about school funding. I  answered these in line with the information given on this website.

I was pleased to see the recruitment of 50,000 more nurses figure in the Conservative Manifesto. It also proposes a £5000-£8000 annual maintenance grant for student nurses when training.

I proposed similar ideas for my Brexit bonus budget. The total increase in NHS spending turns out to be £650 million extra a week between 2018 and 2023 on Conservative spending plans.

Parking as an outpatient or a visitor to a patient is often difficult and expensive at NHS hospitals. I recommended including free parking for patients and visitors in my proposed Brexit bonus budget.

I was therefore pleased to see the case half won in the Conservative Manifesto. It states that free parking will be offered to the disabled, to frequent outpatient attenders, to parents of sick children staying in overnight and staff working nights.

I was asked by Churches Together in Wokingham if I would join a debate with the other candidates for the General Election. I replied promptly, offering dates and encouraging the initiative.

I am now told that only half the other candidates have agreed to such an event. I would urge all candidates to take up the Churches offer. I cannot see the point of going ahead with candidates missing. That seems unfair and means any audience would not see the full picture of the election. I am happy to find a different date if that helps.

I have pressed for higher standards of animal welfare and am glad to see proposals in the Conservative Manifesto.

These include

1. Ending  excessively long journeys for slaughter and fattening
2. New law on animal sentience
3. Banning primates as pets
4. Crack down on puppy and dog smuggling
5. Tougher sentences for animal cruelty