Christopher Clarkson
Conservative Party
Heywood & Middleton Constituency
I’m honoured to be your Conservative candidate for Heywood and Middleton in this crucial General Election.
Following last year’s important referendum, the Country voted for a major change by choosing to leave the European Union after 41 years. That included 60% of people here in Heywood and Middleton.
Now as she goes to the negotiating table in Brussels, we need to make sure that Theresa May has the strongest possible hand and if I’m elected to serve as your MP, that’s what I’ll be working to do.
I campaigned to leave the EU because I honestly believe that it is the best thing for Britain. That leaving gives us the opportunity to be a truly global nation and to take our talents back out into the world.
Now that the people have made their choice, I want us to get the very best possible deal for Britain – with access to trade with Europe, but with secure borders which we control ourselves and laws that are decided on by judges here at home.
As a part of Theresa May’s team in parliament I’ll do everything in my power to make that a reality.
However, if the European Union won’t negotiate with us in good faith, I’m clear that no deal is better than a bad deal and that we should be prepared to walk away. The choice the voters made must be respected and I won’t support any half-measures.
But, this election isn’t just about Brexit and I want to work hard for the people of Heywood and Middleton to make our towns even better places to live.
I want to use the opportunities afforded by the new devolution settlement to make sure that quality jobs and investment come here. I want our young people to have their choice of education, training and apprenticeships – leading to a career afterwards.
I want to protect our environment and will oppose the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework in its current form. I believe that we must fight for a sustainable greenbelt and will use the influence of my position as an MP to push for building on brownfield sites first and only once proper infrastructure such as roads and schools has been planned first.
Local people deserve good, affordable housing and simply building hundreds of ‘executive homes’ on our precious green spaces doesn’t achieve this.
I have a track record as a councillor in leading the fight to protect our environment and I will work with local people to make sure our voices are heard. I’ll be an accessible local MP, always fighting your corner.
Ultimately, what this election is about is a clear choice.
As we saw in May’s local elections, people understand that this election isn’t like past elections and are two alternatives – a strong and stable government with Theresa May, going to Brussels to fight our corner and get us the good deal we deserve, or chaos with Jeremy Corbyn, propped up by the Lib Dems and Scottish Nationalists, trying to stop us leaving the EU.
Traditional Labour voters I’ve spoken to are saying that they can’t vote for Corbyn’s candidates and recognise that Labour is no longer fighting for the working people it was set up to champion.
Meanwhile, people who chose UKIP two years ago now realise that they have done their job, getting us out of the EU and now it’s up to the Conservatives to finish that task and lead us on to a successful future.
You may not have voted Conservative before, but I hope I’ll have your support in this election because the choice couldn’t be clearer. A lone UKIP MP will have no influence in parliament and won’t be able to get things done, a Lib Dem or Labour MP will simply open the door to Jeremy Corbyn and his extreme policies.
In June, only a vote for the Conservatives will strengthen the Prime Minister’s hand and get us the deal we wanted and deserve.
