We need to protect pensioners from Gordon Brown's plans to cut benefits
It is very worrying that some 3,000 people in Harlow and the surrounding villages could lose their disability benefits. I am strongly opposing Gordon Brown's plans to scrap disability benefits for the elderly in Harlow.The small print of Labour's plans to create a National Care Service reveals they will scrap Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance for pensioners to pay for it. An average £3,400 a year will be snatched away from 2.4 million pensioners - equivalent to a quarter of the average pensioner's income. In the Harlow constituency, which includes Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon and Sheering, this would affect 3,000 pensioners – 2.030 who receive A

IDS sees community groups transform young lives in Harlow

IDS to visit Harlow today
It should be a really good day. Iain Duncan Smith MP, Chairman of the Centre for Social Justice is visiting Harlow. We have a jam packed visit. IDS starts off as Guest Speaker to the Essex Chamber of Commerce Lunch. After, he will be visiting the Canal Boat Project and Raktrain. Both - in a different way - are community ventures which transforms the lives of young people. The Canal Boat Project gives youngsters - many with disabilities - the chance to explore our canals and enjoy our beautiful scenery through the eyes of a canal boat. Raktrain helps equip young kids - who may have dropped out of full time education - with the skills they need to give

Questions to Armed Forces Minister and Harlow MP Bill Rammell over the closure of Harlow Territorial
AFTER meeting with a number of Harlow TA members last week Friday night to discuss the closure of Harlow's territirial army centre, I thought it would be worth posting here a number of questions to Armed Forces Minister Bill Rammell. The answers to these ten questions are vitally important if t

Catching Up : Youth, Housing and Regeneration
I am a bit behind with my blog-posting, so I thought I would let you know what occurred last Friday. It was quite a hectic day, starting off with a visit to the Construction Training Partnership in Burnt Mill. As you know, this is a great organisation that I have visited on a number of occasions. CTP does a huge amount to provide youngsters with vocational training - and a chance to join the ladder of opportunity, instead of sinking into despair at the lack of job opportunities available. I was there as a Conservative Party official, wanted to see CTP at first h