FLIC Wiltshire Article - 10th February

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson explains why the upcoming General Election in May will be one of the most important in recent history, and why he is encouraging everybody to make sure they’re registered. 

Here in the UK we are beginning to feel the benefits of an economic recovery that stands in stark contrast to faltering economies across the Eurozone and elsewhere. When the coalition government first came into office the picture was bleak, as one outgoing senior Labour minister famously reported; there was no money left. 

Five years on and thanks to David Cameron’s and George Osborne’s determination to deal with our finances, we are seeing higher than expected growth and record falls in unemployment. We have halved the deficit, created jobs and apprenticeships, protected pensions and lowered taxes to ease the cost of living. We have also capped benefits making sure that it always pays to work. As a result, we are growing faster than any other economy in Europe.

It’s been good news in Swindon too, where we have seen the fastest economic recovery in the whole of the South West. This is down to record lows in unemployment with a staggering fall of 62.9%, including a 63.6% fall in youth unemployment, and the creation of 5,345 new businesses since 2010. There have also been 7,010 people begin an apprenticeship in Swindon since 2010, demonstrating that there other options available when it comes to gaining skills and employment. 

We are also seeing some proper investment in our town. During the economic crises under the last Labour Government, regeneration across Swindon came to a stand still.  Now, we have seen up to £120 million invested into local projects from our Local Enterprise Partnerships, as well as the largest investment into the Railway since the Victorian times including £6.8 billion on the Great Western mainline and Swindon station. Projects such as the Regent Circus development are nearly completed, alongside the extension to the Designer Outlet Centre, and the proposed redevelopment of the Northern Orbital Shopping Centre. With all this money being spent in Swindon; we are very much a town on the up.

All this good news is why this years General Election is so important, and why the biggest risk to Britain’s future stability comes in the shape of Ed Miliband. At a time when Britain is heading in the right direction and the future looks bright, the worse thing that could happen would be to allow the Labour Party regain control of the nation’s pursestrings and throw away our economic credibility. 

One thing that can be reliably said is that how each person votes, will help to decide the outcome and the direction that Britain takes for the next five years. This is why every single person who is eligible should register to vote, and not miss the chance of having their say. 

This General Election also marks the end of my first five years as the MP for North Swindon. As a fellow local resident I can honestly say that it has been an honour to represent the area where I live, and where I served as a local councillor for ten years beforehand. During my first five years as MP, I have gained one of the highest voting records in Parliament, and have been voted as the 3rd most helpful MP out of 650 when it comes to dealing with residents’ casework. 

As well as running campaigns both locally and nationally, including the inclusion of Financial Education into the National Curriculum, I have made it a priority to fundraise for local charities, support businesses and encourage local investment. As we approach May, I will be seeking re-election and I hope to be able to continue to represent my fellow local residents and carry on championing North Swindon.