ELECTION 2010 WIRRAL SOUTH

Apr 21 2010 by Matt Hurst, Heswall News

The first challenge for politicians is to give young voters a reason to vote.

I hope that young people will appreciate that a future Conservative government will value our young people and the contribution they make to our communities.

We will provide 10,000 extra university places and 400,000 other training opportunities.

We will abolish stamp duty for most first-time home buyers, take action to protect the environment and meet UN targets on international aid spending.

Speaking to younger people in the constituency, including those in my campaign team, there are two issues I think worry them: being able to get a good job and having decent public transport so that you can get around without a car.

That's why I’m campaigning for a doubling of apprenticeships in Wirral, so there are real options for young people to start a skilled career and not just university.

If elected I would also prioritise getting improvements to trains and buses, so that younger people can travel independently.

As a young person myself, I understand many of the issues that matter to young people as I have experienced them first hand.

Student debt, the availability of jobs, lack of affordable housing are all issues I have faced myself, and feel passionate about overcoming.

Young people need an MP who understands what they are facing, and will do something about it.

I believe I am the best-placed candidate to do that.

I first got involved in the politics of opposing British membership of the EU ten years ago, because as the father of two young children (now aged 20 and 22 ), I could see things were rapidly getting worse for the next generation.Š

The three failed old parties are as one in willingly surrendering our country to EU control.ŠOur democracy, and industrial and commercial strength, built up and fought for over generations, is slipping away.Š

Vote for me because that will show you agree that it is time to put our people first – and our young people in particular.

I am firmly against the tolls.

I view it as an unfair additional motoring tax on Wirral residents who work in or need to travel to Liverpool.

If you enter Liverpool via any other route, you do not pay the £1.40 toll.

It costs a Wirral resident who has to use the car to travel to work in Liverpool for a working year of forty seven weeks, £654 in tolls.

If elected, I have already indicated that I intend to campaign against these tolls.

It’s very unfortunate that when the tunnel tolls were originally introduced, it was to finance their construction and people were told that at some point the tolls would be removed.

I would ask Merseytravel to look for efficiencies to keep the tunnel tolls as low as possible, especially during this period of recovery, so that we can help support commuters, who are keeping the economy going.

We would prefer the tunnels to be taken into the National Highway system and the tolls to be scrapped.

However, it would require a new parliamentary bill and all parties to agree to support it.

We also have to be honest with people, and accept that in the current financial climate we simply can’t afford to do many of the things we would like to do, and scrapping the tolls is simply not financially viable.

The tunnels under the Mersey are a part of the essential infrastructure of Merseyside and the UK.Š

There is no reason why tolls should still be levied on these tunnels so long after their original construction. Š

The cost of toll collection is itself expensive.Š

We already pay a vast amount in taxes on vehicles and fuel, so let’s have these tunnels toll-free.Š

And while we are at it, let’s say no to the EU plan to pilot ‘road pricing’ in the UK.