Henry Smith, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Crawley, has welcomed the launch of the party’s manifesto ahead of the General Election on 7th May.
Henry said;
“Our country has a clear choice between the economic competence of David Cameron, or the chaos of Ed Miliband and Ed Balls.
“Since 2010, the tax-free personal allowance has risen to £10,600, services are returning to Crawley Hospital, the building of our town’s 14th neighbourhood has begun and local unemployment has fallen by 60%.
“For the best start in life, the Conservatives will continue to increase spending on the NHS, provide 7-day a week access to your GP, and deliver a truly 7-day NHS; so you know you will always have access to a free and high quality health service when you need it most.
“In spite of Ed Miliband’s health spokesman’s constant scaremongering, this Government has increased NHS funding by a total of £12.7 billion, across each of the last five years.
“There are more doctors and nurses to serve local patients, and Crawley Hospital has a new Digital Mammography Unit and MRI scanner.
“For your school years, David Cameron will maintain the amount of money that follows each child into school, ensure there is a good primary school place available for every child and lift the cap on university places.
“To help people secure their first job, a majority Conservative government will create 3 million new apprenticeships, and take everyone earning less than £12,500 out of Income Tax altogether, continuing the increasing of the personal allowance under the Coalition.
“Around 1,000 Crawley companies are benefiting from the £2,000 Employment Allowance.
“Additionally, people working 30 hours a week on the minimum wage will no longer pay income tax, all hard-working people will be taken out of the 40p higher rate tax band originally meant to capture only the wealthy.
“The Government’s welfare reforms will also continue, by lowering the benefit cap and rolling out Universal Credit, to make the system fairer and reward hard work.
“As you raise your family we will extend the Right to Buy to Housing Association tenants, and build 200,000 new Starter Homes – 20 per cent below the market price, for first-time buyers under 40.
“The Help to Buy scheme – already benefiting Crawley families, will be extended. For every £200 people save towards their first home, a Conservative government will put in an extra £50, up to a maximum bonus of £3,000.
“Affordable homes are continuing to be built in Crawley, including in Forge Wood, our town’s 14th neighbourhood, where I recently visited.
“Conservatives will ensure 30 hours of free childcare to working parents of three and four year-olds – so you are able to work while having the security of your own home in which to raise your family.
“While you grow older the Conservatives will not raise VAT, National Insurance contributions or Income Tax, but will raise the 40p Income Tax threshold to £50,000.
“The family home will be taken out of tax by increasing the effective Inheritance Tax threshold for married couples and civil partners to £1 million – so you can keep more of your income and pass it on to future generations.
“And when you retire, David Cameron has committed to continuing to increase the Basic State Pension by at least 2.5 per cent through the triple lock, giving you the freedom to use your pension savings as you want and pass them on tax-free, and we will cap the amount you can be charged for your residential care – so you can have the dignity and security you deserve in old age.
“If I am given the honour of being re-elected as Member of Parliament for Crawley, I will continue to be Crawley’s voice in Westminster, not Westminster’s voice in Crawley.”