Friday, 28 August, 2009
 | Crime |
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Another Labour failure. This time the poorest in our society have been left to bear the brunt of our social failures.
The deep-rooted culture of drugs and crime that was once a feature of fictional TV programmes is now a reality on many of our streets.
A Conservative government will clamp down on violent crime - for example by introducing a presumption that anybody caught carrying a knife should go to prison.
We will also tackle the social failure that lies behind this criminal culture, by reforming our education and welfare systems.
Richard
Sunday, 23 August, 2009
| Release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi |
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Mr al-Megrahi was convicted under Scottish law. It is therefore right that this decision was taken by Scottish ministers and the Scottish judicial system.
People are talking about two issues, which we have to keep separate:
If there’s a view that the conviction is in some way unsafe, then the proper process is an appeal and the presentation of new evidence.
However, if this is about genuine release on compassionate grounds then I think it is wrong and a very bad decision. This man was convicted of murdering 270 people and he showed them no compassion.
Richard
Saturday, 15 August, 2009
| Labour and the NHS |
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Labour really is plumbing the depths by trying to claim the Conservatives are not committed to our NHS.
The fact is that we have promised a real terms increase in NHS spending. Labour has not.
Burnley and the rest of East Lancashire know only too well what’s happened to our NHS under Labour.
Richard
Sunday, 09 August, 2009
| Key stage 2 |
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Last week the Government published the latest Key Stage 2 SATs results. These showed that the proportion of 11-year-olds in England reaching the standard expected of them (Level 4) in English national curriculum tests fell by 1 per cent, down from 81 per cent in 2008; and that a quarter of boys are failing English.
Four in ten children leave primary school unable to read, write and add up properly. Indeed, international comparisons show that the UK has fallen down the league tables in Maths, English and Science since 2001.
Labour is failing Burnley’s children.
Conservatives have advocated radical school reform, with an emphasis on rigorous standards. Our proposals would mean better tests, less bureaucracy, less teaching to the test, and would provide parents with information about primary school performance and provide secondary schools with the information they need to set pupils and tailor teaching to pupils’ needs.
Richard
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