It’s been another busy few days for our campaign, and I’m very much enjoying the chance to meet so many local residents out on the campaign trail.

As a schoolteacher, I’ve always been keen to get young people interested in politics, and I was very grateful to be invited to two hustings sessions at Cheadle Hulme and Wilmslow High Schools. With many young people concerned about breaking into the jobs market, it is absolutely vital that we have a strong and thriving economy. That would be seriously jeopardised by a damaging and insecure hung Parliament. I will continue to work hard for a stable Conservative Government that will scrap Labour’s tax on jobs and cut the pointless red tape that holds back business. That is one of the most important things we can do for people as they leave college or university and start looking for jobs.

I’m often asked what the ‘mood on the doorstep’ is and here in Cheadle, I sense one very strong feeling amongst my fellow residents – we simply do not want to see five more years of Gordon Brown and his discredited Labour Government. More and more people are telling me that they believe a vote for any other party in the General Election will let Gordon Brown back into office.

Their concerns were validated by a pioneering online debate, hosted by our local newspapers, the Stockport Express and Manchester Evening News. In response to a question from a resident, I replied that I’d never vote to support a continuation of Gordon Brown’s Government. My Lib Dem opponent would give no such pledge.

You can read more of the discussion from the online debate at http://www.stockportexpress.co.uk/news/s/1222752_candidates_battle_it_out_online.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to discuss any local or national issues – drop me a comment here, and I’ll send you an email, or email me directly via ben4cheadle@aol.com.

Back in our office now after a hard day’s campaigning and it is already clear that people are ready for a change of Government. Cheadle is a key battleground seat in achieving that change – we need 117 new MPs and Cheadle is our target seat number 67. In fact, if we don’t win seats like Cheadle, we won’t even be the largest party! That would mean a hung Parliament and probably five more years of Gordon Brown. So we’ll all be back out tomorrow!

We’re off! Gordon Brown has fired the starting pistol and the election campaign is underway. Polling Day has been set at 6 May and we will have 30 days to make sure that the next Government is led by David Cameron and not Gordon Brown. Nowhere will be more central to that decision than Cheadle. We have to win 117 seats to form a Conservative majority just of one. Cheadle is number 67 on that list. The Conservatives have never won a General Election without winning Cheadle and won’t this time either. The alternative is too horrible to think about – a hung Parliament, a Lib-Lab coalition, collapse of the markets and a double whammy of tax rises and savage cuts from a financially incompetent and incontinent Government.

I look forward to seeing you on the doorstep in the weeks ahead and hope you will join me in bringing about change.

This week, we have seen Labour Government at its less attractive. First of all, there was a nakedly political budget by Alistair Darling. Rather than dealing with the big problems in our economy, he resorted instead to cheap shots and sideswipes. I think it would be better for him to set out plans, for example, for funding our troops properly in Afghanistan or for helping small businesses at this difficult time.

Then there was the Dispatches programme, showing a less attractive side of some very senior Labour politicians. And finally a string of threatened strikes, so typical of the dying days of a Labour Government. Trains, planes – presumably the next strike is on automobiles!

I am reminded of Oliver Cromwell’s comment to another corrupt and discredited Parliament – “For God’s sake, Go!” It’s looking like a General Election on Thursday 6th May – and frankly it can’t come soon enough. No more Gordon Brown, no hung Parliament – we need a total change and David Cameron in Downing Street to sort the mess out.

On Thursday, I welcomed the Shadow Minister for Justice Henry Bellingham MP to Cheadle. Henry is an old friend and it was a great pleasure to see him here. We met with a wide range of local businessmen and Henry spoke at a business lunch. Then we met with Kieran Walsh, who has been dealing with the issue of Wolstenholmes Solicitors – it was really useful to get a first hand account of the incident. After some canvassing, Henry returned to London by train and I came home to type up this report!

Today I joined Cllr Mick Jones and local Conservative campaigner Adam Calmonson at the Inquiry into the application for a retail unit/care home at the old Tatton site in Gatley. It seemed to me that the developers didn’t really know Gatley and were fumbling around on maps, rather than on top of the local issues. We were able to point out that the proposed care home wasn’t equipped with adequate amenities and the whole project would add to the parking problems in Gatley. It is certainly critical that we get the Tatton site redeveloped. However that has to be done in sympathy with the best interests of the Village and should not interrupt the vitality of Gatley as a shopping centre. Mick and I are on the case!

An election is looming and there seem to be three possible outcomes. The first, a majority Labour Government, seems very unlikely indeed this time. The second option is a real danger, however. A hung Parliament, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats forming a coalition. The markets appear already to be wobbling at the news – an uncertain and unstable Lib-Lab Coalition Government, with Gordon Brown back at the helm for another five years – it seems that’s not an attractive option for those who have been lending the Government money. No wonder – Gordon Brown has already borrowed £10 per person per day this year and we are all wondering when and how this will be paid back. I’m working for the third option – a Conservative Government with a clear majority. Of course, Cheadle will be crucially important in achieving that. The Conservatives have never formed a Government without a Conservative winning Cheadle. We need 117 seats just to have a majority of 1 and Cheadle is our the 67th seat on our target list. In other words, if the Conservatives don’t win Cheadle and seats like it, it’s a hung Parliament, an unstable Government and five more years of Gordon Brown!

Our campaign for a farewell event at Woodford aerodrome is gathering pace. Hundreds of people have registered at our website www.WoodfordFarewell2012.com and there are some wonderful memories of the site, which we will be publishing shortly. Please go on and give us your support if you haven’t done already and if you have, thank you!

I attended the public meeting at Woodford Community Centre last night.

Firstly, let me congratulate the residents of Woodford who turned out en masse to show their support for their local community. It was great to see so many faces, either old or new, and get the chance to talk to you about your concerns over the proposed plans for the Woodford BAE Systems Site.

During the Question and Answer session, I asked whether it would be possible for the Site to put on one final Woodford Air Show. The speakers at last nights meeting said that the site would definitely be closed within the next few years. Wouldn’t it be great to put on one last spectacle for the residents of Woodford and the wider community, in order to give the site the send off it deserves?

After the question and answers, each table was turned into a discussion group. The groups were talking about what they would like to see happen to the Woodford Site, whenever BAE sells it. I went round all the tables and listened to everybody’s concerns. It struck me that the Woodford community had one single united voice on the matter – “No to housing!”

There are currently about 550 houses in Woodford. The community is a very important part of the lives of the residents living there. This community lifestyle would certainly be threatened if the site was sold for residential use. Not only would it mean that thousands more people would live in Woodford, but it would also require the construction of new schools, medical practices and shops.

It would also be damaging to the local environment. Firstly, the houses would be built on areas of greenbelt land. Secondly, new roads would have to be constructed, which would ultimately lead to more cars on the road and more gas emissions as a result.

I hope that the council really does listen to your concerns and opinions. I know that I will be fighting to make your voices heard in the local community.

Welcome to my blog. As we enter the latter stages of the General Election campaign, I’ll be using this site to keep you up to date with what I’ve been doing around Cheadle, and how I’ve been fighting for you at the highest level.

I don’t see this as a one-way street – it’s not about me talking to you, but about us having a conversation so that I can find out what matters to you. Please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment, or drop me an email if you’d like to raise an issue privately – my address is ben4cheadle@aol.com.

But most of all, thank you for visiting!

Ben