Merseyside Conservative Ladies' Lunch Club

Yesterday I spoke at the Merseyside Conservative Ladies' Lunch Club at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool. I was very grateful for the invitation and enjoyed catching up with many long-standing friends and meeting new ones. In my speech I focused on the campaign in Halton (updating the ladies on what we have been doing over the last tweleve months since my selection), the national political picture, and what factors I believe will decide the next election.

I also talked about my background and political history, explaining my reasons for joining the Conservative Party saying; "It was conviction that brought me into the party; a conviction that this is a great country, with proud values and a capacity for its people to achieve anything if they are given the freedom and the opportunity to do it.

I have always believed that we should only have as much good government as we can afford; that society does exist, but as David Cameron says, it is not the same thing as the state; and that a Conservative government should reward those who take responsibility for themselves, and care for those who cannot."