Chris Whiteside fought off a challenge from Judith Pattinson, Simon Baker and Thelma Mattuk to be readopted this afternoon as the Conservative candidate for Copeland. Chris faces a projected Labour majority of 6,828. He identified his policies for Copeland on his excellent blog earlier today:
- "We must fight, fight and fight again for our local hospital services, not just to keep the three hospitals with the services they have today but to bring back the services we have lost.
- Britain needs a balanced energy policy in which a new generation of nuclear power plants has a role, and one of these plants should be in Copeland.
- However, we also need to diversify the local economy, with particular emphasis on the information-based industries of the future. To achieve this we must heavily invest in improved local skills. The new University campus at Westlakes, the new Academy, and our other schools all need support from our MP and the government.
- Copeland’s MP, Councils, and the government must work together to give more support to local business throughout the constituency.
- Where Labour has downgraded our local roads and transport links, a Conservative government must improve them.
- West Cumbria needs a government which understands and supports the countryside, instead of one which has caused havoc to rural interests with politically correct interference and incompetence, and cannot even give farmers the EU’s Single Farm Payment money on time.
- Selling off the radio spectrum after the Digital TV switchover will make hundreds of millions for the treasury. Most of Copeland is included in the first TV area to go through this and we are not getting our fair share of the money the government will make. The support scheme to help the elderly cope with Digital Switchover should be more widely available."
