Parvez Akhtar: In defence of Sayeeda Warsi

Parvez Akhtar is Conservative Policy Forum coordinator in the Eastern region.

Much has been written in recent days about the controversy surrounding Baroness Warsi and while I agree with Tim Montgomerie that accusations of racism in the left wing media are simply ludicrous; but as a Conservative I don’t think there has been enough coverage of the part Sayeeda Warsi has and I hope will continue to play in broadening the appeal of the Tory Party to non-traditional voters.

In a piece for the Daily Telegraph, Paul Goodmanl noted David Cameron needed a way to reach out to this growing part of the electorate, and in Lady Warsi found a way of doing just that. However as Lord Ashcroft’s recent research has shown we still have some way to go because only 16% voted Conservative in 2010 general election.

I would argue that this would have been even lower had it not been for Lady Warsi. Her reach has not only extended to ethnic voters but also to many others who thought we were not for people like them, were hostile to them and did not share their values. I am sure they were pleasantly surprised to see a working class muslim woman from Yorkshire tackle equally well extremists on the streets of Luton as in the BBC Question Time studio.   

Parvez Akhtar: The UK can become a centre of excellence for low carbon transport - if the Government does its bit

Parvez Akhtar is a Computer Aided Engine Design Specialist at Ford Motor Company and was the Conservative candidate in the 2009 Bedford mayoral by-election. He is currently Conservative Policy Forum coordinator in the Eastern region.

The government's strategy on Plug-In Vehicle Infrastructure published on Thursday has drawn criticisms with some very sensational headlines. On Friday, the Mail described it as "moving the car industry into the slow lane", while yesterday's Independent labelled it as "a U-Turn" on the back of quotes from Labour's transport spokesman. In my view neither of these stories has taken a close enough look at the report, the work the Department of Transport is co-ordinating in the area of low carbon vehicles, or indeed where the auto industry itself is currently heading.

Average new car CO2 emissions have declined by 20.3% since 2000 and fell by 3.5% in 2010 alone. Engine research and development has largely contributed to this significant reduction in CO2 emissions in recent years. Today's vehicles are powered by the most efficient generation of diesel and petrol engines, with direct injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing; they deliver the performance of a larger engine with the fuel economy and CO2 benefits of a smaller one. The clever technology also ensures that the performance is not compromised and performance enthusiasts can enjoy driving pleasure but at lower costs. Further technological improvements, such as automatically shutting down the engine when idling, optimised aerodynamics, improved tyre technology, better transmission, and clever control to adjust to driving behaviour, are all helping to ensure the trend to lower CO2 continues.

Parvez Akhtar: Lord Tebbit's "cricket test" is more significant now than ever before - and I write as one who used to fail it

Parvez Akhtar was the Conservative candidate in the 2009 Bedford mayoral by-election.

The Prime Minister's speech over the weekend has drawn much comment from various quarters, ranging from the default reaction of condemnation from the left to the equally outrageous view that he was speaking for the far right. In the countless comments and reaction that has followed, focus has been on everything from historical context on how we have ended up at the current position to whether the timing was right given the march in Luton.

Some commentators and vested interest groups have been critical and have thrown the age old argument of victimisation and racism at the Prime Minister, precisely the sort of thing which has allowed the separation to flourish and what the Prime Minister himself identified as one of the causes. Labour were quick to jump on this Milli - bandwagon too and having allowed the problem of extremism to grow during their 13 year watch, accused the PM of pandering to the right wing. They are in denial on their failure in this area as in others, and we could remind them, but that is not the purpose of this article.

The Prime Minister talked about stronger identity. In this context, we have immediate opportunities to celebrate and indeed cement this shared national identity through sport. The Cricket World Cup later this month and the Olympics next year are opportunities for all of us to go a lot further in developing stronger national identity. Just as in the case of the football world cup last year, I would like the PM to fly the union jack over Downing Street and wish our team well following on from their glorious ashes triumph, but I also want the rest of us to show pride in our team. And yes, I am going to mention the Tebbit test.

Parvez Akhtar: How David Cameron can dissipate the anxiety felt by the Pakistani community

Parvez Akhtar was the Conservative candidate in the 2009 Bedford mayoral by-election and is a Computer Aided Engine Design Specialist at Ford Motor Company. On the weekend when Pakistan celebrates its independence, he argues that a trade driven strategic relationship with the sub-continent needs re-emphasizing following David Cameron’s recent trip to the region and his comments about Pakistan.

There has been a great deal of discussion and debate around the Prime Minister's comments concerning the war on terror and Pakistan's role within it. Much criticism has been levelled at him, mainly from opponents who have used the opportunity to make political capital out of his rather frank assessment.

The most recent criticism came on Wednesday from the Pakistani Ambassador to the UN, who said that his country had suffered in its fundraising efforts for the flood victims due to those comments. I am sure this recent addition to a long list of criticism of the Prime Minister would add to the anxiety of the nearly one million people of Pakistani origin in UK who have significant ties and links to their country of origin. Many play an active role in life in the UK, but are equally concerned about the growing problems back home and have been very engaged in this recent debate.

During the last general election, the Labour Party's monopoly of the Pakistani vote was challenged, with a significant shift in crucial marginal seats like my own of Bedford which helped us to win. The Labour Party is not wasting any time in trying to court them again by using the controversy around the comments as ammunition because they have been sufficiently worried by the loss of support from a group that has always been loyal. The whole issue has caused much concern amongst the Pakistani community who, frankly, are not buying the Labour spin but can see very little progress in Pakistan's fight against militancy and its mounting economic, political and sectarian problems. 

David Cameron needs to persuade the Pakistanis that they can count on Britain not only during their hour of need but also for the long term and that a closer relationship with London will generate valuable returns for Islamabad. He needs to do this with the same vigour and commitment that he has shown during all his recent exchanges with foreign governments. I am confident that by outlining why the new approach is not only essential in the context of the development of Pakistan but is crucial part of the Conservative strategy on foreign affairs, some of the anxiety felt by the Pakistani community will be dissipated.