Sarah Newton MP: All party members should vote in the MEP selection ballot

Sarah Newton is the Member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth.

This weekend, Conservative Party members will choose who will represent our Party at the European Parliament elections in 2014.

Ballot papers going out over the next few days will allow all members to have a say over the Conservatives who will carry on the fight for Britain’s interests at the heart of Europe. 

There have never been more crucial European Elections than these. Conservatives are fighting hard for Britain's best interests in Europe and are protecting this country's sovereignty through some of the boldest measures ever taken in government.

From the European Union Act enshrining Parliament’s pre-eminence, to David Cameron’s historic use of our veto and successful push for an EU budget cut, Conservatives are protecting this nation's interests to get the best deal for Britain. So I urge all members who receive their ballot papers this weekend to take part in selecting our next generation of Conservative representatives in Europe.

Sarah Newton MP: The importance of supporting homeworking

Sarah Newton is the Member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth.

With the average family now spending more than a quarter of their income on childcare, it is vital that we find ways to encourage new ways of working that are flexible and allow parents to spend time looking after their children while still being able to earn a living.

One solution is to encourage “homeworking” and enable people to become self-employed through operating their business from home.  Last week, my colleague Priti Patel and I had the pleasure of sponsoring an event for an organisation that uses such a model, Arise Virtual Solutions.

Arise operates virtual contact centres for some of the world’s largest companies by enabling people to become customer service agents and do everything they would in a conventional call centre but from the comfort of their own home.  This allows them the chance to earn an income while at the same time benefiting from the flexibility of working their own hours.

So how does it work?