A 1,000 Messages of Common Sense for Bellshill delivered

What a day! The sun was shining like a Summer's day and the good people of Bellshill were enjoying the beginning of the Easter Weekend with the Town's Main Street buzzing at lunchtime on arrival.

I was out today with fellow Candidates Andrew Hardie from Almond Valley and Robert Crozier (2nd on the Scottish Conservatives Regional Vote List) who is standing in Airdrie & Shotts.

Robert Crozier joins me to deliver in Bellshill - photo by Andrew Hardie.

First up was a chat with STV Bellshill's Nicola Dowds who was asking about the campaign so far.

Early on, near St Gerard's Primary School, I was approached by a gent who asked "Are you the Conservatives?". Wow, we've only been out 10 minutes and we've been spotted! He told me how he was delighted to see us out and about and he was proud to be Conservative. A spring in one's step indeed!

Parched, we popped in to Kelvin Wine Stores and spoke to the owner who told us of her plight of graffiti on the walls of her shop over a period of several years and she had to get CCTV installed at a significant cost to her small business to identify the culprits. This is lunacy and those culprits must be caught and dealt with by the authorities.

Robert met up with us after his trip to Uddingston's iconic Tunnocks factory where he was alongside Margaret Mitchell and Annabel Goldie for the launch of the Common Sense on the Economy Manifesto.

Lunch beckoned and it was back to Main Street and a trip to Cafe 'T'. It hit the spot and once we were fed and watered, it was back out and about.

Now, folically challenged and the heat are never good bedfellows, so it was the shady side of the street for me and the sunny side of the street for them and come 6pm, leaflet number 1,000 was finally delivered.

A good day all round and it was great to chat to loads of sun worshippers who wished me success ahead of May 5th.

Campaign trail takes Brown back to Bellshill - Delivering for Common Sense

Last night the campaign trail took me back to Bellshill.

Bellshill is one of the Country's biggest exporter of famous Scots, including: Secretary of State for Defence Liam Fox MP was born there, Sir Matt Busby - who has the Town's Sports Centre named after him, Crooner Sheena Easton who made it big in America, Ally McCoist the Glasgow Rangers legend and the late and sadly missed Motherwell footballer Phil O'Donnell.

Now, pounding the streets solid for a few hours with Grade II and Grade III ankle ligament tears ain't easy! In fact, it's pretty painful! (If you can lend a hand to help the Campaign, please get in touch!!).

Thankfully my Agent Henry Mitchell and fellow Candidate from Airdrie and Shotts Robert Crozier plus his right-hand man Sandy Watson came along to support. Robert (or as he is more affectionately referred to as Bob!) is 2nd place on the Central Scotland Regional List, with Margaret Mitchell in 1st.

With your Vote for Mark Brown on the Lilac coloured Constituency ballot paper and Vote for Scottish Conservatives on the Peach coloured Regional ballot paper, you will be personally contributing towards delivering a better Scotland.

The Scottish Conservatives have delivered more in the last four years than any other opposition party since devolution began. More Scottish Conservative MSPs means more common sense delivery.

We are set to take 2 List Seats in Central Scotland - doubling our delivery of fairness and common sense for the electorate.

Every voter in every seat in every region of Scotland can vote for more common sense policies on May 5th.

Vote Brown, Vote Scottish Conservatives and oh, of course, don't forget to Vote NO to AV on May 5th!

Bellshill Bobbies Crime Clampdown Welcomed

I've read some fantastic news today in that crime in Bellshill has fallen over the past 12 months, according to a new report from Strathclyde Police.

With the Scottish Conservatives responsible for delivering 1000 additional Police in Scotland over the last four years as a result of our budget negotiations, it is very encouraging to see a positive impact on crime reduction.

A local public consultation exercise carried out by the Bellshill Sub-Division identified drunk or disorderly behaviour, drug dealing and drug use and assault and violent crime as main concerns.

Based on looking at the months December - February and comparing it with the same 3 month period over the last 5 years:

· Crimes of Murder and Attempted Murder have decreased by over 33%

· Crimes of Serious Assault have decreased by over 6%

· Crimes of Minor Assault have decreased by over 18%

· Domestic abuse crimes have decreased by over 24%

· Race related crimes have decreased by 4%

· Homophobic crimes have decreased by 80%

· Incidents of street drinking reported to the police have decreased by over 25%

· Incidents of youth disorder have decreased by over 48%

· Crime involving indecent behaviour have decreased by over 39%

These statistics are very encouraging and the hard work the Police undertake to keep our streets safe is extremely welcomed and often under appreciated.

The 2 Sargeants and 10 Community Police Constables who are working exclusively in the Bellshill area are to be congratulated on their achievements.

For a breakdown of the raw data, please follow this link

Drop out rate rise as tough talking Tories get real on graduate contributions

Figures published this week show that Scotland has the highest University drop-out rate in the United Kingdom.

These figures are genuinely worrying for Scotland and many of it's world-renowned Universities, but these figures disprove the ridiculous claim that a financial contribution to higher education forces a greater drop-out rate. Other parts of the UK have fees and their continuation rate is greater.

No party in Scotland wants upfront tuition fees and we strongly believe that we need more bursary support for students from the poorest backgrounds, to give them greater support whilst they are studying.

We also believe that the higher education sector will only survive and thrive if we set in place a graduate contribution, repayable once the graduate attains a certain salary and at an affordable rate.

At the launch of the Manifesto Launch, Annabel Goldie said, "Scottish universities have a fine tradition, a proud reputation but that can only continue if there are additional sources of funding.

"This issue has already set us apart from other parties in the campaign. I shall not be cowed and I shall not be silenced because the public deserves to hear the truth."

She added: "The status quo is not tenable and the introduction of upfront tuition fees is unacceptable. Our proposed graduate contribution will be based on a university cost of £3,600 and we set a cap, at just £4,000."

The drop-out rate at universities across the UK in 2009/10 is as follows:

UK: 7.9%
England: 7.8%
Wales: 7.4%
Scotland: 9.3%
N. Ireland: 9.0%

Scottish Conservative Party Politicial Broadcast for 2011 Holyrood Election

As Iain Gray was running away from Protestors in Glasgow, Scottish Conservatives Leader Annabel Goldie takes a genteel stroll as she delivers the Party's Election Broadcast, with some 4 weeks to go before Scotland heads to the Polls:

Common Sense for Scotland - The 2011 Scottish Conservatives Manifesto Launch

Annabel Goldie today unveiled the Scottish Conservatives Manifesto at the Glasgow Science Centre.

I am proud to have been a Scottish Conservative Candidate today as Annabel delivered our Manifesto, the first of the Scottish Party leaders to do so, telling it as it is to the gathering of Candidates, Activists and an assortment of Media.


A Manifesto that offers an honest, positive and fully costed vision for Scotland.

A Manifesto that set out how the Scottish Conservatives shall deliver even more for Scotland on top of what we have achieved over the last four years.

Some of the highlights include:

- Creating a Scottish Business Start Up Fund
- A Business Dividend Fund - so good, Labour have already stolen it for their manifesto!
- Business Rates Reform Bill
- Hard Shoulder running on M77 & M8
- Referenda on Elected Provosts in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen & Dundee
- Budgets to Community Councils to deliver more in their communities
- £140m Town Centre Regeneration Fund.
- Road Maintenance Fund of £200m - including Pothole Fund
- More powers for Head Teachers
- Greater focus on Reading, Writing & Arithmetic
- Pupils at 14 are free to leave school provided they engage in a monitored apprenticeship or Full-time vocational or technical training programme.
- Fair and affordable graduate contribution of £3600 per year, capped at £4,000
- Protect NHS spending and increase funding in line with inflation
- Oppose the SNP's abolition of Prescription Charges and reintroduce at 2009 level of £5 per item and £48 for a pre-payment certificate.
- Cancer Drugs Fund of up to £10m
- Establish an IVF Fund
- Pilot Walk-In Treatment Centres to improves access to health care
- Re-introduce prison sentences of less than 3 months
- Pilot a Community Court in Glasgow
- End automatic early release from Scotland's jails
- Compulsory drugs tests in Scotland's jails
- Replace Police Boards with elected local Police Commissioners
- Freeze Council Tax until at least 2013
- When freeze ends, a change in law to give local residents the power to stop bills rising faster than inflation
- £200 per pensioner household discount on their Council Tax from 2013/14
- £20m to give all parents a guaranteed level of health visitor support

Will the other parties offer a Manifesto that adds up?

Will Alex Salmond offer another never-never land perspective of Scotland in the Nationalists, but never the National interest? Will Iain Gray offer us the usual 1980's rhetoric and anti-politics? Probably.

This is the Scottish Conservatives vision for Scotland. This is a Manifesto for all of Scotland.

This is Common Sense for Scotland!

Tory manifesto welcome boost for third sector

Annabel Goldie today unveiled the Scottish Conservatives Manifesto at the Glasgow Science Centre.

Commenting on the Scottish Conservative manifesto, Martin Sime, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations said:

“It’s great to see the Scottish Tories addressing the concerns of charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises in their manifesto and not simply paying lip service to the idea of the big society.

“A commitment to transforming the potential of the third sector by giving us a “right-to-bid” for services, multi-year funding for the third sector and tackling red tape, really shows that the Tories recognise that for Scotland to have a successful future, it needs a thriving third sector.”

“We look forward to seeing the detail of how the party will support our sector financially as we take on a greater role in delivering excellent public services.”

Link: SCVO welcome Tories manifesto

Big Society plans set for Uddingston Village Hall

After being closed last December, Uddingston Village Hall on the Old Mill Road may have a stay of execution following a welcomed pilot programme across the country which could see council properties transferred to third sector organisations.

Voluntary organisations such as the Uddingston Disabled Sports and Social Club who used the facility are amongst those who would continue to benefit if the project, which is now open for bids for voluntary groups - or even individuals - to take over the running of the hall, gets the green light.

This is a great example of the Conservative's flagship policy of The Big Society which is designed to create a climate that empowers local people and communities, building a big society that will take power away from politicians and give it to people.

The project has the support of both the Scottish Government and Cosla.