From: Greg Hands news@greghands.

com
Subject: News Bulletin from Greg Hands #433
Date: 22 April 2015 11:56
To: news@greghands.com

Issue 433 -Wednesday 22nd April 2015

In this edition:
Greg Hands's Diary

Since the last edition, Greg:

Website of the Week:

The Conservative Party

Continued his campaign for re-election in the Chelsea &

Fulham constituency, in advance of Polling Day on Thursday,
7th May. To join Greg in his campaign, and in nearby marginal
constituencies, simply respond to this email.
Attended a special ceremony at the Fulham War Memorial at
All Saints Church to honour the 100th anniversary of the
heroism of Private Edward Dwyer, who was born and brought
up in Fulham. There is now a special stone for Pte Dwyer, at
the war memorial. Corp. Dwyer was killed in action on the
Western Front, 1916.
Visited veterans housing at the Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation,
Fulham Road, and met the Chief Executive. Greg was
accompanied by Peter Goodfellow, the President of the New
Zealand National Party, in the lead-up to Anzac Day.
Continued an appeal for local businesses to sign up to a letter
supporting the Conservatives approach to business and
job creation. To see the letter, see below.
Met Chelsea & Fulham commuters at Imperial Wharf and
Parsons Green stations. For photos, see below.
Was accompanied for half a day on the campaign trail by
Fergal Keane, a journalist from Irish RTE Radio. Greg also
talked about the importance of the Irish vote in the UK.
Campaigned in Chiswick in support of Conservative candidate,
Mary Macleod, seeking re-election in Brentford & Isleworth.
Was interviewed by German newspaper Die Zeit, about the UK
General Election.
Addressed London-wide Conservative Future activists during
a campaign event at the Distillers Arms, Hammersmith.
Campaigned in Thanet South, in support of Conservative
candidate, Craig Mackinlay, seeking to hold the seat against
Nigel Farage.
Was guest speaker at a fundraiser for the Conservative
candidate in Stalybridge & Hyde, Martin Riley.
Campaigned in Clacton, in support of local Conservative
candidate, Giles Watling.
Carried out his duties as the Governments and the
Conservative Partys Deputy Chief Whip.

Greg Hands Welcomes

Conservative Manifesto to
Secure a Better Future for
Britain
Photo news:
Fulham war hero Edward
Dwyer remembered
Greg Hands urges postal
voters to choose a brighter
future for Britain
Photo news:
Stoll Foundation
Unemployment almost
halved in Chelsea and
Fulham with David
Cameron's Conservatives don't risk it with Ed
Miliband, Labour and the
SNP
Photo news:
Campaigning in Clacton
Greg Hands warns: SNPLabour combination
threaten to add more taxes
on homes in London
Photo news:
Meeting commuters at
Parsons Green station
Greg Hands: Good news for
Housing Association
tenants families in Chelsea
and Fulham, who will have
the right to buy their home
thanks to the Conservatives
Photo news:
RTE interview
Photo news:
Campaigning in
Hammersmith
Constituency Look Ahead 17th April
Photo news:
Meeting commuters at
Imperial Wharf Station
7 ways to contact Greg
Hands

Website of the Week:

www.conservatives.com
The website of the Conservative Party.

Greg Hands Welcomes Conservative

Manifesto to Secure a Better Future for
Britain

Greg Hands, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Chelsea

and Fulham, has welcomed the launch of the Conservative Manifesto
which sets out commitments for the next five years.
Running through the Conservative manifesto is one central theme:
offering working people security at every stage of their lives.
Readers can read it in full here and watch a video about it here.
Key pledges from the manifesto include:
For the best start in life we will continue to increase spending on the
NHS, provide 7-day a week access to your GP and deliver a truly 7day NHS
For your school years we will maintain the amount of money that
follows each child into school; ensure there is a good primary school
place available for every child; and lift the cap on university places, so
you have the skills you need to succeed.
To secure your first job we will create 3 million new apprenticeships;
take everyone earning less than 12,500 out of Income Tax
altogether, and pass a law to ensure we have a Tax-Free Minimum
Wage in this country; and continue to create a fairer welfare system
where benefits are capped to the level that makes work pay, so you
are rewarded for working hard and doing the right thing.
As you raise your family we will extend the Right to Buy to Housing
Association tenants; build 200,000 new Starter Homes 20 per cent
below the market price, for first-time buyers under 40 ; and provide
30 hours of free childcare to working parents of three and four yearolds, so you are able to work while having the security of your own
home in which to raise your family.
While you grow older we will not raise VAT, National Insurance
contributions or Income Tax, but we will raise the 40p Income Tax
threshold to 50,000, and take the family home out of tax by
increasing the effective Inheritance Tax threshold for married couples
and civil partners to 1 million, so you can keep more of your income
and pass it on to future generations.
And when you retire we will continue to increase the Basic State
Pension by at least 2.5 per cent through the triple lock; give you the
freedom to use your pension savings as you want and pass them on
tax-free; and we will cap the amount you can be charged for your
residential care, so you can have the dignity and security you deserve
in your old age.
Candidate for Chelsea and Fulham, Greg Hands, commented
following the manifesto launch: The Prime Minister launched our
Conservative manifesto where he has set out our commitments to the
British people for the next five years.
This election is the most important in a generation. And there is a
clear choice: The competence of a strong Conservative team with a
long-term economic plan, securing a better future for you, your family
and BritainOr putting it all at risk with a weak Ed Miliband in
Downing Street, dependent on Alex Salmond and the SNP, with the
instability and economic chaos that would result: more spending, more
borrowing, and higher taxes.
After five years of difficult decisions, hard work and patient sacrifice,
Britain is on the right track to a brighter, more secure future. Lets not
go back to square one.
Additionally, the Conservative manifesto promises that the
Conservatives will cut income tax for 30 million people, taking
everyone who earns less than 12,500 out of Income Tax altogether,
and back aspiration by raising the 40p threshold so that no one
earning less than 50,000 pays it.
Greg added: Im particularly pleased that a Conservative Government
will cut tax for hardworking people. We want to make the tax system
fairer so that people get to keep more of the money they earn.
As part of our long-term economic plan, we have cut income tax for
over 26 million people and delivered the largest real-terms increase in
the minimum wage since 2008. Our manifesto means the next
Conservative Government will go even further, and change the law so
that no-one earning the minimum wage will pay income tax ever
again.
You can read the manifesto in full here.

Photo news:

Fulham war hero Edward Dwyer

remembered

Greg Hands with Hammersmith Conservatives candidate Charlie

Dewhirst at Fulham war memorial, with the new plaque to Fulham
war hero Edward Dwyer, which was unveiled this week at a
ceremony attended by Greg and Charlie.

Greg Hands urges postal voters to choose

a brighter future for Britain
Registered postal voters in Chelsea and Fulham should have received
their postal ballot paper for the General Election over recent days.
They can be filled out and returned immediately, or any time up to
polling day, May 7th.
Greg Hands, the Conservative Candidate for Chelsea and Fulham, is
reminding postal voters of the choice facing voters at this election.
Greg said The choice you have to make is a simple one. You can
continue with the Conservative plan, which is working; delivering
growth, jobs, and lower taxes. Or you can put all that at risk with Ed
Miliband, whose policies of more spending, more borrowing, and
higher taxes will lead to economic chaos.
Just five years ago Britain rejected Labour. Our country was in crisis
and they left us a note saying there was no money left. In just one
term, with the Conservatives economic management, we have halved
the deficit, increased funding into the NHS, created jobs, and capped
welfare to make work pay.
But all this could come to a screeching halt if the SNP were calling
the shots in a Labour minority government. This arrangement between
those who would break up Britain and those who would bankrupt
Britain, can only be avoided with a local Conservative vote. So give
the Conservatives your vote at this election, and lets secure a better
and brighter future for all of us.
Increasingly, people are finding postal voting more convenient. Voting
by post and returning the ballot paper as soon as possible means
voters can be assured their vote will count, in case any work or
personal circumstances prevent someone from voting at the polling
station on May 7th.
Alternatively residents can contact their local electoral service:
020 8753 4466 - electoral.services@lbhf.gov.uk - Hammersmith
and Fulham Electoral
020 7361 3444 - elect@rbkc.gov.uk - Kensington and Chelsea

Photo news:

Stoll Foundation

Greg Hands visiting veterans housing at the Stoll Foundation in

Fulham, with the President of the New Zealand National Party,
Peter Goodfellow, ahead of Anzac Day on 25th April.

Unemployment almost halved in Chelsea

and Fulham with David Camerons
Conservatives dont risk it with Ed
Miliband, Labour and the SNP

Greg Hands has welcomed new figures showing that in the five years
since the last election, unemployment in Chelsea and Fulham has
fallen by almost half, under the Conservative-led Coalition
Government. Official, independent figures released on 17th April show
994 fewer people in Chelsea and Fulham claiming Jobseekers
Allowance or Universal Credit compared with 2010 - a 48 per cent
drop. This means more people in work, with the security of a good job
and a regular income.
Jobs are being created up and down the country, and the same set of
figures show that 2 million jobs have been created across the UK
since 2010. Here in London, people are getting off benefits and into
work, with 527,000 more Londoners in work since the last election.
But all this is at risk if Miliband gets into Downing Street, propped up
by the SNP. Because Labour are facing a wipeout in Scotland,
Miliband would have to rely on the SNP for support. With Nicola
Sturgeon calling the shots, they would hike up borrowing, hit pay
packets, and cost jobs.
Conservative Candidate for Chelsea and Fulham, Greg Hands said
Its excellent news that 994 fewer people are relying on Jobseekers
Allowance and Universal Credit in Chelsea and Fulham thats more
families here with the stability and security of a regular income.
This is thanks to the hard work and the determination of businesses
and people here, and because of the Conservatives strong leadership
and clear economic plan, 2 million jobs have been created since 2010.
That's an amazing number, but it's not some dry, meaningless
statistic: it's 2 million more people with the security of a pay packet; 2
million more families able to look forward to a brighter future.
But it would all be put at risk with the chaos of a Miliband-SNP stitchup, hiking borrowing, hurting the economy, and costing jobs and itll
be hardworking people in Chelsea and Fulham wholl pay. Thats why
you have to vote Conservative here to get a brighter, more secure
future for our community.
Under the Conservatives Economic Plan, Britain is beginning to
recover from the crippling debt left by the last Labour Government.
1,000 jobs have been created every day since the last election. The
private sector has created over 2.3 million jobs since the election
thats more jobs than the rest of Europe put together.
Greg added We are now the fastest growing economy in Europe, with
our private sector creating more jobs than the rest of the EU
combined. It's no mystery why our economy is creating jobs: it's
because of the hard work of the British people, and because of the
measures David Cameron has put in place to back businesses and
build a stronger, healthier economy.
The risk to our economy, and the chaos it would bring to the country,
if Labour comes back to government must not be underestimated. It
was Labour that left people with fewer jobs and fewer opportunities their track record speaks for itself:
The number of people without a job increased by one million in
Labours last term in office; the number of people on unemployment
benefit rose by 82 per cent in Labours last term; youth unemployment
rose by 45 per cent under Labour meaning young people were not
getting the skills they need to get on in life; and the number of
households where no member had ever worked doubled under
Labour."

Photo news:

Campaigning in Clacton

Greg Hands leading a team of Conservative activists to go to

Clacton, to take on UKIP, this week.

Greg Hands warns: SNP- Labour

combination threaten to add more taxes
on homes in London

Further evidence has emerged that a desire to impose a new tax on

family homes could form the basis of the agreement between Labour
and the Scottish National Party, leading to a Frankenstein coalition.
The Scottish Labour leader, Jim Murphy, has announced that Labour
want to provide 1 billion extra for Scotlands NHS by taxing more
than 100,000 homes in London and the south-east of England.
Murphy said he would make no apology for using money gathered
from the South East to fund the additional spending over the next
parliament.
He published an analysis showing Labours tax on homes worth more
than 2 million would affect fewer than 900 properties north of the
Border, about only 0.8 per cent of those liable across the UK.
Scottish mansions would generate around 5.5 million per year under
the levy, only 0.3 per cent of the estimated 1.6 billion the levy would
be expected to raise across the UK.
According to figures obtained through the property website Zoopla,
99,722 of the 108,477 homes (92 per cent) that would pay the levy are
either in London or the surrounding area. Those homes would provide
95.9 per cent of the total proceeds from the tax. However, about 10
per cent of the money raised would go to the Scottish Parliament
thanks to the Barnett formula, which gives Scots 1,200 more per
head of public spending than the UK average.
Meanwhile, the SNP has long been committed to its own version of a
mansion tax through a sharp hike in Scottish stamp duty. In October
2014, SNP Finance Secretary John Swinney revealed that his
replacement for stamp duty would mean the levy on the purchase of
homes worth more than 250,000 would increase by 10%.
At the time of the SNP announcement, Paul Gallagher, tax partner
and head of Ernst and Young Scotlands government and public
sector practice, claimed SNP ministers were effectively proposing a
mansion tax a scheme which had the potential to tighten the screw
on the squeezed middle'.
With both Labour and the SNP committed to the idea of taxing higher
value properties, it is now feared that a coalition between the two
parties, which could result from a hung parliament, would likely lead to
hefty new taxes on peoples homes.
Responding to Jim Murphys announcement, Conservative Candidate
for Chelsea and Fulham, Greg Hands said: It is clear that both
Labour and SNP have an ideological bent for wanting to tax peoples
homes, which they will be only too keen to implement given the
chance of forming a coalition or some other arrangement together.
This would be some kind of tax-hungry Frankenstein coalition
between SNP and Labour.
Its small wonder the SNP and Scottish Labour are so keen to impose
taxes on family homes they know that, due to the lower land values,
many Scottish homes would be exempt from it even grand country
mansions and castles while ordinary homes in London and the
South East would be left to shoulder the burden. Jim Murphys recent
comments only serve to further highlight the absurdity and unfairness
of this proposed new tax.
As one constituent of mine recently emailed me: Why is it that a
Laird in Scotland with a twelve bedroom MANSION, staff and a Gillie,
do not have to pay its tax, but a hard working family living in a
terraced house in Hammersmith and Fulham is penalised? He
makes a good point.
Such a policy would be particularly damaging in my constituency of
Chelsea and Fulham, which has some of the highest land values in
the country, and which estate agents have predicted would be the
second worst affected area in the UK for Labours Homes Tax. Many
properties in Chelsea and Fulham which cost 2m, far from being
mansions, are in fact flats or small houses. This would be introduced
as a mansion tax, but this is really a homes tax. Once in place,
people might suddenly find that their modest home has been
classified as a mansion.
I have opposed the idea of Labours homes tax since it was first
proposed, and the Chancellor has confirmed that the Conservatives
will not be introducing any such tax. Voters have a clear choice at this
election between low taxes and economic security of David Cameron
and the Conservatives, or of the chaos of Ed Milibands Labour,
propped up by the SNP.

Photo news:

Meeting commuters at Parsons Green

station

Greg Hands meeting commuters at Parsons Green tube station

this week.

Greg Hands: Good news for Housing

Association tenants families in Chelsea
and Fulham, who will have the right to buy
their home thanks to the Conservatives

The next Conservative Government will extend Right to Buy to

housing association tenants which will allow up to 1.3 million
families to have the security that comes with owning your own home,
says Greg Hands, the Conservative Candidate for Chelsea and
Fulham.
The Right to Buy scheme gives something back to families who have
worked hard, paid their rent, and played by the rules. It allows them to
do up their home, change their front door, improve their garden
knowing that it belongs to them. It can give people a greater sense of
pride and ownership not just in their home, but also in their street and
neighbourhood.
The Conservative government in the 1980s gave the tenants of
council houses and flats the right to buy their home at a discounted
price. As a result, over two million have been able to get a foot on the
housing ladder and fulfil the dream of owning their own home. They
have been able to invest in an asset which they can pass on to their
children and enjoy the security and peace of mind that home
ownership brings.
At this election, the Conservatives are committing to go a step further.
The next Conservative government will extend the right to buy to
tenants of housing association properties addressing the unfairness
that has meant that up to now only council house tenants could buy
their home.
In our area, as many as 16,000 families could benefit from this new
policy, with 12,950 housing association properties in Hammersmith
and Fulham, and a further 13,300 in Kensington and Chelsea.
Crucially, homes that are sold will be replaced by new affordable
homes. In addition, by requiring councils to sell their expensive council
houses as they become vacant, 1 billion will be made available to
bring derelict, brownfield land back into use for housing.
Greg Hands, Conservative Candidate for Chelsea and Fulham said
Many people aspire to own their own home and the Conservatives
have always understood and supported that aspiration.
That is why we are committed to extend Right to Buy to housing
association tenants. This will mean up to 16,000 families in Chelsea
and Fulham and neighbouring parts of West London, will have the
chance to buy their home. Right to Buy has already helped over two
million families get on the housing ladder since it was first launched in
1980 and now many more people will have the same opportunity.
Our promise is simple: If you are a tenant of a housing association
property which you have lived in for five years or more (soon to be
reduced to three years) you will gain the right to buy your home at a
discounted price. You wont need to persuade the housing association
to give you permission to buy it, and they wont be able to tell you
cant do it you will have the right, backed up by law, to buy your own
home.
This is part of our commitment to back families who have worked
hard, paid their rent and played by the rules. This will mean a new
generation of people able to achieve their dream and enjoy the
security that comes from owning your own home.
The last Labour government ran down the Right to Buy when in
government. In 2003, Labour cut and capped discounts at between
16,000 and 38,000, and now Labour in Wales want to scrap Right
to Buy completely.
Greg Hands added The important thing about this policy unlike
many of Labours is that this is not an unfunded policy: we will use
the sale of expensive council houses to fund new affordable homes
and allow more brownfield land to be used for housing. Labour arent
committed to Right to Buy: it is only safe with the Conservatives.
There is a big choice at this election for people in Chelsea and
Fulham: a vote for strong leadership, a clear economic plan, and a
brighter, more secure future with David Cameron and the
Conservatives.
For tenants of housing association properties the choice is even
clearer: a vote for the Conservatives is a vote for the chance to own
your own home. It is an investment in a better future for you and your
children.

Photo news:

RTE interview

Greg Hands being interviewed by Fergal Keane, of Irish radio

station RTE, on the election campaign trail this week.

Photo news:

Campaigning in Hammersmith

Greg Hands campaigning for Hammersmith Conservative

Parliamentary candidate Charlie Dewhirst with Cllr Greg Smith
and Cllr Viya Nsumbu.

Constituency Look Ahead 17th April

Upcoming Events in the Fulham part of the Constituency (for a
full list of local events, check out local website Those Who Noes
Fulham - www.thosewhonosefulham.com)
FULHAM FC HOME GAME
Saturday, April 25, 2015
15:00 - 17:00
Craven Cottage, Stevenage Rd
Fulham v Middlesbrough
Kick off at 3.00 pm
Please visit Fulham FC website for more information about match and
tickets. Visit website >>

!
!

Photo news:

Meeting commuters at Imperial Wharf

Station

Greg Hands with Sands End Conservative Councillor Rob Largan

and local Conservative activists meeting commuters at Imperial
Wharf Station last week.

7 ways to contact Greg Hands:

By Phone:
By email:
By post:
In person:

020 7385 1002

mail@greghands.com
Greg Hands
4 Greyhound Road
London W6 8NX
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www.greghands.com

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