It's time, as they say, for change..

In this constituency, Berwick upon Tweed, we have had the same – Liberal-Democrat - MP for nearly 40 years. However, in the 2008 County Council elections across the constituency there were more votes for the Conservatives than for Liberal Democrats. For the first time for years we could have a change of MP. I think there are national and local reasons to vote for Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Conservative candidate:

Nationally, the country has serious economic problems. We are the slowest recovering G20 economy with one of the biggest public sector deficits in the world. We have also had over a decade of largely ineffective initiatives with a new law being passed for almost every day Labour have been in power. The Conservatives are believers in small Government and sound finance – they have a record of achieving higher employment and better finances. In turn, every Labour Government has left office with more unemployment and a bigger public sector deficit than when they came into office and this one looks like being no different. If there is to be a change in Government, constituencies like Berwick need to become Conservative.

Locally, whatever individual help people have received from Alan Beith, this area has suffered from under-investment. This must at least partly be due to the fact that we do not have an MP from one of the parties of Government. Anne-Marie has in a short time made progress on many projects, such as launching the most recent dual the A1 campaign, helping get money for the new harbour wall at Seahouses and getting a mobile MRI scanner to Berwick Infirmary. I think we now need someone of her energy as MP.

She has a blog herself: Trevelyan Talks which is a chance to see what she thinks. I know from my own experience that it's impossible for her to meet every voter - but she is getting around.


I was just telephoned to arrange to collect a mass of leaflets for delivery in the next few days. That will be a chance to get around and see what people think.