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Henry Smith: Delivering on Crawley’s priorities

In his final article before polling day, Henry Smith speaks directly to the voters of Crawley.

Published

11 months ago

on

Tomorrow, the people of Crawley will decide the future of our town and the whole country.

The choice could not be clearer. A Jeremy Corbyn government, propped up by the Scottish Nationalists, or a majority Conservative Government which will secure further support for our NHS and our schools, recruit 20,000 more police officers, and get Brexit done.

On polling day I will be campaigning across town. Throughout this election I have been speaking to local residents seeking support for my plan for Crawley:

  • Investing further in Crawley’s NHS is a priority: Bring further services back to Crawley Hospital and increase provision of GP practices – an issue I raised with the new government on Boris Johnson’s first full day as Prime Minister.
  • Expanding opportunity: Securing record high funding for Crawley schools of £82.8 million and ensuring continued local economic growth with high quality jobs are vital for our town’s future.
  • Further infrastructure investment: From transport to telecommunications, I have successfully lobbied for millions of pounds in extra funding to upgrade local roads and railways. Expanding superfast broadband and 5G are vital too, both for individuals and businesses to connect.
  • A clean, green and safe town: Demanding Crawley Borough Council address their poor record on recycling and litter. Although Crawley police officer numbers have remained stable in recent years, now further increasing officer numbers is a pledge I fully back to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime. Recently I was delighted to speak with some of the 129 new Sussex Police recruits who will further boost those patrolling our town and keeping us safe. In total Sussex Police will have 379 extra officers joining the force.
  • Security in work and retirement: Supporting those who work hard and want to get on by reducing taxes as well as looking after local people in retirement.
  • Delivering Crawley’s vote to leave the EU: Ensuring we take back control of our laws, borders and trade, whilst building on new opportunities across the world. This is not just about the UK’s independent sovereign future but respect for our democracy.

Your polling station will be open from 7am until 10pm on Thursday 12th December. We have 15 hours to elect a majority Conservative Government, which will deliver record investment in the NHS, keep our economy strong and debt low, and take back control of immigration with an Australian-style points system.

People are fed up of politicians saying one thing and doing another. Let me take one issue of importance for every Crawley parent; Boris Johnson promised to uplift school funding. This work started when he became Prime Minister, and the Conservative Manifesto reiterates the extra £14 billion in funding for schools – £150 million a week, including at least £5,000 a year per secondary school pupil and at least £4,000 for each primary school pupil.

This also includes £780 million in new funding to support children with Special Educational Needs – a point I have continued to pursue with the Government.

For the last nine and a half years I have sought to be a strong voice for our town and to stand up for Crawley in the House of Commons. I ask for the honour of continuing to serve.

Henry SmithConservative
Parliamentary Candidate for Crawley

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Henry Smith

Henry Smith MP: Poppy Appeal 2020

Published

2 days ago

on

23rd October 2020

By

In his article this week, Crawley MP Henry Smith looks to raise awareness of the importance of continuing support for the Royal British Legion:

Throughout the course of this year we have seen so many aspects of day-to-day life affected by COVID-19, with few being more poignant than the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.

With the pandemic impacting some of the more traditional and familiar ways we remember, I am keen to raise awareness of how we can continue to support the Royal British Legion in a safe and socially distant manner.

  • Poppies in the Post: The Royal British Legion’s website allows you to request 20 poppies free of charge, which can be distributed to friends and neighbours. Many of the volunteers who usually distribute more than 40 million poppies annually are unable to do so this year, so we are being asked to step in to support the Armed Forces community and ensure their contribution to our country is not forgotten. Please remember to make a donation to the Royal British Legion after requesting your poppies.
  • Printable Poppy: Unfortunately, large scale gatherings at the Cenotaph in London, at memorials across Crawley and around the country to pay our respects will be restricted to a smaller number of representatives. The Royal British Legion have therefore launched the Printable Poppy – an A4 poster which can be displayed at home, perhaps in the front window – for us to show our support.
  • My Poppy Run: A further consequence of COVID-19 are the changes to the My Poppy Run events which are usually held in October and November. Due to social distancing, these are taking place virtually, with participants being able to run, jog or walk while raising money.
  • Visit the local supermarket: The Royal British Legion have confirmed that supermarkets including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, Aldi and Asda, in addition to online retailers such as Amazon and eBay, as well as Lloyds Bank and Santander are supporting the 2020 Poppy Appeal. Each location has a number of cashless donation options, and Morrisons and Sainsbury’s offer customers an option to add a donation to their shopping bill.
  • Poppy Shop: With products ranging from poppy pins and jewellery, to clothing, stationery and homeware, 100 per cent of profits from the Poppy Shop go towards the Royal British Legion’s work to support the Armed Forces community.
  • Donate online or by text: The Legion’s website allows supporters to make a donation online, or by sending a text message to donate £2, £5 or £10.

While the ways our country reflects and remembers will undoubtedly feel different, the message remains the same. The sense of duty of all in the Armed Forces community will never be forgotten.

Henry Smith MP
Crawley Constituency

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