The outcome of last week's general election saw an historic outcome, with us Conservatives getting our biggest majority since 1987. This included an excellent result here in Crawley that saw a positive swing from Labour to Conservative of nearly 6% with a much-increased majority of 8,365. I am delighted that our excellent MP Henry Smith will be able to continue being that strong voice that Crawley needs. Regardless of how you may have voted, I know that Henry will continue to stand up for all Crawley residents.
The House of Commons has been a complete farce over the last couple of years, with opposition parties led by Labour, using a hung parliament to frustrate the will of the people. It has been very difficult for the government to get things done on the domestic agenda, because the opposition have sought to frustrate Brexit at every opportunity in their pursuit of electoral gain.
This farce ends now. Brexit will now be resolved and carried out, meaning that domestic priorities can be fully focussed on. The ending of this uncertainty and the risk of either a hung parliament or a Marxist Labour-led government is no more. This is seeing confidence returning to the markets and will see investment in the UK pick up.
This new confidence in the economy will enable greater investment in our public services and I am pleased that the NHS, Police and Education are all being prioritised. I am also looking forward to greater certainty for local government, and investment in those areas that really need it, such as adult social care, where ever increasing demand has put County Councils under major financial pressure. There will be greater investment for our roads which will be very welcome.
Having had to make difficult decisions over the last decade to make our public finances sustainable after the last Labour Government wrecked them, our country now has great optimism for the future under Boris Johnson’s One Nation Conservative Government. We thank the people of Crawley for the faith they put in us and I wish all readers a very happy Christmas.
Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Council Conservative Group
18th December 2019