There can be a debate between allowing personal freedom to choose and legislating to protect the public. The term ‘Nanny State’ can be used when some perceive that well-intentioned government or health bodies are perceived to interfere too much with our lives. There is of course a balance to strike as complete freedom to do absolutely anything would be anarchy, while any government forcing us to do everything they want would be totalitarianism. It’s an age-old libertarian/authoritarian argument that can manifest itself in different ways as new issues arise.

It has been well documented that town centres are under pressure, mostly due to more online shopping, but high rents and business rates also add pressure. Nationally and locally, it is the Conservatives that recognise this and who are trying to keep our town centres thriving. Smaller retailers are now paying much less in business rates thanks to measures brought in by the Conservative Government.

As the new decade gets underway, we do so with a political stability that we haven’t had at all during the last decade. The Coalition government of 2010 to 2015 held together and did the groundwork to recover the economy and public finances from the disastrous previous Labour government, but being a coalition meant that truly radical change was always going to be difficult.

Henry Smith MP has welcomed the news that families in Crawley can look forward to receiving a well-earned pay rise with a new National Living Wage (NLW) of £8.72 per hour from 1st April 2020, its biggest cash increase ever – and a rise from the current value of £8.21.

As we enter 2020, we do so after a decade of economic improvement under the Conservatives. The latest jobs figures from December show that there are 3.8 million more people in work since 2010, meaning more families have greater financial security and can plan for the future with confidence.

I hope that everyone is enjoying the Christmas break. Last week was the state opening of the new Parliament with the Queens Speech. There was too much to cover here so I will focus on just one area which is one of the biggest long-term challenges we face as a country. Putting social care on a sustainable footing needs a long-term solution and I am very pleased the new Conservative Government is determined to address this.

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.

One of the darkest themes of the last few months has been to witness Labour’s attitude towards business. Jeremy Corbyn just sees opportunities to increase taxation, and in Crawley the Labour-run Borough Council seeks to hike neighbourhood parade rents by as much as 30 per cent.

“A majority of Crawley people voted for Brexit and the town’s as well as Britain’s democratic choice must be respected. Once Brexit is done we can deliver your priorities for extra police plus more NHS and school resources” says Crawley’s Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Henry Smith.

On Sunday we commemorated Remembrance Sunday and on Monday Armistice Day. This is something that as a nation we’ve been doing well for decades, coming together in recognising and reflecting on the sacrifice of the fallen. Until the last decade or so, our country had been a bit slower in giving our Veterans the recognition and status they deserve.