Kemi endorses Tom
Very pleased on today of all days to get such a strong personal endorsement from Kemi Badenoch. Kemi is a brave politician who has fought hard against the worst excesses of gender ideology being promoted in our schools. For that she has been the victim of vicious attacks and smears.
I was appalled yesterday to see that the left wing actor David Tennant said Kemi should “shut up” and that she shouldn’t exist any more. Also very pleased though to see that Kemi has now well and truly put him back in his box.
A message from Suella
STATEMENT
The deadline for nominations for the forthcoming General Election has now passed and I’m 100% confirmed as the Conservative candidate for Ipswich. I’m the Conservative candidate but as you’ll know I’ve spent the past four and half years being my own man and this will continue to be the case throughout the campaign and if I have the honour of being re-elected.
You will all be getting my main leaflet soon and it will be centered on my 5 priorities:
These priorities have been driven largely by the many thousands of conversations I’ve had with Ipswich residents over the past four and half years and also my own core values and beliefs. My leaflet and other communications will be 100% me, authentic and un-sanitized. I know no other way.
The past four and a half years have been very intense. A huge amount has been thrown at the Government but that isn’t to say mistakes haven’t been made. Clearly they have.
There’re also areas where I’ve been disappointed and think more could have been done. On immigration in particular, more progress should have been made. When it comes to stopping the boats I think we should have been more prepared to rip up the rule book and net legal migration should never have reached the levels its reached. However, we’re where we are and I stand in front of you today as a Conservative candidate.
In many senses Reform UK is as tempting to me as it’s to many of you. The reality is though that under the present system Reform UK could actually end up being the greatest enabler of a crushing Labour victory at the forthcoming General Election. An outcome that I’m desperately keen the country avoids. I’m disappointed that Reform UK feel the need to stand against Conservative candidates such as myself who share so many of their aims and values.
By voting Reform UK in Ipswich or you’ll likely to is make the chance of the Labour candidate being elected more likely. A Labour candidate who let me remind you travelled to Calais on multiple occasions to express solidarity with those looking to illegally enter our country and a Labour candidate who attended what looked like a pro-open borders rally outside the Novotel. Oh, and has been based in Norwich for the past few years instead of moving to Ipswich when he was selected as the Ipswich Labour candidate (which is what I did when I was selected as the Conservative candidate).
This isn’t to say however that I don’t think the Conservative Party needs fundamental reform. It’s just that it’s only by electing Conservative candidates such as me that such fundamental reform is likely. I’ve been left deeply concerned by the way Conservative candidates have been selected for the forthcoming election. Internal Party democracy is essential and clearly the behaviour of the Party Chairman has understandably caused significant concern amongst many members and supporters. Lessons must be learnt urgently. I feel that there is too much of a disconnect between the views and values of the majority Conservative voters and members and many Conservative MPs. This is unhealthy and it needs addressing.
There’re a large number of Conservative candidates at this election who feel exactly the same way as me and are determined to bring about change. Now is not the time to give up on the Conservative Party.
I could not be more passionate about my country and the Town I’ve had the honour of representing for four and a half years in the mother of all Parliament’s. I plan to enjoy the next few weeks taking my message to voters. Hope to see you all soon!
Health Services
I will work to ensure that the planned new A&E Department at Ipswich Hospital opens by autumn of this year at the latest. I will work with the University of Suffolk to ensure that the new dental centre on the Waterfront fulfils its commitment to be a game changer to the provision of NHS dentistry locally.
Transport
The Honour Of My Life
It has been the honour of my life to have been the Member of Parliament for Ipswich over the past four and a half years.
We’ve been through a lot. Who would have thought that only a few months after my election we would be plunged into a global pandemic. We’ve also seen the biggest war in mainland Europe since the second world war break in in Ukraine. And of course we also saw the passing of Her Late Majesty the Queen.
Over the course of the last Parliament me and my excellent team have done our best to support the tens of thousands of Ipswich residents who have contacted us asking for support on a range of issues. All in all we’ve sent over 32,737 emails and 5,175 letters to individual Ipswich residents. In Parliament I’ve made over 250 spoken interventions and have tabled 273 written questions.
I’m pleased with some of the wins I’ve achieved. We secured £25 million from the Government for a 10 different projects across the Town. Though progress on these projects has been slower than I would have liked we have seen and continue to see delivery on the ground. From the Health and Social Care Academy at the University, the conversion of the Old Post Office Building to the Botanist and investment in our shopping parades.
We’ve education we’ve seen two new special schools. Ipswich being part of the Education Improvement Programme that brought in extra investment. A new Sustainable Construction centre and Tech Centre at Suffolk New College and changes at a national level to ensure that all newly qualified teachers have a greater understanding of all types of learning disability.
On health in only a few months time we will see the opening of a new A and E Department at Ipswich Hospital and brand new unique NHS Dental Centre on the Ipswich Waterfront that will carry out up to 18,000 hours a year of NHS Dental appointments.
On transport I led the moves for a variable speed limit to be introduced on the Orwell Bridge. This has significantly cut the number of times the bridge closes. We’ve also ensured that funding is re directed from HS2 to fund Haughley junction and Ely North rail projects.
On Policing we’ve seen over 200 extra Police officers across Suffolk and a boost to police presence in the Town via the Shared Prosperity Fund and the Safer Streets Fund.
Locally I’m pleased with some of the wins we’ve secured in supporting key local organisations and sports clubs. I was involved in helping secure funding boosts to Ipswich Wanderers Football Club, Ipswich BMX Club and the Murrayside Community Centre.
However there is so much more to do and that is why I’m asking for your vote at the forthcoming General Election. Sadly there’re significant issues with the Town centre and it’s wrong that so many Ipswich residents are shunning their own Town centre and don’t feel safe and comfortable when visiting. We need a zero tolerance approach to tackling this.
On immigration I’ve been one of the most vocal MPs in Parliament. I published a 10 point plan calling for major reductions to legal migration. The Prime Minister has adopted many of my proposals. I ensured the Novotel was one of the first hotels in the country to be returned to its regular use having been used as an asylum hotel. I’m very clear that we need to leave the European Court of Human Rights to help us deal robustly with illegal migration and also commit to a cap to keep control of legal migration.
I was very honoured to be appointed the Chair of the SEND Group in Parliament a few months ago and work on Special Educational Needs is very close to my heart and something I’d like to continue.
I hope to see you out and about across Town over the next month and I will be sending you many emails to update you with what I’ve been up to.
Town Centre
Ipswich Labour attack anyone who raises concerns about the Town Centre as “talking down the Town”. It’s not. The reality is that when I knock on doors it comes up time and time again. Thousands of Ipswich residents are avoiding their own Town centre because of concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour.
We secured funding through the shared prosperity fund and the safer streets fund to help boost Police presence in the Town centre but we need to do more than this. Ipswich Borough Council and the local Police need to adopt a zero tolerance attitude to those making others feel uncomfortable and unsafe. They need to use the powers that they have.
Please watch this video where I set out my views in more detail.
SEND
I have dyspraxia and dyslexia. When I was 12 I had a reading and writing age of an 8 year old. I couldn’t tie my shoe laces until I was 14.
SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) is one of the things closest to my heart. Everyone person with SEND should be given the opportunity to fulfil their true potential.
I was honoured to be appointed as the Chair of the SEND group in Parliament two months ago and am pleased about some of the national level wins there have been. However we have such a long way to go both nationally and locally.
Have a watch of me setting out my views.
Immigration
In my view immigration is one of the most important issues facing the country and earlier today I set out my views on what I’ve been up to on the issue over the past 4 years and what my views are about what should happen next. Have a watch.
Net legal migration numbers need to be cut to much more sustainable numbers. We need to insist on integration and we need to be completely intolerant of illegal migration.