Reporting back from Conference - great news about Heathrow

Whilst the Conservative Party Conference was a slightly sombre occasion, the messages were honest and realistic. The best news for residents in Ealing and Acton must be that as result of a pledge to make Conservative opposition to further Heathrow expansion a manifesto commitment, BAA have now announced they will not seek planning permission for a third runway until after the General Election. This means a Conservative win at the election spells an end to this blight hanging over West London.

George Osborne's speech described some of the tough measures required to get Britain back on track, none of which would have been necessary but for the gross mishandling of the economy under Gordon Brown's administration, but it was not all doom and gloom as he announced:

* The link will be restored between state pensions and earnings
* A payment of £8,000 at the age of 65 will pay for residential care for the elderly, without forcing them to sell off all their assets as part of a means test to pay for it
* The occupational allowance for our service men and women will be doubled
* There will be many more further education and apprenticeship training places for young people
* Parents and teachers will be given the powers and the means to set up new smaller schools to set new standards for children and young people in education
* New tax measures to help support married couples and their families

David Cameron talked about how we will win through in the end and make Britain a great country again. A country where communities have taken back control, where families can watch their children grow and prosper in safety and with good opportunities ahead of them, and a country where we can start living more fulfilled lives by taking back the responsibility from the state.

I came away from the Conference in a determined mood, determined to continue going round meeting as many Ealing and Acton residents as possible, listening to ideas and helping to sort problems. I know the message is a difficult one but I believe that most people prefer to be treated as grown-ups, ready to understand what has to be done to get us out of the mess we are in. And I believe that there is a better future for us if we work towards it - and hopefully, a future without the extra noise and pollution from an expanded Heathrow."

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