Rob Halfon
I’ve never quite known what to make of Ian Dale’s political projections. Having completed a Masters in Public Opinion and Polling and having an all-round interest in politics, Dale’s projections –if anything–give people like me, at the very least, something to read and gossip about. They no doubt also give candidates an extra boost if positive and an unhelpful blow if negative.
Being from Essex, I naturally take an interest in predictions concerning my home county. Without meaning to miss any particular MP out, I must say that Dale’s prediction for Harlow– the town of my birth- caused me a fair bit of alarm.
Now, as I said before, I’m not quite sure where Dale gets his political info from. So, with this in mind, it would probably be unwise to make any definite assertions about this seat. Never-the- less in his short round up, Dale makes some very worthwhile points that can at least offer us a tentative insight into the challenge ahead for the Conservatives in Harlow.
Harlow, as Dale points out, tends to move in line with whatever way the country goes. From Conservative in 1992 to Labour in 1997, 2001, 2005 and then back to the Conservatives in 2010, Harlow is your typical bellwether seat. The party most likely to win here, is usually the one that forms the next government. Based on this fact and current national polling, the future of Harlow come May doesn’t look particularly good for the Conservatives.
However, this doesn’t take into the account that the Conservative candidate in Harlow, is the incumbent MP Rob Halfon. Halfon is the Conservative MP Harlow desperately needed.
I’ve had the pleasure of helping Rob out on a number of occasions. I’ve always been struck by his passion for winning over every single vote possible and for really pressing on the need to fight for the working man.
His time in office shows that he’s a champion of the issues that really matter to hard working people.
Following election in 2010, Halfon quickly set about establishing the Petrol Promise campaign which called for lower fuel tax and an official inquiry into the oil market. He based this simple, yet powerful campaign on the very people that had elected him to office.
Halfon claimed that people across Harlow, Essex and Britain were being unfairly hit by rising fuel costs and that as result, their day-to day lives were being ruined. This was an issue that resonated with mums and dads taking their kids to school and to hardworking people, who relied on their vehicles daily, to earn a living.
In December 2013, George Osborne announced that a proposed rise in fuel duty would be scrapped and that rather than increasing petrol taxes by 2p, they would instead be frozen. In comparison to the previous Government’s plans, petrol would be 20 p a litre less. In his address to Parliament, Osborne personally thanked Halfon for championing the people ‘he represents’.
He has also campaigned in favour of a 10p tax band; arguing that it offers–at the very least, a chance to reduce the financial gap between the National Minimum Wage and the Living Wage by 50%. This he rightfully argues, as well as putting more money in people’s pocket, provides the Conservative Party with huge electoral advantages.
Osborne was right to acknowledge Halfon’s ability to stand up for the very people that had supported him in 2010. The ‘people he represents’ however, should be exactly the same people we as a party fight for nationally. That’s why we are right to model our election theme on hard working people.
That’s also why it’s imperative that Halfon is re-elected in May. While Labour sneer at them, Halfon embraces our ‘White Van’ men & women; for these are the people that want to work hard, earn money and live a comfortable life- the people that make the very backbone of our nation. It’s people like Halfon –and there are many other Conservative MPs that embrace Blue Collar Tory ideals– that are key to winning former Labour voters to the Conservatives both now and in the long term.
I sincerely hope Ian Dale is wrong with his prediction for Harlow.Taking into account what I hope will be a massive personal vote and what deserves to be a big chunk of the 6000 odd Lib Dem votes from 2010, Harlow is certainly seat worth looking out for and helping out in. Although UKIP may present Halfon with potential difficulties, it should be very clear that while they spend their time moaning about problems, Halfon gets on with fixing them.
Knowing Halfon and his team, I’m certain they’ll be out there fighting for every vote, as they always have done.
