"Axe Petrol Tax" says The Sun

As I wrote in The Sun today, petrol prices are crucifying families, businesses and pensioners, who depend on buses to travel.

This is the biggest brake on economic growth and is creating a poverty trap, as people can't afford to drive to work.

Our taxi firms and lorry drivers are also being taxed out of existence, adding to Britain's dole queue and causing misery for millions.

We need a CUT in fuel duty for millions of hard-working motorists and families.

Most people have no choice but to fill up their car or van with fuel. That is why I am fighting for cheaper petrol.

Over 100 MPs have now signed my motion for cheaper petrol, which will be debated in Parliament next week (Tuesday 15 November).

Government after Government on this issue has had the "engine of a lawnmower, but the brakes of a Rolls Royce". I am glad that the Chancellor cut fuel duty by 1p a litre this April, but we need to go further to get cheaper petrol, as soon as possible.


by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Report Back: The First 100 Days

It's been a busy three months since I became MP for Harlow and the surrounding villages. I still have much to learn, but it's been a whirlwind so far:

ROADS AND REGENERATION

• Traffic in Harlow has reached gridlock, but there is some good news. Regular readers will know that I have campaigned for an extra M11 junction for over four years. At last, we are starting to get somewhere. Since the election, I have worked with Essex Council to secure a major investment of over £500,000 into planning this. They have also now said that a new junction on the M11 is now their "number one priority in Essex". Also, I successfully pushed for a Commons debate on the M11 junction in order to get this higher up the agenda. Although we won't get a new junction for many years, at least we have got the ball rolling.

• I was proud for Harlow to open our refurbished train station recently. The new painting and lifts are fantastic. I hope to see more regeneration later this year.

• I have met privately with Government Ministers to make the case for the Health Protection Agency moving to Harlow. I have also spoken publicly in Parliament about this, and the urgent need for regeneration in our town, to make sure that this is high up on the Government's agenda.

APPRENTICESHIPS

• I'm very pleased to say that from October this year, I will hire an apprentice from Harlow College in my office. The apprentice will study Business Administration Level 3, and will be part-sponsored by Mr Dean Barclay of Harlow Greyhound Stadium, and also by Essex Council.

• I will be the first MP in the country to hire an apprentice, and I hope others will follow suit. Mr Dean Barclay has also generously agreed to sponsor Harlow apprentices in the construction and building trade.

• After a sustained campaign, including 6 debates in Parliament, I was delighted to secure extra funding for lone parents and students from deprived backgrounds at Harlow College. As I said in my first ever speech in the House of Commons:

"If we give young people the necessary skills and training, we give them opportunities and jobs for the future. It is about helping people to help themselves."

BIG SOCIETY AND COMMUNITY GROUPS

There has been quite a bit mentioned about the Big Society recently. In essence it means power transported away from Government down to the community level.

• The Big Society is so strong in Harlow that the Minister, Nick Hurd MP, recently visited Harlow Council, Rainbow Services and the Harlow Multi-faith forum, to consider Harlow for the next wave of the Big Society project. It was a successful visit, and I'm glad that the new Government is starting to take Harlow seriously at a national level.

• Since the election, I have met with over 80 community groups in Harlow and the villages, and helped them with local problems and issues.

POLICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY

• Following many tragic fatalities on the railways near Harlow, I have called for more to be done to combat the loss of life. In Parliament, I have asked the Government to set up a new volunteer force of Special Rail Guards to improve rail safety, along the same lines as the Special Constables. They would be genuinely local people who help their community, by volunteering a few hours a month. I hope to meet with the Police and Government Ministers in the autumn to drive this forwards.

• I have also met with the Chief Constable of Essex, Mr Jim Barker-McCardle, to discuss how crime and anti-social behaviour can be reduced. Following this, the Home Secretary has agreed to meet with Mr Barker-McCardle and I to discuss the challenges of reducing crime and police reform in Harlow.

• I have championed Special Police Constables. Essex is an important county, because we have one of the largest force of Specials in England. I have asked the Government to look at transforming Special Constables into a Territorial Army-type force, to boost community policing in Harlow and across the UK.

CASEWORK

• In three months, I have sent over 5,596 emails and letters, helping local people with their problems or issues they raise. This is an average of 62 per day, including Saturdays and Sundays.

• I have held 11 surgeries in 3 months, and have seen 134 people individually.

• Major casework victories include securing a new Pelican crossing for Velizy Avenue, in the town centre, and £900,000 to improve our cycle ways along Southern Way.

P.S. If you would like to know more visit my website www.roberthalfon.com.

For my regular surgeries, please call 01279 311451.

For a tour of Parliament, please call 0207 219 7223.

Roads and Table Tennis

Yesterday was a really good day for my work in the Constituency. I first met with the David Smith , the mastermind behind The Best of Harlow website. He has set up an amazing site for businesses in Harlow, on the web. I then went to Harlow Renaissance to be briefed about the latest regeneration plans for Harlow. I think Renaissance are a tremendous organisation who have a determination to transform Harlow for the better. I also had a great meeting with Simon Price who is a technical long distance driver. Simon supports my campaign for an extra by pass on the M11 and was helping me out with some ideas. At McDonalds, we pored over maps to try and examine possible routes for the by-pass.

But the best part of my day was on Friday evening. With Cllr Muriel Jolles, I visited the Norman Booth Centre in Old Harlow. Thanks to the inspiration of Neil Brierley and others, Norman Booth has been transformed into one of the top Table Tennis Clubs in the country. It is also self financing as the Centre also has a range of other sporting activities and a great cafe and viewing area. This place should be in the top ten of one of Harlow’s proudest achievements in recent years and shows what can be done with leadership and determination. I enjoyed playing table-tennis with young Rhys Williams and got trounced of course!

Finally, for those who read my blog a few days ago, you will recall a Pigeon decided to do his business on my suit, in the Water-Gardens Car park. Well I had an email from a friend in Northern Ireland who said it is a sign of good luck! Well, he was completely right! My girlfriend who is Brazilian, got her Visa to study in the UK, so I was really happy. She will be back next week and I have to pick her up at the crack-of dawn on Thursday morning. So thank you Mr Pigeon, wherever you are.......