News from Deborah Dunleavy

I would like to thank everybody who voted for me last Thursday from the bottom of my heart. I’m just so sorry I wasn’t succesful in returning a Conservative MP to Westminster for Bolton North East. I felt I threw everything possible into winning the seat but unfortunately it just wasn’t enough.

I’ve been involved in politics for many years, and will continue to be so, my enthusiasm for public office hasn’t been dented whatsoever, but I do hope for the sake of my home town and our great country the dirty campaign I have experienced over the last 6 months is never repeated. I made the decision at the beginning of my campaign not to get down in the dirt with the Labour Party and I stand by the decision and would do the same again whether it meant winning or not. I also stand by the decision not to allow myself to be manipulated by promising parts of the community any special treatment. I have always advocated that where ever you live in Bolton you should be treated the same, and I stand by that.

I haven’t until now commented on the article in the Sunday Mirror. This Labour supporting newspaper camped on my doorstep early one Saturday morning a couple of weeks before the General Election – the accusation that 18 years ago in 1992, four months after I had legally separated from my x husband I had started to see someone else. How is this news you may ask yourself!

In fact I’m still with Mark and have 2 beautiful daughters as a result…..what a scandal! That article was photocopied and sent anonymously in the post with sticky addressed labels across the constituency the day before polling day.

At the count on Thursday evening/Friday morning I was heckled, jeered, and booed by a large  crowd in front of the stage who were there supporting my Labour opponent. Slanderous abuse was shouted at me and my family as I made my way to the stage for the result to be announced.  

I left immediately after I had spoken, and to be honest felt in an unsafe and unstable enviroment. I do hope my home town of Bolton isn’t going to experience any problems in the future such as those that have occurred in Burnley or Oldham.

I have a wonderful family who have been incredibly supportive of my ambitions, an amazing set of political officers who I consider to be dear friends all of whom I have to say a huge thanks to. I would also like to thank every single person who has helped me in any way whatsoever, and once again a big thanks to every single one of the 15,786 people who voted for me on May 6th – I’m only sorry that the result wasn’t what we had all hoped for.

Labour have lied to people nationally. In the national debate, Brown said “…it is our priority that we will support the front line services, health, the National Health Service.”

The reality came to light when a Conservative Freedom of Information request revealed that Labour will cut 650 Doctors and 2000 nurses minimum from the NHS in England. (see http://bit.ly/bGUzSm for more information)

Locally in Bolton, they have tried to spin lies about what a Conservative Government would do with our maternity unit.

Andrew Lansley, the shadow Conservative Secretary of State for Health came to Bolton and set the record straight. He said the new centre in Bolton and the unit in Bury would be sustained.

Conservatives will keep Bolton’s maternity unit open.

Lansley went on to say, “There has been a 10 per cent increase in births across Greater Manchester, and what I am saying is we have no need to lose one unit and operate with just eight units. I fully support the super-centre at Bolton, but the fact is the numbers in the Making It Better report have not anticipated such a steep rise.”

He spoke to several young people about the club and its impact on their lives. Inspired by their journey, he told Bolton Evening News about what he thought of the club:

“Today we’re talking about the importance of rebuilding society, diverting people away from crime, and there’s nowhere better than this club. The people I was talking to were all going off the rails in different ways, and this club is saving them.”

Cameron, deep in the Conservative campaign, felt he had time for a game of table tennis. Cameron was beaten by Daryl Hosker (11 to 7) who told the Bolton News: “He was good. His service was a bit hard, but other than that he was brill. Good sense of gravity and good stance.”

Bolton Lads and Girls club see David Cameron, again!

Cameron came to the club in the wake of the tragic death of Cody Turner who was only recently stabbed in Tonge Moor Road.

Cameron told the Bolton News: “You can never excuse crime, and crime has to be punished, but at the moment you have to remember before people cross the line, and before people break the law, you have to give them the chance to have a better life, and that’s what places like this do.”

Well it seems Gordon Brown is to finally call an election. Any hopes of a clean fight from my opponent have long since disappeared. I’m sure the lies will continue, first of all they were just about the Conservatives now they are personal.

I’ve asked my friends and family that if I ever start to behave in such a manner will they please tell me to just pack it all in.

I sense a great longing for change from the british public, and I know from the bottom of my heart that David Cameron and the modern Conservatives are offering this and I’m incredibly proud to have an opportunity to play a part in this. I’m also very proud to be amongst so many other females…none who have been part of all women short lists, all chosen in their own right. I’m also incredibly proud to be amongst some wonderful male candidates and I wish them all luck male, female, black, white, gay. None of this matters – all there in their own right!

Good luck to all my fellow Conservative Candidates. The picture IS one for the girls from todays Sun Newspaper of me and some of the other candidates.

From The Sun today

Todays Budget is insincere and a waste of time. It will never be implemented. If the Conservatives are succesful in May then they will hold an emergency budget. If a failing Labour Government were unwisely propped up by the Lib Dems then they would have to revisitt he Budget as any measures needed to tackle our financial woes wont be addressed today.

Todays Budget will be about politics I’m afraid. The Chancellor’s growth forecasts are far too optimistic and again they are for political reasons. The higher they are the more money Gordon Brown and Darling can pretend they have to play with. The sad truth is it’s monopoly money.

The IFS (Institute of Fiscal Studies) as pointed out if the growth forecast are too optimistic and interest rates rise (which undoubtedly they will have to at some time) at the same time, then it could mean that the country is unable to service it’s debts. The General Election can’t come soon enough!

Yesterday in PMQs Gordon Brown finally admitted what we all knew….the defence budget had been cut for several years in real terms.

I feel this is a real betrayal to our service men and women. My own personal view is that I never supported the decision to go to war. I’m anti-war generally and would always prefer the peaceful option if at all possible.

What I find really hard to ever accept is the needless deaths of our soldiers through inadequate equipment, which is exactly what is happened with the use of snatch landrovers.

Our Prime Minister still didn’t apologise, I wonder if it’s in his make up to ever admit and apologise for a mistake. He needs to consider doing so to all the families affected by this dreadful war.

I had a lovely day yesterday, it was an unusual and welcome day off which I spent with my family.

My wonderful daughters Isabella and Scarlett gave me lovely card and a really beautiful bracelet which Dad had helped them choose. The usual late phone call from elder brother Olly from University came after tea.

Mark cooked tea, I can’t really claim this was unusual as I have to say that Mark does nearly all of the cooking. I do however usually do Sunday Dinner each week, but this week I put my feet up with a glass of wine and had it served to me…..and it was beautiful, I must say.

Also a big thank you to Zahid my number 2 son – well not really but he calls me his second Mum and he is a treasure helping me in my campaign. He sent me a lovely message wishing me Happy Mothers Day, so thank you Zahid x

Who am I calling a hypocrite and a liar? Well there are plenty I can think of you know………..I always knew I was facing a dirty fight with Labour both nationally and locally so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. I’m not surprised but I have to say I am immensely disappointed at the behaviour of my Labour opponent David Crausby and the obvious national dirty Labour campaign.

It seems now that most days my post bag contains something from a Labour activist or David Crausby himself. Personally I think they have too much time on their hands, I’m far too busy with my own positive campaign and working on my case work for constituents, pity they aren’t doing the same!

I’ve had a few such letters this week including one from David Crausby, apparently he disagrees with political parties who take  money from Non Doms, he thinks it’s a disgrace! Is Mr Crausby hypocritical or ill-informed. Is he unaware that the Labour Party have received MORE money from Non Doms than the Conservatives? Does he think that it’s ok for Labour but shouldn’t be allowed for the Conservatives? There he was on The Politics Show this morning stood outside Westminster stating that Political Parties should not be allowed to receive donations from people who don’t pay tax on earnings outside the UK – clearly referring to Michael Ashcroft. What about Lord Paul Mr Crausby? The Conservatives have said they will change the law to stop this – have Labour? No they are too busy being hypocritical.

I also received this week an anonymous letter from someone claiming to have worked in Mr Crausby’s office, he wrote to tell me I was a liar and a fraud and apparently not a Boltonian. Well I must say Mr or Mrs Anonymous that you have upset my Mum! Just for the record I was born in the Royal Bolton Hospital, went to school in Harwood, Bolton, then to Mount St Josephs , Bolton and have always and still currently do live in Bolton. I’m also tiring of the emails from Labour activists trying to ‘trip’ me up with leading Qs…..I wont be answering – so don’t waste your time writing. I’m too busy with my positive campaign offering the people of Bolton North East change.