Liberal Democrats are already making Ealing fairer

In Ealing, voters will make their choice on who should represent them on May 7th.

Councillor Gary Malcolm

Liberal Democrats in government have successfully turned around the poor state of the economy - where we were shedding over 1,000 jobs a day when we took over from Labour - into the fastest growing economy in the G8.

We have a sound platform to continue the good work that the Liberal Democrats have done as part of the coalition government.

Ealing has seen investment to improve many core services. We have delivered:

• £45 million to Ealing schools, since 2010, to benefit the most disadvantaged children.
• Free school meals for 13,400 children in Ealing in school years Reception, 1, and 2.
• Almost 8,000 apprenticeships giving our youngest members of Ealing a greater future.
• 5,500 more residents in Ealing in work, compared to 2010.
• A £900 income tax cut for over 150,000 Ealing residents, taking 22,000 of them out of tax altogether – something the Conservatives said back in 2010 wouldn’t be possible!
• A £950 cash increase for 38,000 pensioners in Ealing, compared to 2010.
• Tax-free early years education or weekly childcare for 10,500 Ealing families.
• Waiting limits for mental health treatment for the first time.
• Equal marriage – allowing same-sex couples the right to marry here in Ealing Town Hall - something Labour said they had a principled objection to only a few years ago.

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Jon Ball has been visiting residents in Ealing, and they say they are looking forward to voting Liberal Democrat because of the £8 billion a year we will invest in the NHS, something that not one of the other parties have pledged to match.

Housing in many areas including Southall and Acton needs improving. Our policy to introduce a ‘Rent to Own’ scheme will allow young people to buy their own home without needing a deposit, by ‘buying’ a share in their homes by paying their rent.

We will cut bus fares by two-thirds for 21,600 16 - 21 year-olds people in Ealing.

We will also give a £250 respite bonus every year to 3,570 full time carers in Ealing.

We will require that all children should be taught by a qualified teacher: currently 115 teachers in Ealing are unqualified.

Ealing Labour have failed: rather than invest in our shared future like the Liberal Democrats, they have closed day centre after day centre, making life worse for vulnerable groups like the elderly and those with disabilities.

The Liberal Democrats have made Ealing a fairer place already. A vote for the Liberal Democrats on May 7 and will help us all go further.

Liberal Democrats remain intact after tough local election campaign

It was certainly a tough local election campaign. So many leaflets delivered, so many people spoken to and so many roads walked on. And pairs of shoes (and legs) worn out!

Me with new Councillor Gary Busuttil and Andrew Steed

Thankfully the Southfield and Ealing Common ward Liberal Democrat Councillors retained their seats as the Tories were punished. The number of Conservative councillors was halved.

Gary Busuttil topped the poll in his first election in Southfield! Well done Gary as you have been a great local campaigner. So many people agreed with the campaign you led to stop the Council from closing day centres.

In Southfield ward three Liberal Democrat councillors were returned with an increased share of the vote compared to four years ago.

Further west in Ealing Common, Councillor Jon Ball was re-elected and there was nearly a second Liberal Democrat councillor elected, but Jenni Hollis missed out narrowly. They worked so hard and with all elections some great people miss out.

Ealing Council's CEO announcing the Southfield result

The only Lib Dem loss was in Elthorne where the energetic and hardworking Councillor, Nigel Bakhai, lost his seat to Labour as voters across Ealing turned their anger mainly on the Ealing Conservative party.

The Conservatives lost 12 councillors and their leader has since stepped down.

The Liberal Democrats locally have avoided what some said would be a wipe-out because we work locally and have policies that will help the residents of Ealing. Protecting vulnerable residents from the impact of any cuts is one of our top priorities, for instance protecting the vulnerable users of Carlton Road Day Centre.

The next four years will be interesting and difficult but the 69 Councillors who were elected (30 new ones) only a few days ago, need to get on and do the job to help their resdients.

Jon Ball elected as Liberal Democrat candidate and is challenging Angie Bray

At a packed meeting in Ealing last Friday, Councillor Jon Ball, was selected by local party members to fight the Ealing Central and Acton parliamentary constituency for the Liberal Democrats.

After his selection, Jon Ball issued a challenge to the incumbent Conservative MP for the seat Angie Bray, saying, "What, if anything, has Angie Bray actually achieved for local residents 3 years in to a 5 year term? She has a busy diary but does not seem to get beyond meetings to delivering results."

Jon Ball secured the highest ever Liberal Democrat vote in Ealing in 2010, securing 13,041 votes in the marginal Ealing Central & Acton seat.

Jon Ball at under-threat Ealing Hospital  

Earlier, in a wide-ranging speech, Jon commented on the state of the three parties, saying:
"A Labour Party standing against austerity would be a tough opponent. But Ed Milliband’s Labour is not that party. He announced last weekend that any future Labour government would stick to the coalition’s spending targets and would cap welfare spending. What would be the point of voting for austerity in a red rosette?

Jon Ball added: "The Tories are tacking further right to ward off challenges from UKIP. Here in Ealing, that is especially acute as we have our own swivel-eyed loon, UKIP Councillor Benjamin Dennehy, a rampant self-publicist, who appeals to right wing voters. In 2015 he proposes to stand for UKIP here in Ealing Central & Acton and Angie Bray is nervously looking over her shoulder.

Liberal Democrats are implementing policies in Government such as:

• bringing the lowest paid out of tax,
• the Pupil Premium to help disadvantaged children,
• and new green jobs.

These have all gone straight from the front cover of the manifesto Jon Ball fought on, in 2010, into legislation.

Jon Ball added: "When I talk to people on the doorsteps, I hear people who like our message of working hard on local issues, and I also hear people who are receptive to our national message of creating a stronger economy in a fairer society. Regardless of opinion poll ratings or negative stories in the national press, what has always been true remains true: where we work, we win."