General Election - June 7th 2001
Robert Key
your local Conservative Candidate

…A Personal Message to first time voters

Welcome to democracy! One vote is enough to change a government - it could be you…your vote really does count. Please use it.

I have great faith in you. I believe you are as idealistic as any past generation. You live in a more cynical world - where it is cool to shrug your shoulders and walk away. But I believe you get as angry as I did (and still do) about the foolishness of 'those in charge'.

It isn't cool not to care about your country, your conscience or your cash. Now you can vote, you can make a difference.

Fortunately we have a voting system that leaves you in control of the Westminster parliament. The Liberal Democrats want you to believe in a system of unfair votes where you cast your vote and they steal the winnings to gamble on deals behind closed doors, irrespective of what they promised on your doorstep. Don't trust a party that wants so-called proportional representation for Westminster. Anyway, what are the LibDems for? Or are they just the awkward squad? Salisbury LibDems are certainly the weakest link.

Does the Labour Party believe in anything any more? Does it believe in Tony Blair? Or does it just believe in re-election? It certainly doesn't believe in the £. They plan to scrap it in two years. Why? What's the euro for? I could see the advantages if we were a weak country with a weak economy. But we're not. We have the fourth-largest economy in the world and we sit on the UN Security Council.

But, why vote for Robert Key, Conservative? I believe in the United Kingdom, in our people and in our values. Conservatives are ambitious for our country in the world. Conservatives believe in personal freedom, not political correctness. Freedom and responsibility are both stifled by the Labour Party's obsession with Europe, obsession with imposing another layer of regional government (what for?), intolerance of anyone or anything 'off-message'. Labour is guilty as charged with hypocrisy - the 'whiter than white' Party wallowing in sleazy cash, ministerial resignations and spin. As John Major put it, vote Labour if you want to be ruled by lies.

I believe people in South Wiltshire are sick of all this. My ambition, if you re-elect me, is to rebuild trust between real people and real politicians, between Parliament and Government. Forget the spin - go for common sense.

We want to look after the sick and the elderly - and those who cannot help themselves. We must fund our common services like education, justice, the Foreign Office and defence. That's why we pay tax. But tax is NOT virtuous for its own sake. Taxation is not a substitute for personal charitable giving - not least because tax often hits those who are least able to pay or who are most financially stretched on low incomes or with big financial commitments like mortgages and cars. I believe tax should not be a disincentive to hard work, to enterprise or to ambition. Conservatives want as little of your money as possible: just enough to fund a decent, civilized society. Above all, beware politicians who try to bribe you with your own money…

I hope I have convinced you that you should use your vote. You can phone a friend, ask the audience, or go 50/50 - but I hope you'll come up with the same answer - vote for Robert Key!