A Message from Simon Rix (Croydon Liberal Democrats)

Croydon Liberal Democrats <yourviews@croydonlibdems.org.uk>

A Message from Simon Rix

January 21, 2010 8:11 PM

Simon Rix, Croydon South Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate

Simon Rix, Lib Dem Candidate for Croydon South

I live in Croydon with my wife and two young children, so local services are very important to me. That's why I'm standing to be your next MP.

Labour are a spent force, but I fear that national Tory plans for immediate savage cuts will wreck the chances of a speedy economic recovery.

The Tories in Croydon South are an embarrassment. Look at the scandal over their local MP's expense claims - £85,000 for a second home despite Westminster being only 30 minutes commute away.

And Croydon Tory councillors are wasting £450,000,000 not on services, but on a plush new HQ for council bosses. You really couldn't make it up.

There is an alternative though. It's the Lib Dems. And the good news is we are now strong enough to make a difference because more and more people are supporting us. Locally over 10,000 people voted Lib Dem here at the last general election, and polls already put us up to 2nd place in Croydon South.

And nationally we are growing as well. We're now regularly hitting 20% and last year there was even a poll putting us ahead of the Labour government at 25%.

We are reaching a tipping point - achieving a level of support and credibility where we can actually stop the Labour and Tory rot both locally and nationally. Nick Clegg will debate alongside the other leaders on TV, and our economics spokesman Vince Cable is widely respected as the best financial expert in parliament.

My pledges to you are:

• I will never claim expenses for a second home - unlike the current Tory MP

• I will live in the Borough - unlike the current Tory MP

• and I will work hard to defend local services, jobs and the environment.

Remember Croydon South Tories get £4,500 of tax payers' money every year through the Tory MP's office expenses. We get no public money. The Tory MP also uses tax payers' money to both print and deliver his leaflets to every house in the constituency. Our leaflets are paid for and delivered by individual party members and supporters. So if you can please help us out in any way you can.

Why am I a Lib Dem? Labour's instincts are for a nanny state and Tory cuts will deliver a nasty state. As Lib Dems we want an active state where people have more freedom as individuals, but can live within the safety net of a caring society. Yes, Tories believe in individual freedom, but their policies have and will damage society. Yes, Labour people believe in society, but they can't help but over-interfere with our individual freedoms.

Only Liberal Democrats truly believe in both individual freedom and a strong society. If you share this vision, then please join with me to help elect a Lib Dem MP for Croydon South.

SIMON RIX

Campaigning to be your next MP

Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Croydon South