General Press Comments

[Will Frost]

I was thrilled to speak last night at the National Grammar School Association, and to present my party's new policy the Equity Premium. The Conservative Party believes that students at failing schools deserve a life line, and that parents should be empowered to choose a better future for their children. With the number of failing schools rising each year under New Labour, I believe it is entirely wrong to tell disadvantage students that they have no choice but to stick it out and hope that their school will get its act together. Students can't afford to wait for the Government to fix the endemic problems with failing schools, and hardworking parents who struggle to make ends meet shouldn't be forced to watch as their child fails to get the attention and support they deserve. The Equity Premium compensates children who have been unlucky to have attended a failing school, and gives them the extra funding and choice they deserve to get the education that meets their needs. It is a targeted, commonsense, revolutionary proposal that uplifts underprivileged communities and ensures no child is left in a rundown school that tethers their future to a sinking ship.

[Charles Trenython]

I'm delighted to have presented the International Development and Humanitarian Assitance Act to the House this afternoon. This creates ambitious and legally binding accountability for the United Nations Millenium Development Goals outlined last year with specific reporting provisions and a funding target of 0.7% of Gross National Income. It is important that the United Kingdom acts as a leader in helping those countries who can't help themselves and ensuring that no country gets left behind when humanitarian assistance is required.

The act creates a specialist regiment of the Armed Forces to help coordinate and respond on the ground to humanitarian disasters when declared as part of international law. This is a clear signal that Britain is here to help when times are the toughest for developing countries. We are signalling to our allies the moral leadership required to help those in need and a clear indication to those in developing countries that you will not get left behind, you will not be alone in your time of need and you will not be left to your own devices in the modern world