PoliticsUK

Who are you backing in the race to become the next Tory leader? Open to Tory players only. Closes Thursday at 11:59pm GMT.

I had a fantastic time in Battersea this morning where I launched my campaign for the leadership of the Conservative Party. My pitch to our members is simple: I want to change our party in order to change the country. With your support I will make our party more democratic, more reflective of our country's values, and more equipt to hold this corrupt Government to account.

I am proud to have nominated my friend and colleague, William Croft, for Leader of the Conservative Party.

In the wake of the election result, this party needs a bold, optimistic vision around the core values of freedom, justice and aspiration. It needs a leader strong on the issues of tax, Europe, social justice, immigration and economic opportunity. Above all else, it needs a dynamic, engaging leader who can take our case to the British people at the next election.

I believe that William Croft provides the dynamic leadership, the optimistic vision and the strength on key issues that we need to lead the Conservatives back into government.

Following the departure of William Hague, the Conservative Party needs a leader who is willing to put forward a progressive and hopeful vision of modern conservatism, rather than the regressive views of the past that some in the party seem to think is the best step forward. To win this next election, we need a modern leader with a modern set of priorities for this new British century: and I believe that leader is William Croft.

Having had a chance to speak with him, he believes strongly in our need to build a party that not only represents our base and the middle England voters who broke for Blair in the past two elections, but also that we must work to make gains in parts of the country that we have struggled in, starting with the devolved assembly elections in 2003. I am confident of William's ability, and his determination to make the required change to boot out this failed Labour government whenever the next election may be.

I am very happy to announce that I am backing William Croft to be the Conservative Party’s next Prime Minister. I have known William for many years, and know that he will deliver for the party and for Britain. This country badly needs a competent, streamlined, small government that gets out of the way, promotes business, deals with falling standards in schools and hospitals, cuts taxes and restores order to our borders and our streets. Mr Croft will deliver all of that and more, and his bright, optimistic vision for Britain’s future is one around which we should all rally.

This election is a serious matter, and we need a leader who will bring us an election victory next time around. We need someone who is willing to unite the party and is not spouting the policies of the British National Party and the National Front. I will be endorsing William Croft for leader, I believe he has the right vision to lead us into the next election and to modernize the party. A Croft lead Conservative Party is going to focus on addressing environmental concerns, lowering taxes, and investing into education. Mr. Croft will make sure the Conservative Party is ready to address the problems of today and the problems of tomorrow.

I am pleased to announce today that I will be backing William Croft for the leadership of the Conservative Party. I feel from my discussions with him and through what he has done to stand up against the Labour Party, and their overreaching policies, that he is the voice this country so desperately needs.

His recent vocal opposition to the Hunting Act has demonstrated his commitment to standing up for the rights of the British people and preserving those things which make Britain truly great and makes us unique. He has shown that he is committed to standing up on issues where it may not be popular to do so simply because it is right that he does. These are the qualities of a true leader and this country sorely needs one.

I firmly believe that William Croft has what it takes to return the Conservative Party to Government and to be this country’s next Prime Minister.

I am very honored to received the endorsement of so many of my fellow Conservative MPs over the course of this campaign. I am committed to uniting this party, and am proud to be the one candidate who has received support from every major wing of the Conservative Party. Unity does matter to me, it matters a great deal, because I believe that only as a united party will we be able to win the next general election. Our country is counting on us to put aside our personal differences, and to come together as a united political movement in order to give the British people the Government they deserve. Only the Conservatives can provide the leadership, conviction, and people-focused politics that will give the United Kingdom the sound government it so desperately needs. There is so much more that unites us than divides us, and I am confident that as a united party I can lead us to victory.

There had been a lot of talk about better education under Mr. Croft’s leadership but the truth is that even children who didn’t go to school know that NATO is anchored by a Treaty. This “mistake” seems to have spread into his immigration policy. A man who thinks he can stop immigration from the EU whilst still being a member of it is not a man I could ever vote for.

It’s one of two things. He either doesn’t understand the true nature of the EU and our membership of it, or he does and this is just an unachievable promise to get votes.

Now, I don’t know which it is, however I do know this - whichever it is is bad for a leadership candidate. It is bad for Conservative Members. It is bad for the Conservative Party and it is bad for the country itself. There are many other reasons to vote for Cosette, of which I will discuss later, but if you need on reason to vote for Cosette and not Mr. Croft - this is it.

Voluntary repatriation is not a morally bankrupt policy. It is a policy that I believe is supported by many members of the Conservative Party as an attempt to reduce the strains of immigration. Mr. Croft clearly doesn’t see the effects on employment and wages in areas of high immigration, for if he did he would realise why we need this policy.

The death penalty and being tough on crime with zero tolerance are also, I believe, supported by many Conservative members, and also many people in the country at large.

For supporters of Mr. Croft to call these policies the policies of the BNP and the National Front is, in my opinion, to greatly underestimate the mood of the country, and a campaign that does that in a leadership election for a political party has no hope of winning in a general election.

It is not racist to offer money to immigrants to help them relocate to their own country - skin colour was not mentioned.

Cosette and her supporters, such as myself acknowledge that we would not be able to offer voluntary repatriation to members of the EU, but it would need to be offered to immigrants from the rest of the world, regardless of location, regardless of race or skin colour. The Croft campaign thinks it can stop or slow down immigration from the EU.

The difference between the two campaigns is that Mr. Croft says what he thinks people want to hear, we are promising to give people what they want.