Theresa Villiers will be standing again as the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Chipping Barnet, which she has represented in Westminster for the last 12 years. On Sunday night, the members of the local Conservative Association voted to adopt her as their candidate for the General Election.
During her time as MP, Theresa has championed many local issues, acting to protect the green belt, supporting local businesses, backing local NHS services, fighting for faster broadband and supporting Barnet’s diverse communities.
Following the meeting, Theresa issued the following statement:
“I am deeply honoured to have been reselected to stand as the Conservative candidate for Chipping Barnet for a fourth time. I will be working as hard as I possibly can in the weeks up to the general election, out on the doorstep speaking to voters and listening to their concerns.
Throughout my 12 years as local MP my aim has always to be a strong champion for the constituency, campaigning on the issues that matter to all of us who live here.
So I have fought against over-development and to protect the green belt. I have been working to help local businesses and high streets, speaking out against excessive business rate rises and achieving a reversal of policy from the Government on business rates. I also protested in Parliament about plans to make small businesses submit quarterly returns to the taxman and the Chancellor has postponed them for a year.
I have always strongly backed our local NHS services. And after many months of effort, I helped secure the reopening of health centres in Brunswick Park and East Barnet.
And when residents expressed concern about slow broadband speeds I took action to get BT to start filling the gaps in fast broadband and persuaded Virgin to expand its super-fast network here.
Throughout my time as MP, I’ve also tried to reach out to every part of our diverse community in Barnet highlighting the international questions that matter to many local residents, such as freedom for Cyprus, security for Israel, justice in Sri Lanka, and human rights for Iran.
My aim is to ensure that every resident, whatever their background, faith, ethnicity or heritage, knows that I am on their side and that I have their interests at heart.
Whilst I voted leave in the referendum, I will be listening to the views of all residents, whether they voted leave or remain, as the country seeks a new relationship with our European neighbours, a deep and special partnership based on trade and cooperation between friendly neighbours. I will be striving to achieve a successful outcome to the Brexit negotiations with which the majority of both leave and remain voters in the constituency can be comfortable.
Every Conservative vote at this election will be a vote for strong and stable leadership in the national interest. It will be a vote to strengthen the Prime Minister’s hand in dealing with the deficit and delivering economic stability so we can support the NHS and our public services with the resources they need.
Only the Conservatives can provide that strong and stable government that the United Kingdom needs in uncertain times. The only possible alternative is a coalition of chaos made up of a floundering Jeremy Corbyn propped up by the SNP and Lib Dems.”
Local Conservative party member and High Barnet resident Valerie Whittaker said, "We are all delighted to have Theresa as our candidate again going into the General Election. She is local, she has a proven track record and stands up for residents. The people of Barnet could not wish for a harder worker."