Maria Miller launched her own Basingstoke Manifesto this week in her bid for re-election.
The Tory candidate, elected to parliament in 2005, was selected by David Cameron as Shadow Minister for the Family within two years and spoke to the Observer about her campaign.
“It has been an enormous privilege to serve the community of Basingstoke as MP for the last five years,” she said. “Basingstoke is a great place and I want to do all that I can to support the community into the future.
“In Basingstoke the choice at this election is clear – vote to re-elect a tired Labour Government or vote Conservative for a new Government with the energy and leadership to get Britain moving again.”
One of Maria’s priorities, outlined in her manifesto, is to make sure that local services in Basingstoke keep pace with ongoing development planned for the town. She sees one of her major achievements as getting central government to recognise the need for investment in services as well as in new housing in Basingstoke.
“What I try to do is to give Basingstoke the strong voice I think it needs in Westminster,” she said. A mother of three, improving schools in Basingstoke is one of Maria’s top concerns.
“We have some great schools, and some very innovative schools like Everest Community College,” she said. “But we have to get the right schools in the right places and I would like to see more parents get their first choice of schools for their children.”
Ambitious house building targets have put pressure on town bosses and Maria wants to see residents given more control.
She continued: “Local people should be able to shape their future. We can’t go on being dictated to by central government who don’t have our best interests in heart.”
Before entering politics, Maria spent 17 years in business, and was the director of a successful company. She believes a fresh approach to business is needed to help Basingstoke through the recession.
“The days of thinking growth is just about building more office blocks are over. What we need is a vibrant town with good quality jobs, attracting major and small employers to take up residence here,” she said. “We want to let the entrepreneurial spirit roam free.”
The former MP emerged un-tainted by the expenses scandal, as her accounts were in order. She welcomes the public investigation into parliamentary corruption.
“It’s absolutely right that this election is all about trust,” she said.
