As Gordon Brown announces May 6th for Election Day, Michael Fabricant announces his election pledges:

"If I am re-elected, I will continue to work hard locally for all the people living in the Lichfield Parliamentary constituency. This includes not only Lichfield, Burntwood and surrounding villages, but will also include Barton under Needwood which moves across from Burton at this general election. With up to 400 letters, emails and phone calls a week from constituents, regularly raising matters in Parliament, and visiting local people and organisations in the constituency, I have always aimed to be a very active and approachable MP.

"I shall continue to be honest, open, and transparent in the House of Commons. Despite new rules being applied retrospectively, I have remained untouched by any of the expenses scandals surrounding Parliament.

"I shall continue to fight to preserve the local environment. Whether it be opposition to over-development – such as the Fradley eco-town and building on the green belt – or Labour’s preferred route for the High Speed Train, or excessive gravel extraction from Staffordshire’s countryside.

"And with boom turned to bust, I am campaigning hard to promote Lichfield, Burntwood and south Staffordshire’s economy as a tourist, business and conference destination.

"If I am re-elected and there is a Conservative Government, I will help in delivering our national pledges which include freezing Council Tax for 2 years and raising the State Pension by linking it to growth in earnings. We will back the NHS and Schools by increasing spending each year on the NHS while reducing bureaucracy; and by creating 200,000 new school places reducing school sizes and giving power to teachers to restore discipline. Many more national policies will be announced between now and May 6th.

"As part of my own determination to improve the environment in Staffordshire, a Conservative Government will abolish Midlands Regional targets for house building and gravel extraction. In future, these decisions will be decided locally instead of being dictated from Birmingham. And we will create more employment by abolishing employer’s tax on jobs for new companies, cutting company taxes, and keeping interest rates low by reducing the national deficit.

"And with the war continuing in Afghanistan, we will properly honour the military covenant with our armed forces, their families, and those who have retired from the military.

"I believe our country has had enough of Gordon Brown who constantly said "there will be no return to boom and bust" and who consequently made no provision for bust when it inevitably came. I think it is now time for change."