The results for the UK Parliamentary election for the Epping Forest Constituency have been declared by the Returning Officer, Ian Willet, at 3.35am on Friday 7th May 2010 and are as follows:
Katie Elizabeth CURTIS - The Labour Party - 6,641 votes.
Ann Mary HAIGH - Liberal Democrat - 10,017 votes.
Eleanor Fulton LAING - The Conservative Party Candidate - 25,148 votes.
Simon Benjamin PEPPER - The Green Party - 659 votes.
Pat RICHARDSON - British National Party - 1,982 votes.
Kim SAWYER - English Democrats “Putting England First!” - 285 votes.
Andrew George SMITH - UK Independence Party (UKIP) - 1,852 votes.
The turnout was 66.95% compared to the 2005 turnout of 62.88%. Therefore, Eleanor Fulton Laing is re-elected Member of Parliament for Epping Forest with a significantly increased majority.
Eleanor Laing has issued a statement outlining what David Cameron’s Conservative Government would do about Gypsies in Epping Forest, in which she highlights her commitment to giving power back to local people. As the Conservative Party policy paper states: "Conservatives believe in social responsibility. Different people from different communities should be free to lead their lives in different ways. But this freedom must come with a responsibility to the wider community. The vast majority of traveller accept this, but a very small minority do not." Conservatives will act to ensure that this becomes a reality:
Against unauthorised sites: "Where councils have made appropriate provision for authorised sites in their area, which reflect local need and historic demand, we will provide them with stronger enforcement powers to tackle unauthorised development and illegal trespass. In addition, we will introduce a new criminal offence of intentional trespass."
Gypsies to contribute: "At the same time, it is important that settled council tax payers do not foot the bill for the construction of new authorised sites. The Conservatives will reform the syste
m so traveller site funding to councils so that they are properly compensated for new sites and will require travellers to make a contribution to to the cost of services on authorised sites."
A British Bill of Rights: "The Human Rights Act has made it more difficult and expensive to evict trespassers from private and public land and has overridden planning law by allowing travellers to proceed with unauthorised developments. Conservatives will replace Labour's Human Rights Act with a new British Bill of Rights which will help to address these problems."
Scrap the Direction: "The Labour Government has used the regional planning system and top-down targets to force local authorities to build new camps for the travellers, often on Green Belt land. Conservatives disagree with these top-down building targets, for traveller camps and for new houses. As part of the abolition of regional planning and the Regional Spatial Strategies, targets for the provision of traveller camps will be scrapped. In addition we will also scrap John Prescott's controversial guidance on travellers."
"Only a vote for the Conservatives will deliver the change we need and bring power back to the local people. Labour have neglected local needs and allowed the traveller problem to grow over the last 13 years. Please don't let them do it again", Mrs. Laing explained.
Aside from all of the reasons local people are hearing from David Cameron as to why you should vote Conservative on Thursday 6th May, there are many reasons, I believe, you should support our local Conservative candidate, Eleanor Laing.
Eleanor has served as the Member of Parliament in Epping Forest for the past 13 years helping literally thousands of local residents as and when they face issues. More than that though, Eleanor has acted as an ambassador for Epping Forest nationally fighting hard against Government proposals which will negatively effect our day-to-day lives. She has also served in a variety of roles within the Shadow Front Bench team, creating Conservative Party policies and holding the Government to account in key areas.
O
ne of Eleanor’s greatest battles as our MP, has been to protect the Green Belt which is constantly under threat from development. Very recently, Eleanor has worked hard to ensure that Green Belt land locally does not become the home of large groups of Gypsy and Traveller families. In a recent Residents Survey, Eleanor has explained: “David Cameron has promised a total change of direction on planning policy for gypsies and travellers if 
we win the election. There will be no more regional or national planning control. Decisions will be taken at local level - where people know what is best for their own community. So, get rid of Gordon Brown and we also get rid of the plans for more gypsy and traveller sites in Epping Forest.”
For those of you wishing to read more information about Eleanor and her work as an MP, you will find her voting record in the House of Commons here. The Early Day Motions she has supported here. The speeches she has made at debates here. The written questions she has submitted to Ministers here and a list of her Parliamentary expenses here.
For campaign related information, you can logon to Eleanor’s website here or download a copy of her Election Address here. Alternatively, you can become friends with Eleanor on Facebook here.
As someone who has spent many years on local doorsteps discussing forthcoming elections, I know only too well the frustration people have when you tell them they are unable to vote because they are not registered. The usual responses are: “But I pay my Council Tax” or “I send that form back last year”, neither of which make any difference unfortunately.
Registering to vote is really simple. If you haven’t ready received a form through the post you can download and fill in a form online from the About My Vote website.
Alternatively you can telephone the elections team on 01992 564411 and they can post or email you a copy. All you need to do is complete the form and return to it: Elections Team, Civic Offices, High Street, Epping, Essex, CM16 4BZ. The deadline for all registrations is Tuesday 20th April 2010.
If you want to have a say in the Parliamentary and District Council elections this year, all you have to do is complete the simple form!
The Churches Together in Epping Forest have finally announced the date they shall host a General Elections Hustings to a theme of “morality”, which I wrote about previously here. This event will be open to all Epping Forest residents.
The debate will take place on Wednesday 28th April from 8pm in St. John’s Church, Epping.
Pastor Lee Carmichael, Pastor of the Elim Pentecostal Church will act as the meeting’s Chairman.
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Eleanor Laing has been the first to lay-out the core policies she will be campaigning on in the run-up to our May election in a leaflet being distributed. The literature gives residents a choice: "Five more years of Gordon Brown - or a brighter Conservative future" and continues to say “I have had the privilege of being MP for Epping Forest for the last thirteen years. I listen to you and I speak up for the issues you tell me you care about. You say we need to change things – and I agree!”
Mrs. Laing continues to explain that a Conservative Government will:
Change the Economy – Take quick action to get the economy moving. Rescue our country from Labour’s debt, waste and taxes. Boost enterprise. Help small businesses. Aspiration and opportunity are better than government red tape.
Change Society – Support families. Help people who do the right thing and deal with people who do the wrong thing. Raise the basic state pension and make benefits fair. Control our country’s borders. Restore discipline in schools. Back the NHS. Save the green belt. Responsibility is better than the nanny state.
Change Politics – Cut Whitehall and quangos. Cut the number of MPs. Take powers back from Europe. Let local people take local planning decisions. Freedom and transparency are better than state control.
So, our sitting Prime Minister, Gordon Brown finally met with Her Majesty The Queen at 10am this morning and requested that she dissolve Parliament and call a General Election on Thursday 6th May 2010. The work for political parties began immediately with troops being scattered right across the UK to win what is believed to be one of the closest fought contests in recent times. In Epping Forest, the following candidates have announced their intentions to stand for election:
Katie Curtis, Labour I currently work in the trade union movement and lives in Canvey Island.
Ann Haigh, Liberal Democrat
Sitting District Councillor for Buckhurst Hill West. Professional ‘Children's Guardian’, social work consultant and trainer.
Eleanor Laing, Conservative
Sitting MP having represented Epping Forest for the past 13 years. Currently Shadow Minister for Justice having previously served as a Shadow Spokesman for Education and Skills, Constitutional Affairs, been an Opposition Whip, Shadow Minister for Children, Shadow Minister for Women & Equality and Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland.
Simon Pepper, Green Party
Head of Government and Politics at Chigwell School, born in Enfield in 1983 and now lives in Grange Hill.
Pat Richardson, British National Party
Sitting District Councillor for Loughton Broadway, renowned for recently saying to a newspaper: "Firebombing is not a British method. A brick through the window is a British method."
Andrew Smith, UK Independence Party
A Epping resident, born in Cambridge and currently working as a Finance Director at various Lloyds insurance brokers.
Kim Sawyer, English Democrats
The situation with this candidate is confusing. The National Chairman, Robin Tilbrook has states in an e
mail that Kim in standing in Epping Forest, yet the national party’s website suggests Claire Breed is. Not a good start!
For some of the statistical information about the Epping Forest constituency and past election results, please click here. To see a full list of Parliamentary Candidates standing in Essex constituencies, please click here.
The Churches Together in the Epping Forest district have announced their intention to host a hustings in the run-up to the general election and that invitations have now been extended to representatives from each of the 7 political parties who have announced their intentions to stand for election.
The event, which will take place inside St. John’s Church in Epping will focus on issues such as morality, the sanctity of human life, the education of children in such matt
ers and the support to be expected from the government in protecting the rights of all citizens, particularly the old and infirm.
Those interested in obtaining further details of this event can contact the Epping District team office on 01992 575570 or 01992 579935. Alternatively you can email them here.
The Epping Forest Chamber of Commerce is to host a political debate on Wednesday 21st April at Woolston Manor Golf and Country Club from 7.30am to discuss the big issues effecting local business, covering everything from the significant increase seen in business rates to the impact of the global financial crisis.
Representatives from all of the national political parties have been invited to attend, including Conservative MP for Epping Forest, Eleanor Laing, who has agreed to ensure there is a lively debate on both local and national issues and welcomed the opportunity to discuss the key issues effecting business within her constituency. 
Epping Forest Chamber of Commerce is an independent, non-profitable organisation run by business people for the benefit of commerce in the local community. The Chamber brings together over 100 diverse companies in the Epping Forest district.
To obtain your ticket for this event, which are being charges at £12 to members and £15 to non-members, please telephone on 0843 289 8184 or email here Alternatively you can book online here. Tickets include a full English breakfast.
The results for the UK Parliamentary election for the Epping Forest Constituency have been declared by the Returning Officer, Ian Willet, at 3.35am on Friday 7th May 2010 and are as follows:
