Angie Bray's December Newsletter

Better future but still challenges to come in 2011

Welcome to the latest edition of my eNewsletter. All our technical issues have now been resolved, so, hopefully, everyone will be able to view this properly!

Since the Summer, Parliament - and indeed most of our press and media - has been largely absorbed by questions about how we can dig ourselves out of the worst deficit this country has faced since the Second World War. We had an Emergency Budget in June, and the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) announcement in September. Both were largely focused on deficit reduction and the tough choices the Government is having to make in order to get our economy back on track. As a result, everyone has been preparing themselves, rightly, for diffcult times ahead.

However, the Chancellor's Autumn statement brings brighter news just in time for the run up to Christmas. Talk of a double dip recession is fading fast as a range of independent economic forecasters suggest that our economy is growing more strongly than we might have hoped a few months back. This is great news, in particular for employment prospects. Of course, all forecasts have to be treated with caution, but they do all seem to be pointing towards a better future. The measures that the Government has been forced to take, however hard, appear to be working, and that must be a welcome reassurance for all of us.

In the meantime, I wish everyone a very happy Christmas season. 2010 has been a difficult year, although it did provide me with the opportunity of a lifetime after the election to represent the constituency of Ealing Central & Acton in Parliament. I hope you will continue to stay in touch with me whenever I can be of any help to you and  I look forward to working with you to meet the challenges of 2011 - whatever they may be.

Best wishes,