Date: 20 August 2007

Karen Bradley will be the Conservative candidate at the next election. Your Leek Paper asked her to introduce herself to its readers.

I have really enjoyed meeting so many people over the few months, both on the doorstep and at the many local functions I’ve been lucky to attend.  But for those of I am yet to meet, here’s a short biography. I have strong family ties with the Moorlands.  My great-grandparents and grandparents lived in Rudyard and in Wetley Rocks, respectively.  I was born here and lived in Cheddleton as a child until my parents moved to Buxton to run a pub. I went to the local state school and then onto Imperial College, London, where I read Mathematics. After university, I trained as a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser, a career that I focused on until 2002.

So it was all fairly normal. Then I was lucky enough to go and work in parliament for the Shadow Chancellor’s team. It turned out to be a life changing experience.  I was writing parts of speeches, advising on economics and helping committees decide on the detail of new tax laws – believe me, there are plenty of those! But most importantly I saw how a good MP can make a difference to people’s lives and I knew I had to try.

I decided to focus on politics as much as I could and I resigned from my job.  I spent some time advising on economic and fiscal policies and, in 2005, I stood in the General Election in Manchester Withington.

I live in Leek in the heart of the Moorlands with my husband and two little boys.  Having my home here is incredibly important. I experience the same problems as everyone else, use the same public services, shop in the same shops.  It helps me to understand what we need in this unique place.  I would be a loud and clear voice for Staffordshire Moorlands as your MP, just as I try to be – as best I can – as your candidate.

I have been kept very busy attending local events and listening to people’s concerns and ideas.  I’ve enjoyed the Leek, Manifold and Ipstones Shows and carnivals, fun days and fetes, from Biddulph to Alton, from Hollinsclough to Werrington.

The most important think is not that you hear my views, but that I hear yours so I can try to make a difference for you.  As a candidate, I can do that by talking to local decision makers.  I can help make sure our local priorities are included in the national policy process so that a future Conservative Government will help us here in Staffordshire Moorlands. But I can also make a difference by getting things done.

We’ve been doing our bit to help the community.  Taking part in volunteer litter picks, which we have held all over the Moorlands, and organising other social action projects, like the footpath that we built at Ladydale in Leek. On our last weekend working on the footpath we had over 25 local volunteers. These are small but important contributions to our quality of life and I am really proud of the end results. Children at All Saints First School now have a safe route to walk to the church avoiding the busy main road. I’m looking forward to our next projects and I’m always keen to hear your ideas.