I visited some of the shops in Great Yeldham earlier this week and it is clear that despite on-line shopping and out of town shopping centres the traditional village shop still has an important role.

New figures show that 1288 fewer people in Braintree are now claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance since 2010 - a 63% drop.  There are now just 761 claimants a fall of 407 since January last year.

I have written to Nicky Morgan MP, the Secretary of State for Education, to highlight the current situation at Tabor Academy and request a meeting with her to talk about its future.  I am also arranging to meet with the new management team.

I believe that taxes should be modest and tax regimes simple, and when big companies or wealthy individuals don't pay their fair share it puts more of the tax burden on the rest of us. That is why I believe that we should be tough on tax dodgers.

The Conservatives created the Armed Forces Covenant to make sure that we honour the social contract that we have with service personnel and their families.

The A120 is one of the most important economic corridors in the country.  It links a major sea port to a major airport and connects businesses and commuters to trade and employment opportunities, yet in places it is little more than a country lane.

Support our 'English Votes for English Laws' campaign.

The Conservative's long term economic plan has driven down unemployment, taken job numbers to a record high and made the UK's economy one of the fastest growing in the developed world.

Businesses and local people deserve modern super-fast broadband and decent mobile signals. Braintree's potential will only be unlocked once these essential modern services are rolled out across the district.