Biography

George has lived in Penarth for 33 years with his wife and three children and is currently the general manager of Age Concern, Enterprises Wales the largest older persons charity in Wales.

George has experience in business and the voluntary sector and would like to pass the skills he has gained onto younger generations. If elected, he will strive to regain community spirit.

Main Issues

Older People

- Better pensions such as re-linking the Basic State Pension with earnings.

- The Benefits system should be reformed to ensure that older people are paid their entitlements automatically instead of searching for them.

- Reform of the care system, 80% of people in Wales believe that care and support for older people should be free at the point of use and paid for through taxation.

Families

- Limit store card interest. Currently at shocking high interest rates.

- Support a free national financial advice service for everyone.

- Help for families where one parent wants to stay at home for the first two years. The first two years are crucial in a childs life we should be able to give parents this choice to spend longer with their children.

European Community

- I would support the discussion on whether we should opt out of the European Union (EU).

- We have lost much of our Independence to Brussels as many of our laws are now made there.

Education

- Education, Education, Education. This was the famous phrase from the 1980s, and I believe that our children deserve the best education that can be found. Help and support for teachers.

- Parents to have a bigger say in how schools are run. A partnership between the teachers, parents, pupils and the local community

- Careers advice is I believe woeful in England and Wales and can quite often let the pupil down at a very crucial point in their life. Experts from the world of business need to address our pupils and inform them of what it is really like in the outside world of work.

Bank Bonuses

- By now I am sure that everyone is disgusted by the bonuses being handed out to some Bank staff, to the ordinary man and woman in the street it feels totally and morally wrong to reward failure

- I would lobby for these bonuses to be repaid on the debts owed by the bank. After all it is our taxpayer’s money that was given to them.

Local Issues

Younger People

- Youngsters are also facing tough times. Many young people are finding it difficult to get a job either from leaving school or university. We have a duty to not give up on these people and we must work tirelessly to pursue with local employers ways of recruiting this vast army of new talent. One of my first jobs as M.P would be to discuss ways of employing people and create a Cardiff and Penarth “Think Tank” on this subject.

Citizenship and Community

- Embark on a local programme to improve standards and understanding across our Cardiff and Penarth community. There is much talk about “Broken Britain” but we don’t have to be broken in Cardiff South and Penarth. Together with local communities, police, and business I would instigate a Cardiff and Penarth community award scheme which would be a course and funded by local business. This would be open to all and especially to offenders.

- Tourism is an area that can develop more jobs for Cardiff and Penarth. We need to find ways of improving tourism in Wales and particularly to our area.

Local Education

- Generally speaking there are marvellous schools in Cardiff and Penarth, both primary and secondary.

- Education is one of the most important facets in a young person’s life. I would advocate a stronger relationship between teachers, parents, pupils and the local community which will help our pupils thrive.