"Tories standing full slate of candidates in this year’s Manchester council elections" is the headline of Manchester Evening News' story. It is nice to see the local newspaper reporting some positive news regarding our local party. As some other sources were proven wrong, we are indeed fielding 96 candidates in the upcoming election. Also worth noting is the fact, mentioned by the newspaper, that other parties do not have even a single candidate in some wards...

The Chancellor has presented his Budget to Parliament – here's a summary of what was announced.

The Brexit negotiations will start right after the election - don't risk Jeremy Corbyn in charge of Brexit. Every vote for Labour in Manchester is a vote for Corbyn. Only our candidates, standing with Theresa May, can deliver the best deal for Britain and the best deal for Manchester.

Times have certainly changed in Rusholme since our last Conservative Councillor, Dame Kathleen Mary Ollerenshaw. In 1978 the Conservative Party had 46 Councillors elected to Manchester City Council. Since then we have seen our numbers dwindle to zero and our city go into decline.

Cllr Sean Anstee is the Conservative Party candidate for Mayor of Greater Manchester and the Leader of Trafford Council.

Read his latest article on why he is running for Mayor.

Written for our website's new "ViewPoint" section, Richard Mather's brilliant article:

I am honoured and humbled to have been chosen by the Conservative Party to become its leader. I would like to pay tribute to the other candidates during the election campaign, and I would like to pay tribute to Andrea Leadsom for the dignity that she has shown today. During this campaign, my case has been based on three things. First, the need for strong, proven leadership to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times. The need of course to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world.

The country has just taken part in a giant democratic exercise, perhaps the biggest in our history. Over 33 million people from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Gibraltar, have all had their say. We should be proud of the fact that in these islands, we trust the people with these big decisions. We not only have a parliamentary democracy but on questions about the arrangements for how we are governed, there are times when it is right to ask the people themselves, and that is what we have done. We not only have a parliamentary democracy but on questions about the arrangements for how we are governed, there are times when it is right to ask the people themselves, and that is what we have done.

Manchester Conservatives believe in livable and affordable communities, as well as a competitive and dynamic local economy. In this manifesto we set out how we’d help with the cost of living, how we intend to reward hard-working individuals and families, how we hope to protect the most vulnerable, and how we want to make our city more affordable and cleaner.

Dear friends, this is our first challenge of 2016 and I’m calling for your help! Many of you will know that Blackley is in fact the area of Manchester where we as a party have traditionally done well. In the past we have achieved second place and with your help I believe that, whilst difficult, first place is not impossible. The socialist monolith that is the Manchester Labour party takes victory for granted and is totally intolerant of the people it claims to represent. I campaigned on the streets of Blackley in May last year and saw this for myself. So come along and help me rebuild  the Conservative Party in Manchester, right here, right now!