With my duties in Crewe and Nantwhich over with I spent this weekend out and about in the constituency. I was pleased to be invited to the East Riding Young Farmers County Rally which was held in Laxton just outside Goole.

The East Riding Young Farmers includes both the Goole and District Young Farmers (some pictured with me) and the Isle of Axholme branch and so it was good to meet members from across our area.

The Young Farmers are a great organisation and it was a pleasure to meet so many motivated young people all engaged in positive activities. For all we hear about young people's behaviour it is important to remember that the vast majority of our young people are honest and decent.

We need more groups such as the Young Farmers and the Scouts who positively engage young people and give them something to aim for. That's why I was so pleased last year when David Cameron announced plans for a six week National Citizen Service for all 16 year olds which would challenge young people and provide them with the opportunity to undertake work in the community, thereby gaining key skills and experiences.

Sunday I spent campaigning in West Butterwick where we received a very positive response on the doorsteps!

Figures revealed today show that since Labour came to power in 1997, car-related taxes have risen 50% with the average driver now paying about £1,800 a year in taxes related to driving. In addition to this, the British Chambers of Commerce estimate that Treasury has received a £505 million windfall from fuel alone. Rising fuel prices mean that the Government has received £115 million pound EXTRA in VAT due to the rising price of fuel at the pump.

Commenting, Andrew Percy said, "Instead of acting to deal with the rising cost of living, Gordon Brown and this Labour Government has actually been able to take an extra £115 million from drivers by way of fuel duty. Once again, the Government is taking more in tax whilst hard working local people are taking a hit.

Labour don't understand rural communities such as ours here in Brigg and Goole where hikes in the price of fuel are felt especially hard. Add into this the rise in the cost of car tax, it is clear to see that drivers are being used to fund this Government's economic black hole.

No doubt our local Labour MPs wont feel this increase as they will continue to charge local taxpayers for their petrol bills!"

Saturday saw another of our hugely successful campaign days, this time in the Snaith, Airmyn and Rawcliffe Ward. The response from local people was really positive with many uttering the phrase I seem to keep hearing at the moment "I've voted Labour all my life but never again."

I had one guy in Pollington who told me he was really disappointed that he had not ben able to vote on May 1st, there being no local elections in our area, and that the general election 'could not come soon enough.'

We are out every weekend and sometimes during the week too and I am really delighted at the level of support we are receiving - not least from people who have never been involved in local politics before.

If you would like to lend a hand leafletting, canvassing, helping with admin tasks or by attending our social functions please drop me a line. Our volunteer base is growing by the week and I would love to have you on board!

 P.S. The photo only shows those who came for the morning session, we had even more helpers turn up later!!!

 Andrew Percy is demanding action from Gordon Brown and the Government to deal with the rising cost of living locally. Official figures released today show that inflation has jumped from 2.5% to 3%. Another report today shows that food prices are rising at the fastest pace ever. A survey by independent price comparison site mySupermarket.co.uk shows that -

• Butter has risen by 60%.
• Pasta has risen by between 81% and 113%.
• The cost of a pound of beef mince has risen by about 15%.
• A loaf of bread is now about 20% more expensive than it was a year ago.

Andrew Percy says, "Anyone who says that the rising cost of living is nothing to do with the Government only has to look at the inflation figures for this month. Those figures show that many of the price rises are as a result of tax rises introduced by Gordon Brown in the budget.

Local people are being hurt by rises food and fuel prices and the only answer coming from Labour is to raises taxes on hard-working people yet further. It doesn't matter where you look, Council Tax, Car Tax or the doubling of the 10p tax rate this Government is making life harder and more expensive for local people.

The news on inflation today coincided with a report by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveys which found that the fall in house prices is the 'worst in 30 years'.

In the modern global economy I accept that the Government can't address every problem but it can at the very least try. Sadly, under Gordon Brown and Labour we have no leadership and instead of showing people that the Government is on their side, our Labour masters have instead decided to cream more money off us all by increasing our taxes!

If ever we needed a change of Government it is now."

Welcome back to my website which has been down for a couple of weeks. My website is devoted almost purely to local issues in the Brigg and Goole constituency and unlike other sites I could mention, I try to avoid self-indulgent ramblings and concentrate on the issues which are of importance to local residents.

River Trent Flood Catchment Plan

Despite the massive opposition to the above plan locally, the Environment Agency have decided to adopt the plan anywhere having altered the wording only slightly. It is still the aim of the Government Agency to reduce their activities on the Isle of Axholme in the hope of saving money. We will not know exactly what they are proposing until the more detailed strategies have been produced. The only glimmer of hope comes from the fact that the Agency have said that if the detailed strategies bring up new issues they may be willing to reconsider the policy approach adopted for the Isle. We must therefore wait to see what those detailed studies bring forth!

Brigg Ambulance

I attended the recent North Lincolnshire Scrutiny Panel hearing into the proposed changes which frankly did not really do this important issue justice. The Labour Chairman seemed determined to move the meeting on as quickly as possible and so there was little real question of the Ambulance Trust.

The Trust did however confirm that the Brigg Ambulance was being scrapped because of Government reviews and changes.  The Trust obviously have to do as they are told by the Labour Government but it is a shame that once again local people have no real say in these changes.

We have continued collecting signatures for our petition against the scrapping of the ambulance and have been on the streets of Brigg gaining more support. Everyone was so kind to us on the streets and i lost count of the number of people telling me they had had it with the current Government.