Bethnal Green and Bow Conservative Association has selected its prospective Parliamentary Candidate for next year's general election.
Matthew Smith, PPC for Bethnal Green and Bow, lives in Spitalfields and Banglatown.
Matthew Smith is Chairman of Bethnal Green and Bow Conservative Association. Matt is a solicitor specialising in defendant clinical negligence litigation. He previously worked in personal injury law and media law.
After attending a comprehensive school and further education college in Cardiff, Matt attended Oxford University and graduated in Modern History. He was awarded exhibitions and a scholarship from the Inner Temple and read for the Bar at Oxford Brookes University and the Inns of Court School of Law, before being admitted as a solicitor and taking up practice in London.
Before becoming Chairman he was Deputy Chairman (Membership) and then Deputy Chairman (Political) of Bethnal Green and Bow Conservative Association. He has lived in Bethnal Green for six years and has assisted on a pro bono basis at legal advice centres and helped organise a number of petitions with residents addressing local concerns.
On his appointment Matt said: "Bethnal Green and Bow deserves a local MP who is socially inclusive, passionate about our communities and directly accountable.If you vote for me, this is the MP I will be. I am a local campaigner who shares the concerns of the thousands of residents I have talked to in recent elections in our constituency.
My priorities are:
1) “Stronger democracy”. I will fight for Town Hall transparency. I will localise planning and licensing decisions. I will deliver local constituency surgeries and residents’ public question and answer sessions.
2) “Opportunity society”. Across Bethnal Green and Bow there are 1,746 fewer people on Job Seekers Allowance since the last election. As your local MP I will build on this by organising CV clinics for local job seekers.
3) “Integration and social mobility”. I will ensure English Speakers of Other Languages classes are promoted to improve social cohesion. Using my experience as a lawyer I will work with local employers to deliver quality internships and work experience for local pupils and students.
The East End is benefiting from an economic renaissance. As your MP I will work tirelessly for a political and social fresh start for Bethnal Green and Bow in 2015. ."