Education will be critical to the success of the next Conservative Government. My abiding memory of the 2001 Election campaign was the experience, as a Parliamentary candidate, of addressing a classroom of 12 year olds at a poorly performing school in Plymouth. It was so frustrating to see the lack of discipline in the classroom and the way that those who wanted to learn were prevented from doing so by their unruly classmates.

As a Governor of a comprehensive school, I have seen first-hand how poor teaching standards and an inadequate focus on getting the basics right can contribute to appalling outcomes. Our children need to be taught to aim higher and competition is a helpful means of raising standards. Competition teaches children to aim high, to achieve and also to lose, crucial lessons if they are to survive in the competitive world in which they will have to make a living. Michael Gove's proposals for the next Conservative government will free our schools, teachers and governors from New Labour's centrally driven targets and interventions. New schools will demonstrate that change can be real, radical and can transform outcomes for all our children - no matter where they live.

Like many people I feel deeply saddened by the increasing loss of life amongst our armed forces in Afghanistan. The first priority of a Conservative Defence Review should be to provide better support and rewards for our armed forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However, we cannot continue to have a military strategy that is not supported by the right levels of investment and funding. If we want to take on the role that many other countries are not willing or able to fulfil then we must make better provision for those service people who put their lives on the line on our behalf. If we can't afford to do this then we must reduce the commitments we make and explain clearly what our national interests are.

For me, working hard and doing the very best I can is my approach to all I undertake in life. Having spent most of the last decade working in one of the world's largest multinational firms I have become more and more aware that there are now many more people across the globe who are competing for our jobs. Achieving the best we can and ensuring we cultivate that spirit in the next generation is critical for our country's future success.

In order to instil resilience and a sense of determination to succeed the State must not be too big a force in the life of our citizens. Children need to grow up relying on their own abilities and potential, not relying on automatic handouts and ever bigger safety-nets from the State. Over the past 12 years many in our society have become dependent on an anonymous safety net which discourages hard work, drive and self-improvement. We must look after the genuinely vulnerable but always seek to enable everyone to fulfil their potential to succeed rather than feel comfortable and fulfilled whilst dependent on the state.

My mother-in-law is always bending my ear about the need to look after the old folk! With limited resources it is always hard but I am delighted that the Conservative Party has decided to restore the link between the state pension and earnings during the course of the next Parliament, but an aging population means that many of the ways we have cared for the elderly will not make sense much longer.

My 89 year old grandmother is a classic example of someone who represents the generation we need new solutions for. Quite reasonably she wants to live as long as possible in her home, but in order to allow her and the many like her to be able to do this we need to be ready to deliver an array of flexible and complex services in the years ahead. This may involve tough choices and for some the need to make a bigger contribution to fund their future needs. What is clear is that we need rigour and transparency in our analysis of health provision and honesty in our conclusions. Politics is not about easy solutions and glib sound-bites but having the courage to take tough decisions and explain them carefully - in the best interests of the country as a whole.

As a husband, stepfather, son, brother, uncle, nephew, grandson, neighbour and friend, I believe in strong families and supportive communities. In recent times it has been fashionable to deride the traditional family unit as society has become more disconnected, mobile and fragmented.

Yet, at the most basic level I believe all human beings need family support and community ties to lead balanced and fulfilled lives. We should recognise marriage in the tax system as marriage remains the best institution to bring up children in. I have seen at first hand the pain that family breakdown brings. Without a moralising tone a Conservative Government should do all it can to create the best conditions for marriages to flourish and for family life to be valued and supported.

As a magistrate I have become acutely aware of the challenges faced by the police and the courts when dealing with criminals. I believe that the most effective way to help the vulnerable is to properly punish as well as rehabilitate the anti-social who have become a serious problem in many of our city centres.

When people commit crime, they should be caught, sentenced and punished appropriately. A constant desire to explain the reasons why people commit crimes does not stop crime from rising. Too often persistent offenders are not dealt with effectively: we need sufficient long term prison places as well as sophisticated treatment for the mentally ill, a range of drug and alcohol programmes and a diverse provision of rehabilitation programmes to integrate criminals leaving prison into sustainable lives after they have served their term. Improved local accountability of police forces is required to ensure that our police officers are able to prioritise their efforts with the public's support.