It’s time for all to commit to clean campaigning

AOR Ddydd Iau 5ed Mai byddwn yn mynd i’r polau ar gyfer yr etholiadau ar gyfer Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn a chynghorau cymuned. Mae sefyll am swydd gyhoeddus yn weithred ddewr a heb bobl sy’n barod i gynnig eu hunain ar gyfer etholiad ni allai ein democratiaeth annwyl weithredu ac rwyf am ddefnyddio’r cyfle hwn i ddiolch i’r holl ymgeiswyr sy’n sefyll yn yr etholiadau hyn. Er y bydd gennym syniadau gwahanol ar sut i gyflawni ein nodau yn y swydd, gwn ein bod i gyd yn unedig yn ein cariad at Ynys Môn a’n penderfyniad i’w gwneud yn lle gwell fyth i fyw a gweithio ynddo. N Thursday 5th May we go to the polls for the elections for Anglesey County Council and for community councils. Standing for public office is a courageous act and without people willing to put themselves forward for election our cherished democracy could not function and I want to use this opportunity to thank all the candidates who are standing in these elections. Although we will have differing ideas on how to achieve our aims in office, I know that we are all united in our love of Anglesey and our determination to make it an even better place to live and work.

The Welsh Conservatives are the only party on our island to be fielding a full slate of 35 candidates. We are a hugely diverse group of people, and we are all united in our determination to reverse the two decades of economic decline that communities across Anglesey should NEVER have had to endure and by our determination to work day in, day out, to unlock our island’s vast economic potential.

I have repeatedly called for a clean, positive and honourable campaign and every Welsh Conservative candidate standing in these elections, along with the volunteers who are supporting them, is committed to upholding the values of respect, tolerance and dignity. The electorate of Anglesey deserves to be able to make an informed voting decision based on truths and facts, not misinformation and abuse.

It is with significant regret and disappointment that the Ynys Môn Labour Party have failed to join us in committing to a clean campaign and have resorted to publishing false accusations about my record as your Member of Parliament. Such conduct is not worthy of our precious democracy and it is certainly not worthy of our island.

Last week, following yet more attacks published on social media platforms, it became necessary for me to write an open letter to the Ynys Môn Labour Party to address their claim that I have only spoken to 200 constituents across Anglesey since I was elected as your MP. This is a claim that even the most cursory of glances at my Facebook page, website or even my fortnightly column in this newspaper would be recognised as misleading.

In response to this widely circulated claim that has been made and publicised by the local Labour Party I would like to use this opportunity to repeat some of the points raised in my open letter and to reassure you, the people of Anglesey, that I am working day in, day out, to be the accessible Member of Parliament that you deserve. The facts are:

• I have a regular weekly telephone surgery - and speak to many constituents throughout the week, every week

• I have held physical face-toface surgeries in Rhosneigr, Aethwy, Trearddur, Valley, Amlwch, Benllech and Holyhead with more planned. Sadly, due to the death threats MPS receive I wear a stab jacket and I have a security team with me.

• I have been the island’s Conservative MP since December 2019 - for much of this time faceto-face surgeries have not been possible due to Covid.

• Since our island elected me I have helped constituents with over 13,000 pieces of casework. This involves communicating with constituents directly. My hundreds of oral and written questions to Ministers are a direct result of communications and feedback from my constituents - and are a matter of public record.

• I am committed to communicating with all my constituents - however they voted. I do so in a wide variety of ways. I have a weekly Môn FM slot, I have regular Holyhead and Anglesey Mail articles published, there are daily Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin posts and regular newsletters funded by businesses across our island. I also produce an Annual Report.

• It is a privilege to represent Ynys Môn and it is a responsibility I take very seriously. I want to be accountable and accessible to my electorate.

It is not too late for the Ynys Môn Labour Party to join my Clean Campaigning Campaign and to show goodwill by withdrawing, and ceasing, their false allegations. Our island deserves a democracy that is dignified and honourable, not undignified and intolerant. And so I repeat my appeal to everyone who is involved in these elections – let’s celebrate our differences, as it is those differences that fuel our democracy, and let’s campaign honourably.

I am privileged to be supported in my work as your Member of Parliament by the best constituency office team that an MP could dream for. Motivated by a love of our island, their dedication and commitment to supporting me in bringing the investment, jobs and training opportunities that Anglesey so urgently needs is nothing short of inspirational. They do not deserve to be exposed to the abuse directed towards me and my office and false attacks against me and against my record belittle the extraordinary work of my team and it is important that I take this opportunity to publicly thank them and highlight their service to Anglesey.

From campaigning for an Anglesey Freeport and Wylfa Newydd to championing our farmers and the personnel at RAF Valley you can keep up to date with all my work on your behalf on my Facebook page and on my website. I send out a monthly e-newsletter, which you can sign up for at virginiacrosbie. co.uk/newsletter and I hold regular in person advice surgeries across Anglesey. If you would like to receive a more comprehensive list of what I have delivered so far, or if you would like to book an appointment at one of my surgeries, please do contact my office at virginia.crosbie. mp@parliament.uk or 01407 644645 – we would love to hear from you.

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a belated Happy Easter. However you spent your Easter – I hope that you have had a happy and enjoyable time.

Over the Easter period Parliament was in recess and, although it was by no means a week of rest, it did give me the chance to spend time doing by far the best thing about being your MP – spending time out across the island meeting with people, community groups and businesses.

After all the restrictions and adversity of the last two years it was wonderful to see Anglesey basking in glorious Easter sunshine and businesses rising to the welcome challenge of visitors returning once again.

I particularly enjoyed being interviewed by rising star journalist Huw Bebb at Golwg360 about learning Welsh, Wylfa and opening our home here on the island to a young Ukrainian refugee.

It was a fantastic opportunity to get out and about in my constituency and canvas with some of our fantastic Ynys Môn Conservatives Council candidates and I also took full advantage of our island’s amazing eateries, visiting Holly-molly-cafe, The Shed, Bradleys Coffee Shop, Catch22 Brasserie, Dylan’s Menai Bridge, Langdons and Ocean’s Edge Restaurant. I also had some delicious donuts at the

Mona Car Boat sale and a warm welcome from the team at the Chester Inn in Holyhead.

I attended the Easter service at St Cybi’s Church Holyhead and was privileged to be asked to give the reading and I grabbed a coffee at Cuffed-in Coffee whilst being interviewed by a local teen launching their own podcast – certainly one of my week’s highlights!

It was also an opportunity for some family time, including welcoming our newest member of the family - the 18 year old daughter of a Ukrainian Member of Parliament as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Thank you to everyone who has given her a warm Anglesey Cwtch.

I’d like to end by wishing continued good luck to Simon, Rhiannon and Emilia who are undertaking a Gavin and Stacey themed 200 mile fundraising walk between Billericay and Barry Island. They set off on Wednesday and aim to finish a week on Sunday. They are raising money and awareness for pancreatic cancer and the idea was inspired by their wife and mother, Pia Eaves, who died of pancreatic cancer last year. To find out more about their journey and how you can donate you can visit www.walkforpia.co.uk Diolch yn fawr.

As always, please remember that if you have any concerns or problems, my dedicated team and I are here to help. If you need my help you can contact me in any of the following ways:

visit my office at 19 Stanley Street, Holyhead phone 01407 644 645 email virginia.crosbie.mp@ parliament.uk

visit my website www.virginiacrosbie.co.uk

Many of your neighbours receive my free monthly e-newsletter. To receive your personal copy please sign up here: https:// virginiacrosbie.co.uk/newsletter/

Fel bob amser, cofiwch os oes gennych unrhyw bryderon neu problemau, mae fy tîm ymroddedig a finnau yma i helpu. Os bydd angen fy help arnoch chi, gallwch chi gysylltu â mi drwy’r dulliau canlynol:

ymweld â 19 Stryd Stanley, Caergybi ffonio 01407 644 645 e-bostio virginia.crosbie.mp@ parliament.uk

edrych ar fy ngwefan www.virginiacrosbie.co.uk.

Mae llawer o’ch cymdogion yn derbyn fy e-gylchlythyr misol am ddim, I dderbyn eich copi personol, cofrestrwch yma: https:// virginiacrosbie.co.uk/newsletter/