Abbas Merali

Great to be out in the cołd this morning seeing people delighted by the 2% cut in National Insurance starting from today. 27 million people around the country and thousands in Harrow West will have an extra £450 in their pockets. Tax cuts benefiting those people that need it most. 💷

This and further tax cuts anticiapted are only possible becuase of Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt prudent stewardship of the economy and bringing inflation down to less than half of last year. That together with higher wages and strong employment is easing the cost of living crisis. In comparison Labour are intending to borrow £28billion to go on a spending spree which will take us back to square one! 📉

Last night teamabbas4harrowwest were exploring the evening economy at Coffee2Cocktails up on the hill in Harrow. Great to see everywhere heaving on the first Friday night of 2024!

Use our tax calculator to see how you benefit. https://taxcuts.conservatives.com

Date night with my biggest fan and inspiration, my dad! A spot of dinner at Haute Dolci Harrow followed by catching a bollywood movie at Vue Cinema Harrow in St Georges shopping centre,.Harrow Wonderfuł to see Harrow Town Centre restaurants and cinema busy in the first week of the new year and lovely to bump into many familiar faces!

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On the first day of the New Year, I reflect on another amazing year in public service and grateful the opportunity to serve. I was honoured to be selected as your Conservatives Parliamentary Candidate for Harrow West. Harrow West Conservatives. A place where I came to from Kenya 33 years ago, whrere I went to school, where my family care home business was founded and where I am an integral part of the local community speaking 6 languages.

Unfortunately, the horrible abd shocking events of October 7 followed by the humanitarian tragedy that has unforlded in Gaza resulting in the lost of over 20,000 innocent civilian lives has filled us all with extreme grief and sadness. As we move into 2024, achieving an immediate end to the the war and a path to sustainable peace has to be the most pressing global priority. ✌️

In 2024, I am absolutely determined to work very hard to be elected as your MP for Harrow West with a vision to restore pride in Harrow after 27 years of decline. A safer and more secure place for families to live, zero tolerance towards antisocial behaviour, improved access to physical and mental health services, supporting local businesses and employment and enhancing Harrow Town Centre, making our Harrow a more pleasant environment to live in. I look forward to working closely with the lovely diverse communities in Harrow and helping them with their specific challenges.

On the economy, after a tough year, I look forward to the first of the tax cuts kicking in on 6 January, the impact of the generous business tax cuts and the anticipation of further tax cuts in the spring. This together with significantly lower inflation, reducing interest rates, higher wages and low unemployment will mean more money in the pockets of people in Harrow West in 2024 and beyond! 💷

I wish everyone in Harrow West and people all around the world a happy, healthy, prosperous and a peaceful New Year! 🎉

Hope you have all had a restful and enjoyable festive break as we countdown to 2024!

I took a few days out to compete at the Unity Games Dubai, a community based sports festival. As both a sportsman and a sports leader I am an advocate for sports as a force for social good. Further to the exceptional physical and mental health benefits, these sports festivals are a fantastic way to promote community cohesion, forge friendships and breaking down barriers. I am determined to promote sports and well being amongst the diverse communities of Harrow West.

I was delighted to successfully compete in the tennis and padel tournaments on behalf of Stanmore Jafferys. It was amazing to be involved and experience the unique camaraderie!

Happy Christmas to everyone in Harrow West and all those celebrating around the world! As we enjoy being merry with our beloved families, let's be grateful for all that we have, be thankful to all those working hard this Christmas providng key frontline services and reflect on those less fortunate as we pray for peace, prosperity and harmony around the world! 🎄🎅

Just a few weeks in as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Harrow West, I have had the great pleasure of meeting residents, communities and businesses in to better understand some of the challenges and opportunities. My strong local message is landing well in the community as is the fantastic positive impact of the Conservatives run Harrow Council. Some of the highlights have been:

- talking to small business and seeing the positive impact of 1 hour free parking and the anticipation of the enhancement in Harrow Town Centre. 💷📈
- ⁠being invited by various faith communities and understanding their needs. Community cohesion and unity is something I take very seriously and my ability to speak several languages spoken in Harrow helps bridge and relate to the diverse communities. 🕌🛕⛪️🕍
- ⁠meeting with various social care providers, learning disability charities and understanding Harrow Council's plans around working with ICB's on providing wider access to mental health services. 🏥
- ⁠attending meeting with Cllr Thaya Idaikkadar to address the concerns of fly tipping in alley ways in Rayners Lane. 🚯
- ⁠attending several local community events welcoming the festive season! 🎄
- listening to residents and business frustrsted and angry with London Mayor's record on crime and his extension!
- ⁠grateful for the lovely welcome and warm reception on the doorsteps across Harrow West. We need to restore the pride in the Harrow I came to 33 years ago! 😊💙

Merry Christmas to you and your families and look forward to working with you in 2024 for a better Harrow!🎅

Harrow West ConservativesHarrow on the Hill ConservativesCommunity ConneXAsian VoiceSangat Advice CentreHarrow Town CentreWest Harrow ChoirFriends of West Harrow ParkManor LodgeInternational Siddhashram Sadhak Parivar

Shout out to the residents of Whitmore Road for organsing the Whitmore Lights Festive Spectacle from 5.30-7.30pm on Friday 22 December. A wonderful way to bring the community together in aid of 3 fantastic local charities Harrow Foodbank Jack's Place and The WISH Centre. Friends of West Harrow Park West Harrow Choir

Great reception on the doors for Harrow West Conservatives ! Strong local story and the case for dynamic change landing well with local residents in . Lots of festive cheer and positive outlook for 2024! Amazing support for Susan Hall and Stefan Voloseniuc

Great to be at the Championing Social Care Christmas lunch at the Royal Automobile Club supporting the fantastic charity Adopt A Grandparent adressing loneliness in our elderly communities through faciltating inter-generational engagement.

I look forward to championing social care in Harrow West and working closely with Harrow Council and Northwick Park Hospital to address the day to day challenges faced by our elderly and their carers.

As always wonderful to see and catch up friends and colleagues in the social care sector. Thanks for all the support and encouragement for my parliamentary candidacy in Harrow West!

Had the pleasure of attending the Community ConneX coffee morning with David Simmonds MP. Was inspired see first hand the fantastic work they do in ensuring inclusive and fulfilling lives for people living with learning difficulties in . As someone who works in social care I have been advocating for equal treatment for people experiencing disadvantages and nurturing their potential to contribite to our economy while living healthier lives. Thanks Jeremy Chadwick for hosting us.

Nothing beats the festive atmosphere bring communities together leading up to ! Was wonderful to be at the Christmas lights switch on with local Councillors and residents. Enjoyed the lovely carol singing by kids from Roxbourne Primary School 🎄

I don't often share but this one from our PM reminded me of my biology lessons at The John Lyon School!

Great to host Sir Graham Brady, longest serving Chairman of the 1922 Commitee for a dinner with our Patrons! Fantastically entertaining evening full of insight and a cheeky preview to his memoirs! Thanks Gagan Mohindra MP and Harrow West Conservatives Chair Rosalyn Neale for being there to support and thanks for the Patrons for their continued generosity.

Fund raising is key to turning Harrow West blue! Please do reach out if you can support my campaign. 💙🙏

Great to hit the ground running with team and GLA candidate Voloseniuc-B Stefan! Really warm reception and good wishes from the lovely residents in North Harrow on a freezing morning! Harrow West Conservatives

It’s the honour of a lifetime to have been selected as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Harrow West Conservatives, the place where I went to school, where my family care business was founded and where I am an integral part of the local community life. I look forward to working with the Conservative led Harrow Council and London Mayor candidate Susan Hall to make Harrow West a safer and more thriving place for its diverse communites to live, work and be healthy. I can’t wait to turn Harrow West blue again and restore the Harrow I first came to from Kenya 33 years ago with an attractive town centre!

What a match! Following a morning of door knocking in Rayners Lane, Harrow West Conservativesit was great to be part of the amazing atmosphere at Grosvenor Vale supporting the mighty Stones come from behind to clinch a last minute winner in the derby against Barnet! I used to watch the Stones as a child when they played at Lower Meade, Harrow. Great memories!

Also great to catch up with Club President Paul Rumens and COO Richard Hopwood.

Now all that's needed is 3 points for Spurs tomorrow to round up a great weekend!

It was good to have Lucy McDaid back at care home in Harrow, this time to interview me on my thoughts regarding the immigration numbers announced this morning. It was on the lunchtime news and you can see it again on the 6.30pm and 10:30pm news.

I spoke about the importance of developing and investing in the domestic workforce, bringing more people into the health and social care with better rewards, qualifications, valuing carers as a skilled vocation, empowering technology and thinking outside the box. Operators need to be more flexible with shift patterns, understand the mindsets of Gen Z, returning mums and those over 55 that haven't retuned to the workforce post pandemic.

While immigrant workers are a life saver to the sector and bring remarkable skills, the sector's increasing dependency on immigrant workers is not sustainable and could prove costly in the long term.

Great to hear the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt pedalling prosperity for working people, shifting gears on tax cuts and putting the brakes on people staying from work.

For me these 3 things really stood out from an excellent budfet:

- more in the pockets of working people with 2% reduction in employees NIC and a 9.8% increase in National Living Wage

- tightening the benefits system and investing significantly in helping the long term sick and re-skilling people to get more people on to the job market. This will help ease recruitment chalenges in most sectors

- continued support for business by permanently extending the ability for businesses to fully expense investment in machinery and equipment to profits.

As part of the Care Leaders Network, it was great to participate in a round table discussion on workforce opportunities and challenges in the care sector.

I spoke about the importance of developing and investing in the domestic workforce, bringing more people into the sector with better rewards, qualifications, valuing carers as a skilled vocation, empowering technology and thinking outside the box. Operators need to be more flexible with shift patterns, understand the mindsets of Gen Z, returning mums and those over 55 that haven't retuned to the workforce post pandemic.

A well funded social care system, creating greater incentives for people to work through fiscal and welfare tweaks, providing childcare and treating the long term sick are all key ways of fixing this problem. Speaking to the relevant Ministers, I remain assured that these priorities are very much at the forefront of their minds.

While immigrant workers are a life saver to the sector and bring remarkable skills, the sector's increasing dependency on immigrant workers is not sustainable and could prove costly in the long term.

Honoured to lay a wreath on behalf of Three Rivers District Council at the Northwood Remembrance Service.

Touched and inspired by the service message of hope and for all mankind. We pray for peace, justice and freedom around the world as we remember the sacrifices of those who fought for our freedom.

Another busy week in politics ends with a Friday evening campaign session down memory lane at the top of the Hill! If you know you know! 💙

Sitting on the planning committee of the Three Rivers Local Planning Authority is a real honour and one of the impactful roles I have as a local councillor. Understanding the planning arguments and nuances of every case brought in front of the committee, challenging the officer recommendations and exercising critical judgment with due care and diligence are key skills required. The decisions you make are impactful to the local residents, community and bio-diversity and the role comes with a great sense of responsibility.

Wonderful and intense few days at the Conservative Party Conference . A really positive vibe, renewed sense of hope and a party and a leader that is committed to fight...fight for a brighter future! 💙💪

Courage, vision and authentic....what a speech Prime Minister Rishi Sunak 💙💪

Was great to play in my first ever Padel tournament. Padel is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and taking the UK by storm. I'm determined to bring Padel facilities to Three Rivers District Council and to my community of residents in Moor Park & Eastbury.

Councillors in Moor Park and Eastbury had a catch up with our PCSO Supervisor John Diaz from Herts Police to discuss crime in our neighbourhood and what residents can do keep their cars and homes secure. It was alarming to hear that a significant number of car thefts are when cars have been left open and often with keys inside!

Sad farewell to the 'old' South West Hertfordshire Conservatives Association but delighted to be re-elected as Deputy Chairman of the 'new' South West Herts Conservative Association Congratulations to our new officers Mike Sims and Salem Al-Damluji.

We have an important year of campaigning and fundraising and look forward to seeing you all at our forthcoming events. Thanks Frances Button for being the ever-charismatic President and our fantastic MP Gagan Mohindra MP

As an Advisory Board Director of Mynurva who are transforming the provision of mental health treatment, It was good to attend an interesting discussion in Parliament with Parliamentary Under Secretary for Mental Health Maria Caulfield to discuss the government strategy on mental health and the role the private sector can play in reducing waiting times.

The government are investing significantly in preventing mental health issues and providing more timely interventions and the third sector have an important role to play.

Collective bargaining in the social care sector. Is this a joke? Trust Labour to take us back to the 1970s! Listen to my interview with Mariella Frostrup on Times Radio arguing the case against Angela Rayner's pledge to the TUC to bring in collective bargaining to the care sector.

The interview starts at 3 minutes into the first link and continues on the second link.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/radio/show/20230913-23097/2023-09-13

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/radio/show/20230913-19770/2023-09-13

Wonderful to catch up with our members and residents in Moor Park and Eastbury at Eastbury Farm School reflecting on a successful few months! South West Herts Conservative Association