Dear Editor, 

I hope that readers will not mind if I begin with a personal confession. My journey in politics started as an 18-year old apprentice to Robert Halfon. No one in my family had been political, I had never been to the Houses of Parliament and I had never ever imagined that five years later I would be Leader of a Council.

But Robert Halfon changed all of that. He was the first ever MP to recruit a parliamentary apprentice and so much was his commitment to giving people opportunities who wouldn’t otherwise get them, he went on to employ seven more. There are no two ways about it: I owe him everything. 

Robert has been the greatest friend, mentor, boss and MP that anyone could have hoped for. But far more importantly, he has been the best MP that Harlow has ever had. 

Every single day as our Member of Parliament, Robert has worked hard for Harlow, championed Harlow, fought for Harlow and delivered for Harlow. There are far too many achievements to list, but to name a few:

• Over £30 million secured to transform Harlow College into one of the best colleges in the country.
• Over £100 million secured to rebuild the town centre after decades of decline. 
• Over £30 million secured to create our Enterprise Zone attracting genuinely world leading businesses to Harlow. 
• The combined commitment from the Government to build a brand new Harlow hospital and move the UK Health Security Agency to Harlow, making Harlow the public-health capital of Europe. 
• Secured a 13-year fuel duty freeze and cut to fuel duty saving Harlow drivers £16 every time they fill up. 
• Led the building of an apprenticeships and skills nation which has seen more than 8,000 of Harlow’s young people lives changed as a result of an apprenticeship.

He will end his time as MP with more police officers in Harlow than ever before, more nurses and doctors than ever before, more per pupil funding than ever before and over £1 billion of investment flowing into our town. 

But then there is everything which isn’t reported in the press. The tens of thousands of Harlow residents, businesses, charities, organisations he has helped through the every day casework. No matter people’s political persuasion, background, upbringing, faith or belief, we have been blessed to have an MP who cares so passionately for every single constituent. People may hold a different political view, but no one can criticise the work that he has done for the people of Harlow. 

And in my own role as Leader of Harlow Council, people do not see what goes out behind the scenes every day; the support, backing and fight that he has brought. He ruthlessly stands up for every resident of our town and is certainly not shy in holding me to account. There is no way on earth we would’ve stopped Newham Council buying the development without his work, no way we would’ve secured over £100 million from the Government to rebuild our town centre without his work and no way we would be building an even better Harlow every day without the work he has done. 

Even before he was elected as MP, he fought two General Elections as the candidate for Harlow since 1999. There are not many people in politics who would lose by just 97 votes in 2005 and continue to fight for our town. The people of our town have seen that commitment and as a result have elected and re-elected him time after time after time with an increased majority. In fact, this week he became Harlow’s longest ever serving MP. 

It is because of this, that I passionately believe even with the challenges the Government face, I have no doubt at all in my mind, that Robert would win the upcoming election and I would challenge anyone fiercely who believed the contrary. 

This is an incredibly sad day for our town, but I can say with such confidence that his legacy will far outlive his time as our MP. 

Thank you Robert Halfon for working hard for Harlow every single day. 

Yours ever, 

Cllr Dan Swords

Leader of Harlow Council