Prime Minister David Cameron penned a letter for Bolton News readers - urging residents to trust in the government's long term economic plan. Read the letter in full here.

The North West of England has always led the way. From the cotton mills of Bolton to the docks of Liverpool, this region was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution, transforming Britain into the workshop of the world.

Two centuries later, this region is leading the way once more. More businesses are being created here than anywhere outside London and the South East. Employment here and in the North East is growing faster than any other area. Thousands of young people are taking up apprenticeships and getting the skills they need to get on in life – more than any other region. After the deepest recession since the war, Britain has the fastest-growing major economy in the world, and towns like Bolton are driving that.

To ensure that progress continues, we need to stick to our long-term economic plan. But the true test of this plan isn’t just whether it brings Britain’s economy back to health; it is whether it makes life better for you – for the readers of the Bolton News. That means you should be able to expect some fundamental things in life.

Those who want to work should be able to get a decent job. That’s why we’ve been backing British businesses every way we can, so they can create those jobs – and it’s working. Since the election, there are 91,000 more people in work in this part of the country. And in the North West in particular, we’re doing some vital things – like supporting regeneration schemes such as the Horwich Loco Works, and investing in high speed rail to link up our great Northern cities and encourage more investment, businesses and jobs to take root here. 

When you have a job, you should expect to be properly rewarded for your hard work – and for us Conservatives, that means taking home more of your own money and not giving so much of it away in tax. That’s why, in the past four and a half years, we have brought in vital tax cuts, such as raising the tax-free personal allowance to £10,000. This has cut tax for everyone earning under £100,000 and lifted 343,000 people in the North West out of paying income tax altogether – more people than anywhere else in Britain. And if Conservatives are in government next time, we have committed to going further: raising the tax-free allowance to £12,500. This means those on the minimum wage and working 30 hours a week would pay no income tax whatsoever – taking a further 363,000 people in the North West out of income tax altogether, while helping all hardworking people.  

Another fundamental thing people should be able to expect in this country is a decent start for their children – a good school that inspires and encourages them to learn. Again this government is making solid progress and it’s being felt in Bolton, in new schools like the Bolton Wanderers Free School and Eden Boys’ School – new types of schools that are more likely to be rated outstanding. And in every school in Bolton, we’ve been making the exams more worthwhile, and introducing respected and challenging subjects in a new national curriculum. We are ambitious for every single child in the UK, from Bolton to Chester to Lancaster.

So we are getting there. After years of hard work and sacrifice, our long-term economic plan is working for our nation and for the people of Bolton. That’s why we’ve got to stick to the plan – and keep securing a better future for you and your family.