The Conservative Party has recently published its proposals for dealing with the problem of travellers. Measures would include:

Enforcing the existing law on trespass, animals and road tax. At present, the authorities often overlook minor offences because they are too complicated.

Introducing a system to speed up the process of eviction, cutting time and costs.

Closing the legal loophole that allows travellers to move to other local sites when they have been evicted from land.

Giving the courts powers to withhold Income Sup-port from travellers who persistently refuse to obey eviction orders.

Ensuring travellers' children are sufficiently provided for in both education and welfare needs. Children will be considered when any eviction order is applied for but must not be used as an excuse not to leave land.

Encouraging landowners to seek compensation from the groups who cause damage to their property.

Providing designated local authority sites for travellers to use, negating the travellers' claim there is nowhere for them to go.

The Conservative Party is the only political party prepared to speak up for the majority for whom the travellers now represent a severe menace in our community.

-David Gold, prospective parliamentary candidate, Brighton Pavilion ward