Thomas de Freitas (@ThomasdFreitas) header
Thomas de Freitas (@ThomasdFreitas) profile picture

@Conservatives Assistant Leader of West Lancashire Council 🌳 Primary school governor, county / borough councillor, proud Lancastrian 🇬🇧

West Lancashire
Joined June 2023
Photo by Thomas de Freitas (@ThomasdFreitas)Photo by Thomas de Freitas (@ThomasdFreitas)Photo by Thomas de Freitas (@ThomasdFreitas)Photo by Thomas de Freitas (@ThomasdFreitas)Photo by Thomas de Freitas (@ThomasdFreitas)Photo by Thomas de Freitas (@ThomasdFreitas)Photo by Thomas de Freitas (@ThomasdFreitas)Photo by Thomas de Freitas (@ThomasdFreitas)Photo by Thomas de Freitas (@ThomasdFreitas)Photo by Thomas de Freitas (@ThomasdFreitas)
Thrilled to have been re-elected as the @Conservatives councillor for North Meols & Hesketh Bank in West Lancashire! 🌳 🌳 Con: 1304 (52%) ➡️ Ref: 733 (29%) 🌹 Lab: 207 (8%) 🟢 Grn: 163 (6%) 🔶 Lib: 110 (4%) Maj: 571 (23%) 💪
9
27
1
321
6,185
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
No wonder Labour can't get our economy moving. Only the Conservatives will create a Stronger Economy.
261
119
15
465
20,341
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
The Conservatives have recorded their highest level of support since the general election to come within two points of Labour, YouGov polling for The Times suggests Almost one in four voters (24%) now say they would back Kemi Badenoch’s party if an election were held tomorrow — up two points in a week The figure is broadly similar to the 23.7% of voters that supported the party at the last general election, under Rishi Sunak. However, it is a marked improvement over the averages of between 17% and 19% at which the party has been polling for much of this year 67% of Conservative voters from 2024 would now choose the party again, while 13% of the Tories’ support comes from voters who backed the Liberal Democrats at the last election Significantly, the Tories also appear to be attracting younger voters, potentially drawn by the party’s pledges to cut taxes. Some 17% of voters aged between 18 and 24 now intend to back the party, a higher figure than for the Lib Dems and Reform UK combined thetimes.com/uk/politics/art…
66
91
20
482
48,255
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
This says it all, frankly! h/t @sebs_tweets
146
710
100
2,736
378,399
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
Incredible
NEW: No 10 clarifying that despite the Chancellor saying he would cut the welfare bill by the next election there is no commitment to do so
3
14
65
2,011
this should a yes / no answer
I asked Andy Burnham if he would categorically rule out an IndyRef2 taking place during his premiership. This was the PM’s response.
1
1
5
199
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
The Conservatives' image has improved across every attribute since August. The party is now viewed about as positively as it was at its 2021 conference. Its strongest net ratings are: ✅ Knows what it stands for: +4 🎯 Clear sense of purpose: -3 🤝 United: -8
11
76
16
211
35,395
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
The contrast couldn't be clearer
69
21
6
181
33,535
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
.@JeremyClarkson just took to the stage at #CPC26
37
88
11
780
229,215
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
In 1997 the Tories bequeathed New Labour: - 3.5% GDP growth - 4.5% wage growth - 4.6% manufacturing output growth - Energy independence and falling energy prices - A brand new nuclear power station (1995) - New reservoirs (1992) - Construction of Manchester airport's second runway - Falling unemployment - London as the world’s leading foreign-exchange centre - A newly opened Channel Tunnel - Debt at just 37% of GDP - On track for a balanced budget Andy Burnham just said that this was failure. Somehow.
164
1,134
47
4,782
146,697
Completely unsustainable
🚨 NEW: The OBR has estimated the PIP benefits bill is set to nearly double from £26bn a year in 2024 to £45bn in 2030
2
13
630
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
The MP for West Lancashire has terminal cancer, here's why she is voting against the Assisted Dying Bill tomorrow: @AshleyDalton_MP: "To say, 'We can't guarentee decent palliative care, but we can arrange to hasten your death', that's not a choice, that's practically a threat"
87
1,223
111
7,866
1,481,831
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
A stunning vindication of the hard work of teachers and pupils in England - and of hard won reforms
New PISA data out- and a huge success story. England is now a top-10 education system in the world. Outside of Asia, one of the highest. New PISA 2025 results: Science: 8th in the world, up from 13th Reading: 9th, up from 13th Maths: 10th, up from 11th. While much of the OECD has gone backwards, England has has held its ground while most of the world has gone backwards. Huge achievement by school staff.
80
227
16
1,787
75,240
Labour’s LGR project has been a complete shambles from the start. To think of how much time, effort, and money has been wasted so far, and how much disruption our councils have faced…
🚨 BREAKING: Andy Burnham has paused plans to merge smaller councils into larger authorities after receiving legal advice It means local elections next year will go ahead on existing council boundaries
1
15
787
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
At the 2029 General Election, you can vote for: 1. The current government (Labour) 2. Those who were in Boris’s government from 2019-2022 and now back socialist policies (Reform) 3. Or a new, fresh, Conservative government full of the next generation of serious thinkers.
289
60
45
571
138,796
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
JUST ANNOUNCED: @griffitha, @ClaireCoutinho and Richard Fuller will form the new Conservative Economic Unit.   Together, they’ll be focused on one thing: building a stronger economy. 🚀
113
137
37
620
63,572
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
In the 24 months since Labour came to power, we've seen; • Employer National Insurance increased from 13.8% to 15%. • The employer NI threshold cut from £9,100 to £5,000. • Income Tax and National Insurance thresholds frozen until 2031. • Capital Gains Tax increased from 10% and 20% to 18% and 24%. • Business Asset Disposal Relief increased from 10% to 14%, then 18%. • Investors’ Relief increased and its lifetime allowance cut from £10 million to £1 million. • Carried interest taxation increased and moved towards the Income Tax regime. • Dividend tax rates increased by two percentage points. • Savings-income tax rates increased by two percentage points. • Property-income tax rates increased by two percentage points. • Most unused pension funds brought into the Inheritance Tax net. • Agricultural Property Relief restricted. • Business Property Relief restricted. • Inheritance Tax thresholds frozen for longer. • The non-dom regime replaced with a more extensive residence-based system. • VAT imposed on private school fees. • Business-rates relief removed from private schools. • Stamp Duty increased on second homes and buy-to-let properties. • The Furnished Holiday Lettings tax regime abolished. • Pension salary-sacrifice benefits capped at £2,000 before National Insurance applies. • The Cash ISA allowance cut to £12,000 for most under-65s. • A 22% charge introduced on interest from cash held inside non-cash ISAs. • Restrictions introduced on transfers and cash-like holdings within ISAs. • The Energy Profits Levy increased and extended. • Investment allowances for oil and gas producers reduced. • A new Vaping Products Duty introduced. • Tobacco duties increased above inflation. • Vehicle Excise Duty increased for many new cars. • Electric vehicles brought into the Vehicle Excise Duty system. • A new mileage tax announced for electric and plug-in hybrid cars. • Air Passenger Duty increased. • Climate Change Levy rates increased. • Plastic Packaging Tax increased. • A new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism introduced. • Making Tax Digital extended to more landlords and self-employed people. Together they represent one of the biggest transfers of wealth from households and businesses to the Treasury in decades - with no noticeable improvement in public services. Whether you're a business owner employing staff, a parent paying school fees, a farmer planning succession, an entrepreneur building wealth or simply someone trying to save for retirement... You keep less of what you earn. You keep less of what you invest. You leave less to your family. Death by a thousand cuts is becoming tax policy.
768
4,977
594
12,964
947,917
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
According to the IPPR think tank £1 in every £5 taken in future tax will need to go on servicing debt interest. Generation Beta (those born between 2025-2039) are set to take on this burden if we don’t change course. My comment in the Express ⤵️
38
34
4
99
12,226
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
Tax Freedom Day was 6th June this year. That's the date you stopped working for the taxman and started earning for yourself. It’s the latest it’s ever been and under Labour it’ll become later still. Let’s cut welfare spend and get taxes DOWN.
123
152
23
348
84,695
An enhanced service for West Lancs residents - with no increase in the subscription price! 👍
The Council has approved an enhancement to its Garden Waste Subscription Service, extending collections from 40 to 44 weeks per year, providing more opportunities to recycle garden waste and support the Borough's environmental and recycling ambitions: tinyurl.com/36nbyyku
6
806
Thomas de Freitas retweeted
Nigel Farage has made more U-turns than Keir Starmer….
🚨 FARAGE’S U-TURNS ARE NOW GOING VIRAL! 🚨 The clips speak for themselves… ➡️ Says he doesn’t want a tax-funded NHS… then says he never said it. ➡️ Says he’ll abolish ILR… then says he won’t because people came legally. ➡️ Welcomes foreign students… then complains universities rely on them. ➡️ Demands a grooming gangs inquiry… then quietly drops the issue. And that’s just the start. At this point, which Nigel Farage are voters supposed to believe? 🤔🇬🇧
72
53
7
207
19,306