The budget started with good news. The UK's economy is growing faster than the USA, France and Japan, millions more people are in work and wages are rising.

With the Budget coming on Wednesday 8 March, a number of constituents wrote to me about beer duty and business rates for pubs.

A 32 tonne, 40ft long lorry packed with business experts rolled into the carpark at Maidstone Studios on Tuesday.

I know a lot of local businesspeople are worried about the business rate revaluation, and some are seeing big increases.

Helping people who’ve been handed a raw deal in life is one of the reasons I wanted to be an MP, so I’m delighted to be holding a jobs fair with the Job Centre to help people from disadvantaged backgrounds find work.

It was wonderful to welcome David Cameron to Faversham for a tour of Shepherd Neame, the biggest employer in the constituency and the oldest brewery in Britain.

I asked David Cameron about his visit to Shepherd Neame at Prime Minister' Questions

Taittinger is set produce English sparkling wine at Selling Court Farm near Chilham.

I've joined with the British Beer & Pub Association, the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) by sending a ‘Message in a Barrel’, calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to cut beer duty in the Budget on 16th March.

Kent has so much to offer visitors, but some of its greatest treasures – like the historic town of Faversham itself – are not as well-known as they should be. I’m keen to promote Kent, not least because visitors contribute to the local economy.