Andy Egginton is the Reform UK Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for North East Derbyshire. We spoke with Andy about his decision to stand.
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Andy Egginton and I am 51 years old. I am a black belt in a few martial arts, train at the gym 5–6 times a week, play football and tennis and have covered a few roles in my career. Electrician, policeman, Inland Revenue, financial manager, property developer. I work on a contract basis for two premier league clubs in football and rugby as response, dealing with antisocial behaviour.
I also spend a lot of my time volunteering for people with disability/mental health issues as an advocate, guiding them through legal processes, procedures, housing, etc. This gives me a good insight into our failing country and failing system – which I firmly believe needs Reform.
I have three children, all boys. My eldest is 23 and is an IT infrastructure technician, my second is 19 and studying for a degree in Mathematics and statistics at Warwick University, and my 18-year-old will be joining him later this year studying the same degree.
What made you decide to stand for Reform UK?
I became an accidental politician while I was advocating on a case many years ago. In this particular case, which began as a neighbour dispute and evolved into accusations that resulted in wrongful arrest. I decided to start from the beginning with the council ASB team and requesting a community trigger (the community trigger went ahead without her knowledge or attendance even though she requested the trigger), I examined the police evidence and proved they had made a baseless and wrongful arrest (the IOPC is still investigating this).
During the course of this investigation the council took major offence to the fact that “I had opened up a can of worms and wrong practices” and they then tried everything to destroy my client. They even sent a letter to her stating “We do not recognise your human rights under article 8 and will continue to attend your property against your wishes without notice” and even eventually banned her against having an advocate (which goes against the Care Quality Act 2010). I continued to advocate and raised a complaint directly with the local government ombudsman. This was when I realised that quangos are just an illusion and the public do not have any rights.
I recommend that everyone Googles “parliamentary health and social care ombudsman” on Trustpilot, reads the stories and follows up by researching other quangos. Sadly it is a horrific and pointless experience for any member of the public to deal with a quango and will only lead to being told you need to go to a judicial review, This will cost £20–25,000 and if you lose, you will pay the same again in costs to the government department. If you win, they will pay your costs and reverse their decision (without incurring further penalties). Democracy appears to not exist in this country – is it just an illusion created by the government?
While dealing with the local MP on this issue he suggested if I wanted change then I should stand in the local elections, as I would make a great councillor. So, I decided to take his advice and stood in the local elections for Reform UK. I cannot understand why my Conservative MP took offence, as it was his suggestion I stand? I found out at the count he was suggesting the Conservatives (silly me). I have also been an agent for other Reform candidates.
The reason I stood for Reform is easy and simple…. Policies!
How could I possibly sell my children down the river and stand for either the Consocialists who have broken Britain or Labour who will bankrupt Britain?
You are the Spokesman for North East Derbyshire, what has made you decide to represent this area?
I originate from Derbyshire and have family in the area. If elected I will be living in the constituency.
What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?
What I see as major concerns for the constituency is housing being built without the appropriate infrastructure and poor quality planning decisions, such as housing being built in areas of Dronfield which have drainage issues.
We desperately need to review the bureaucratic planning system and especially the section 103 developer contributions for infrastructure, such as schools and GP surgeries. Once again, if Reform wins the general election then 5 years of Net Zero Immigration will give the housing sector a chance to catch up and young families a chance to buy a house.
Social care is already a major issue and Derbyshire County Council plan to close eight day centres for the elderly and up to 11 residential care homes. Problems with social care in the UK are adding to the strain on the NHS. For example: 13,000 beds are being blocked because no social care is available and yet Derbyshire County Council are in public consultation to close more social care facilities for the elderly!Once again, if Reform wins the general election then 5 years of Net Zero Immigration will give the NHS and social care sector a chance to catch up.
Policing in North East Derbyshire needs reforming and we need more bobbies on the beat. Visible policing prevents crime and residents should feel safe to venture out of their homes. Unfortunately, I am hearing the opposite from the residents I speak to while canvassing.
For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?
For those eager to join our campaign and make a difference, there are several ways to get involved with Reform UK. You can connect with us on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on our events, initiatives, and ways to contribute. Additionally, you can email to learn more about volunteering opportunities and campaign events or share your ideas and concerns. Your support and involvement are invaluable in shaping a better future for North East Derbyshire.
Please get in touch with me at: [email protected]
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