Robin Jackson is the Reform UK Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Slough. We spoke with Robin about his decision to stand.
“unhappy with the current Labour regime and a bankrupt town, I spoke to Reform, went through a stringent interview process and I am happy to be the Perspective Parliamentary Candidate for the general election”
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Robin Jackson, I have five children, I am single and I live on my own in the Chalvey area of Slough. For over 20 years I ran Hotels and pub restaurants to a high standard and at the age of forty moved in to recruitment and I am now a client director.
What made you decide to stand for Reform UK?
After living here and seeing how bad things have become in Slough and everyone I speak with being so unhappy with the current Labour regime and a bankrupt town, I spoke to Reform, went through a stringent interview process and I am happy to be the Perspective Parliamentary Candidate for the general election to at least give the voters in Slough a choice as they have been let down massively here.
“I wanted to be able to help the people of Slough and to make the council who are still under government special measures, accountable”
You’re the Spokesman for Slough what’s made you decide to represent this area?
The area is pretty run down, especially in Chalvey, issues with drugs, street drinking, litter and anti-social behaviour. rough sleepers and begging is rife. The town centre is dead, no late bars, clubs, no cinema, nothing really you would class as decent shopping as there is an ongoing issue with the owners of the shopping centre and all but two brands have moved out. I wanted to be able to help the people of Slough and to make the council who are still under government special measures, accountable for the way the at the town is run.
“the major issues I would like to address are the lack of amenities for families and the lack of entertainment”
What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?
There are day to day issues that get on peoples nerves like people parking on the pavement, dangerous scooters and e-bikes on the paths, litter everywhere, and drink an drug addicts in the town begging. But the major issues I would like to address are the lack of amenities for families and the lack of entertainment. I have never know a town to not have a cinema, there does not appear to be anyone driving this.
For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?
I would love help in fund raising, recruiting new members and volunteers. I am looking to engage with about 100 people from all of the local churches, mosques, groups and communities who want to see real change in the town. If you don’t vote for change, you will get more of the same. You can find me on X/Twitter at @RobinJacks16957 and find more information at https://www.reformparty.uk/slough-constituency. You can also email me at: [email protected] with anything you need to raise or discuss. Thank you.
Neill Walker is the Reform UK Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Newcastle-under-Lyme. We spoke with Neill about his decision to stand.
“I currently serve as a parish councillor and Vice Chair for Whitmore, I embarked on my journey into local politics. It became evident to me that our community faces systemic challenges”
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Neill Walker, married to Julie, with two sons residing locally and two granddaughters attending school in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Regarding Brexit, yes, I did vote for it. However, the promises of Brexit being fully delivered have not materialized. The ongoing restrictions from the EU and other sources have hindered the growth of our country and caused more harm than good. It’s evident that significant change is necessary; it’s time to reform the entire system.
What made you decide to stand for Reform UK
After establishing myself in Baldwins Gate, where I currently serve as a parish councillor and Vice Chair for Whitmore, I embarked on my journey into local politics. It became evident to me that our community faces systemic challenges, including a lack of accountability, transparency, and proactive engagement from local government, the Environment Agency, and Highways. This glaring deficiency has been a source of immense frustration.
Recognising the need for action, I resolved to step up and make a difference. My decision to stand for Reform UK, a party I have been a member of for nearly two years, was born out of a sincere belief that they prioritize the interests of the people. It’s disheartening to witness the shift in priorities of mainstream parties like Labour and the Conservatives, who seem more preoccupied with power struggles than serving the public. The prevalence of broken promises is alarming; in my view, when politicians commit to something, they should follow through. Too often, it seems some view holding a seat in the House of Commons as a entitlement, rather than a responsibility to be fulfilled with integrity and dedication.
“Additionally, I advocate for bringing services back to the local level, creating more well-paid jobs and ensuring greater control over council funds allocation”
You’re the Spokesman for Newcastle-under-Lyme what’s made you decide to represent this area?
Having been rooted in Newcastle-Under-Lyme for many years, I’ve borne witness to its evolution, not all of which has been positive. My connection to this area began at the age of 16, when I participated in the Youth Training Scheme (YTS), honing practical skills such as wiring a plug—skills often underestimated but crucial in daily life.
Despite periods of living and working both domestically and abroad, my wife and I have always felt a magnetic pull back to Newcastle-Under-Lyme. Our decision was solidified by familial ties; our sons reside locally, and our granddaughters attend school in the area. Furthermore, we are ingrained in a community filled with friends and relatives who call this place home.
Raised in Staffordshire, I possess an innate passion for the region, cherishing its heritage and the resilience of its people. This affinity is amplified by my wife’s extensive service as a nurse within the NHS for 35 years, and my brother-in-law’s 38-year tenure as a GP. These familial connections have afforded me insights into the inner workings of the NHS, enriching my understanding of its challenges and triumphs.
“The Iron Market and the market itself hold nostalgic value but have become eyesores. By reducing business rates and imposing charges on online stores, we can support local businesses and breathe new life into the town centre”
What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?
If entrusted with the responsibility to represent the people of Newcastle-Under-Lyme, I am dedicated to initiating meaningful change, focusing on three pivotal areas:
Reform of Local Councils:
I envision local councils characterised by accountability and transparency. To achieve this, I propose regular meetings among portfolio heads and the executive team to openly discuss and review the council’s state and services. Additionally, I advocate for bringing services back to the local level, creating more well-paid jobs and ensuring greater control over council funds allocation. Creating avenues for public challenges will empower communities to voice concerns, particularly regarding planning decisions, ensuring that brownfield sites are prioritized over green spaces for development.
Reform of Quangos – Environment Agency and Highways:
Recent actions by the Environment Agency, particularly regarding Walley Quarry, have raised concerns due to a lack of transparency in decision-making processes. Reforming the agency is imperative. Similarly, our highways system requires urgent attention. Potholes, hazardous pavements, and malfunctioning traffic lights highlight the disjointed nature of our current system. Streamlining operations and prioritizing local teams will allow us to address these issues effectively.
Reform Taxation – Help Rejuvenate our Town:
Our town center has experienced a decline in recent years, losing independent retailers and failing to attract visitors. To reverse this trend, we must encourage the return of independent retailers and increase footfall by creating more attractive amenities. The Iron Market and the market itself hold nostalgic value but have become eyesores. By reducing business rates and imposing charges on online stores, we can support local businesses and breathe new life into the town centre.
By focusing on these reforms, I am committed to revitalising Newcastle-Under-Lyme and ensuring that it remains a vibrant and prosperous community for generations to come.
For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?
Mike Swadling opposed the motion, and below is his speech delivered to the society. As always with this friendly group the debate was good natured, very well proposed and drew out some great views from the audience.
“It’s my decision, it’s not your effort, it’s not your savings, it’s not the sacrifices you made, it’s not that you took that better paying job you didn’t like, it’s not the investment choices you made that decide what you earn… Does that seem fair?”
You may not have picked up this on the news but, in a stunning coup d’état earlier today, I became Supreme Leader of Price and Wages in the UK. I get to decide wages and pensions of everyone.
It’s my decision, it’s not your effort, it’s not your savings, it’s not the sacrifices you made, it’s not that you took that better paying job you didn’t like, it’s not the investment choices you made that decide what you earn. No, I do, I get to decide it. Does that seem fair? Are you happy with that? Because if you vote for this motion, that’s in effect what you are voting for.
Is that something you want? Or should there be another way of doing this perhaps? We all get to see the end product of these highly paid stars, but we don’t see the years of effort to get there.
I know two people whose sons are excellent footballers. One’s son is in the youth team at a Championship side, the other is aiming for a scholarship to an American University for soccer. We all talk about the high-end wages’ footballers get at the top, but most of these kids won’t make it. They are driving on a Thursday night, Wednesday night, most of the weekend, taking their kids away, taking them to across the country to play for their team. They are putting huge amounts of effort in for their family. These kids are also putting a huge amount of their own effort often whilst taking exams, to try and make it. We just see the end product, to which some will say “isn’t it unfair what they earn”, but we and they don’t see the effort.
Sir Steve Redgrave, the great Olympian, talking about his training said: “It’s all about endurance training. Our training sessions are long and boring. Probably the hardest part was the circuit training in the gym. There were 13-14 different exercises and you had so many reps on each exercise and the peak of that we’d be doing four circuits, so we had over an hour of continuous reps of medium-sized weights, but doing it as quickly as you could. That produced more lactic acid than anything else.”
These people have worked ridiculously hard and that is why they are an elite. They are not putting in a normal amount of effort.
On average, at Real Madrid, footballers train around four to five hours a day. Now, that doesn’t sound too bad as a job. But, they first get there and do 25 to 30 minutes of cardio, followed by some short, intense sprinting drills. That’s sprinting after they’ve done the cardio exercises. They do football tactical drills to improve their understanding with teammates. Then go to the gym for muscle development and strength.
I’m sure we all know of people that were good swimmers at a younger age. People that would be at the swimming pool at six o’clock in the morning before all the schools came in. A huge amount of sacrifice by them and their families. This is not a normal job. This is not a normal level of effort. That’s why these people can end up so well rewarded. And we enjoy their skills.
“The Premier League is big. It’s exported. It’s a fantastic product for our country. In the same season, there was an average of 527,000 viewers per match in the US”
The opening weekend of the Premier League in 2003 with five live matches drew in a total of eight million TV viewers. The Premier League is big. It’s exported. It’s a fantastic product for our country. In the same season, there was an average of 527,000 viewers per match in the US.
A survey in 2017 revealed that more than 40% of the population in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas consider themselves to be soccer fans. Cricket is the world’s second most popular sport, followed by 2.5 million people. Basketball by 2.2 billion people. Tennis has an estimated fan base of a billion people in the world.
Rugby, not a sport you think of as being in that many places, has over 400 million fans worldwide. Basketball over 500 million. Gymnastics, not a sport I would think of as being a spectator sport, has over 100 million fans worldwide. That’s gymnastics. It’s the smaller of one of the big sports, yet still has more people following it across the globe than the populations of Iran, Turkey or Germany.
Sports are huge and the people at the top of them get rewarded to reflect that. But that’s the people that follow it. Who goes along? The average Formula 1 race has over 279,000 people at it. The NFL in America has 69,000, Bundesliga, 42,000, Premier League, averages over 40,000 people in attendance, Major League Basketball, 29,000, Rugby League in Australia, 19,000 and the European Rugby Champions Cup, club rugby, 16,000. These are people that are willing to physically attend and pay and turn up.
Even if their average ticket was £30 (and it will be more), that means the average Formula 1 event brings in £8.3 million. The average club at Rugby Union, which is at the lower end, brings in half a million pounds. This is a huge amount of money.
Of course, the real money is in TV. The Super Bowl gets 124 million viewers, and Champions League, 380 million. The Women’s FIFA World Cup, 1.1 billion. Women’s football, wasn’t well known 10 years ago, and 1.1 billion people watched their world cup. The Men’s World Cup will have over 3 billion viewers. That’s a lot of people turning on their TVs, and that, of course, generates a lot of revenue.
“There are 380 matches in an English Premier League season. It generates £3.2 billion in TV income. Assuming ticket prices are only £30, average matchday income in this country between TV and attendance, is £8.2 million”
The current Premier League TV deal, brings in £1.57 billion in domestic TV rights and £1.64 billion in overseas TV rights. Our Premier League, with all these overpaid stars, or supposedly overpaid stars, is generating £1.6 billion in external revenue for this country. Wimbledon, the tennis, brings in $44 million in UK TV and $53 million in US TV, and, of course, there are other markets. The Tokyo Olympics brought in $3.1 billion in TV income. IPL cricket in India brings in over £1 billion per year in TV.
All these viewers, all these people turning up, all this income, where should the money go if it’s not the performers? Who should get that money if it’s not the people generating that entertainment?
There are 380 matches in an English Premier League season. It generates £3.2 billion in TV income. Assuming ticket prices are only £30, average matchday income in this country between TV and attendance, is £8.2 million. Assuming 40 players, now there are only 22 on the field, but you’ve got subs, you’ve got a coach, you’ve got a manager, you talk about the people actually providing that entertainment, that’s £206,000 per person.
The average EPL salary works out at £94,000 per match. If anything, you might argue, these players are underpaid. There’s £206,000 each they’re bringing in, but they’re only paid £94,000 of it. Where does the other £112,000 go? It goes to youth teams, reserve teams, women’s football, all subsidised by the men’s game. Less than half goes to the people who actually provide the entertainment. I’ve not included sponsorship and not added other matchday income. Even more money not going to the players.
If you think elite sportsmen and women are grossly overpaid, with all the income that these sports generate, I want to ask you, why do you think that tennis star Coco Gauff didn’t deserve her $6.7 million in winnings last year? Why do you think that Simone Biles, the gymnast, didn’t deserve her $8.5 million in sponsorship and endorsements. Why did she not deserve that? You’ve got to be able to answer that question. Who should have got the $1.4 million in prize money that golfer Nelly Korda raised if it wasn’t her?
Why do you want to deny all of these elite female athletes, after all their years of sacrifice, with the hundreds of millions of people that view, and the hundreds of millions of income that comes in, their fair share?
I also wonder what it is about sports that people object to. Top models shift clothes. The highest paid model of last year was Kendall Jenner, who generated $40 million worth of income. Chrissy Teigen generated $39 million. They shifted clothes. Someone decided to pay them. Why shouldn’t they get paid for it if they generate someone else’s revenue?
The top musicians last year, Taylor Swift, played 56 shows and earned $305 million. Beyonce, 46 shows, earning $145 million. Ed Sheeran, 41 shows, earning $110 million. If these people pay to sold out venues for people who want to pay, and nobody’s forcing anyone to be there, why shouldn’t the artists get the reward if they’re the reason people turn up? I ask again, if they don’t get it, who should?
Elon Musk has made $250 billion through his businesses and inventions; Henry Ford would have been worth over $200 billion in today’s money. James Dyson, has made $22 billion. If they didn’t get the money for what they invented, and few people would deny inventors earning the benefit of their craft, of their ideas, then who should? If you think they should get it, what is it about sports people that you want to deny from their toil? Why are they less deserving of their income than, say, academics, surgeons, actors or entrepreneurs? What makes them less deserving than anyone else?
“When you artificially hold down a price, you create problems. You create problems with investment. You don’t satisfy the demand, and through lower prices you may create more demand”
As with anything, if you cap the price, you simply get more demand, with the profit to be made by the touts who will suck up the tickets in between. They will be making the profit rather than the sports stars. What is it about the touts that you think is more deserving than the people playing on the field? This isn’t just true in sports. Scotland introduced rent controls for two years. They’re just about rolling off now. It led to a reduction in supply of rented accommodation, and a reduction in investment in properties, and basically increased the time it took to get a new property from 12 to 16 weeks.
When you artificially hold down a price, you create problems. You create problems with investment. You don’t satisfy the demand, and through lower prices you may create more demand, but someone makes a profit that isn’t the person that’s renting out the property, or indeed the person that wants to rent it in the first place. In New York, you famously have rent-controlled apartments. All too often the official tenant sublets. A middleman, not the landlord, not the actual tenant. Someone who does very little, and who doesn’t deserve it is making the money.
When you have an artificially low price, the money doesn’t go to the fans, because the fans still want to go. In fact, if you hold the price down, more fans want to go, and the tickets will be sold on the black market, and that will be more money for middlemen.
To quote the economist Milton Friedman, “We economists don’t know much, but we do know how to create a shortage. If you want to create a shortage of tomatoes, for example, just pass a law that retailers can’t sell tomatoes for more than two cents per pound. Instantly you’ll have a tomato shortage.”
And to paraphrase him, ‘Price ceilings, which prevent prices from exceeding a certain maximum, cause shortages. Price floors, which prohibit prices below a certain minimum, cause surpluses, at least for a time.’
What happens with that surplus? What happens with that shortage? As the economist Thomas Sowell says, “Price controls almost invariably produce black markets, where prices are not only higher than the legally permitted prices, but also higher than they would be in a free market, since the legal risks must also be compensated. While small-scale black markets may function in secrecy, large-scale black markets usually require bribes to officials to look the other way.”
“This is what the motion calls for, if we don’t pay the players, if we hold down prices artificially as a means of not paying the players, you just make touting more widespread”
If anyone has brought tickets from a tout, they are not normally what you would describe as nice people. They’re not people that make you think, ‘I’m happy doing business with them’.
While small-scale black markets may function in secrecy, large-scale black markets usually require bribes for officials to look the other way. As an example, anyone knows anything about getting tickets to the FA Cup final, will know there are a huge number of tickets given away to people involved in football. They all too often get sold on the black market.
There are always touts around the game, otherwise they wouldn’t do this. This is what the motion calls for, if we don’t pay the players, if we hold down prices artificially as a means of not paying the players, you just make touting more widespread.
“When football had a maximum wage, it wasn’t the working-class heroes who received the money. No, those lads, had second jobs”
When Rugby Union was an amateur sport, players had a habit of getting great jobs. We used to have players not being fairly paid but they often got great jobs in the city, and people always wondered why.
When football had a maximum wage, it wasn’t the working-class heroes who received the money. No, those lads, had second jobs. The club owners got the money, or the people with good connections got the money. The people that knew how to make the system work for them, they got the money.
To quote Thomas Sowell again, “there are no solutions, only trade-offs”.
“after years of hard work and sacrifice, the sports stars provide the entertainment and inspiration. Why do you here think you should pass judgement on how much these sports stars should earn?”
In the tens of thousands people attend, in the hundreds of millions they watch, billions are generated in revenue. I make this challenge to you, after years of hard work and sacrifice, the sports stars provide the entertainment and inspiration. Why do you here think you should pass judgement on how much these sports stars should earn?
Summary
Sports brings people together as Nelson Mandela once said, “Sport has the power to change the world, it has the power to inspire.” “It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.”
We’ve spoken about the sacrifices elite sports people make. They are different, that’s why they are elite. Martina Navratilova clarifies the difference in mentality they need to have in saying, “Whoever said, ‘It’s not whether you win or lose that counts,’ probably lost”.
Finally, to quote Muhammad Ali, “It’s just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.”
And why I ask you, shouldn’t he get well paid for it?
We choose from thousands of products in a supermarket or online, and often own multiple electronic consumer goods. It’s not uncommon for people to catch multiple flights a year, chosen from many competing airlines. Free markets are everywhere and have transformed our lives. Yet many have never been more cynical about what they deliver, or keener to have the government interfere in their function.
Join us on Wednesday 19th June for our drinks and conversation with Matthew Lesh the Director of Public Policy and Communications at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).
Founded in 1955 the IEA is an educational charity and free market think tank. Their mission is to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society. Matthew is a columnist for CityAM, and a regular writer for publications such as The Times, The Telegraph and The Spectator. He is also a Fellow of the Adam Smith Institute and Institute of Public Affairs. You can find Matthew on X/Twitter and see more at his website.
For drinks, a conversation and Q&A about Matthew, the IEA, and how we sell economic freedom, come along Wednesday 19th June at 7pm
This is part of our #ThirdWednesday drinks and events, we hold these in association with Dick Delingpole’s #ThirdWednesday Libertarian drinks club, and POLITICS in PUBS a group of people from across the political spectrum who value the freedom to question and to speak openly.
Join us on Wednesday 15th May for our drinks and conversation with Elizabeth Cooper, Reform UK candidate for Carshalton and Wallington.
Reform UK are consistently third in polling for the next General Election, they are also in the midst of announcing candidates for our area. The newly announced candidate for Carshalton and Wallington is Elizabeth Cooper who will be joining us in May for an interview, Q&A and drinks.
Come along Wednesday 15th May at 7pm to join in.
This is part of our #ThirdWednesday drinks and events, we hold these in association with Dick Delingpole’s #ThirdWednesday Libertarian drinks club, and POLITICS in PUBS a group of people from across the political spectrum who value the freedom to question and to speak openly.
Elizabeth Cooper is the Reform UK Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Carshalton and Wallington. We spoke with Elizabeth about her decision to stand.
“My work experience is within the area of education, healthcare, and mental health settings. I am an advocate for the community and seek to address the pressing issues that matter to the people”
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello, everyone; I am excited to introduce myself as a new candidate who is joining the Reform Party. For the past 8 years, I have been working as a dedicated psychotherapist and company director. I am deeply passionate about emotional well-being and care deeply about people. I consider myself to be someone who takes great pride in our country and its people. My work experience is within the area of education, healthcare, and mental health settings. I am an advocate for the community and seek to address the pressing issues that matter to the people. Areas close to my heart too, include safety, housing, education and mental health. I’m eager to bring my expertise, passion and commitment to the forefront as we work together towards positive change.
“I believe in their principles of individual freedom, personal responsibility, and a fair society”
What made you decide to stand for Reform UK?
I felt politically redundant until I made the decision to stand for Reform UK. A friend introduced me to the party’s principles, which resonated with me and sparked a passion within me to take action. Since then, I have been gathering information and educating myself on the party’s ideologies. I believe in their principles of individual freedom, personal responsibility, and a fair society. After meeting with Howard Cox and Richard Tice, my belief in Reform UK’s political values has only grown stronger. I see Reform UK as a platform where I can contribute to shaping policies that prioritise the welfare and prosperity of individuals, especially in crucial areas like mental health support, youth empowerment, and safe, affordable housing for everyone. My ethos aligns with Reform UK’s goal of humanising Britons as we used to.
You’re the Spokesman for Carshalton and Wallington what’s made you decide to represent this area?
Choosing to represent Carshalton and Wallington was a deeply personal decision for me. Having lived in Wallington and worked and live in the surrounding area, I’ve witnessed first-hand certain challenges this beautiful community has faced. I’m committed to being a voice for the people here, advocating their concerns, and working tirelessly to address the issues that matter most to the people who call it home.
What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?
In Carshalton and Wallington, as in many other areas, there are considerable concerns, including community safety, mental health, education and housing, All of which are of paramount importance. As a candidate and spokesperson, I aim to champion policies prioritising mental health services, promoting community safety initiatives, and advocating for improving education and quality housing solutions.
“Choosing to represent Carshalton and Wallington was a deeply personal decision for me. Having lived in Wallington and worked and live in the surrounding area”
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 Carshalton and Wallington.
Augustine Obodo is the Reform UK Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Bicester and Woodstock. We spoke with Augustine about his decision to stand.
“Britain is broken. The Tories have delivered: Record Mass Migration. Record Waiting NHS Waiting Lists. Record High Taxes.”
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
My names is Augustine Obodo I am delighted to be standing as the Reform UK candidate in the forthcoming General Election in Bicester and Woodstock constituency.
I work in the NHS, in our local hospital, community pharmacy, and for Health in Justices (HiJ) the UK’s leading independent provider of healthcare services in prisons and immigration removal centres, as a clinician. I am also an economist and former banker. The Founder of advocacy group, Friends of Trump UK and Commonwealth Affairs, and have been its Group Chief Executive Officer since 2015. I passionately believe that Jerusalem should remain the undivided capital of the Jewish people under the Middle East peace plan. At the heart of my advocacy, I views Donald J. Trump as the embodiment of the American success story, a benchmark for excellence across fields such as real estate, sports, entertainment, and politics. For he, Trump is the quintessential businessman, an unmatched dealmaker, and one of the best
What made you decide to stand for Reform UK?
I decided to stand for Reform UK because the Tories and the Labour Party have failed the people of this great country.
Britain is broken. The Tories have delivered:
Record Mass Migration.
Record Waiting NHS Waiting Lists.
Record High Taxes.
“representing Bicester and Woodstock is a privilege because both areas are rich in history, culture, and community spirit. I’m passionate about promoting their unique charm”
You’re the Spokesman for Bicester and Woodstock what’s made you decide to represent this area?
I decided to represent this area because I live and work locally and know the issues facing our community. As an Economist and clinician representing Bicester and Woodstock is a privilege because both areas are rich in history, culture, and community spirit. I’m passionate about promoting their unique charm and helping to showcase all they have to offer to residents and visitors alike. The political establishment have had their chance and have failed the people of Bicester and Woodstock
But… there is an alternative! Join us today: To all my fellow Patriots who love this Great country Vote Reform UK – We need to support small, local businesses! Our high streets are blighted by empty properties. Reform UK will make sure that Britain is open for business.
Support for local farmers across Bicester and Woodstock constituency
I will work closely with Cherwell District Council to preserve our green areas
Improve Education Healthcare, Security and Transport Infrastructure across the constituency.
Support local businesses in Bicester and the surrounding area.
Improve all town centres the Bicester and Woodstock constituency investment in public amenities and helping to boost business.
The State of our roads across Bicester and Woodstock constituency will top my agenda.
What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?
Key concerns include infrastructure development, affordable housing, healthcare access, and environmental sustainability. As a representative, I aim to champion initiatives that address these concerns, advocating for improved infrastructure, affordable housing solutions, accessible healthcare services, and sustainable development practices to enhance the quality of life for all residents.
For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?
To get involved in the campaign, you can:
Follow our social media channels for updates, events, and ways to participate:
Volunteer your time to help with canvassing, phone banking, or organizing events. Email us at [email protected] to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
Spread the word about our campaign to your friends, family, and community members. Every voice counts!
Bill Piper is the Reform UK Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for South Leicestershire. We spoke with Bill about his decision to stand.
“I’ve lived in this area for around 40 years and have been active in several different charity associations and on the Town Council – and even was Mayor once”
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi, I’m Bill; I’ve lived in this area for around 40 years and have been active in several different charity associations and on the Town Council – and even was Mayor once.
For a long time, if a politician was tied to a party, they could be dictated to by that party. That then means they are no longer there to serve the community.
For that reason, I was an ardent independent for years. Reform UK, like UKIP, does not ‘whip’ their members, so as a member of Reform UK, I can still do what I believe is best for the people of South Leicestershire.
What made you decide to stand for Reform UK?
Reform UK: –
Talk the sense that a governing party ought to
Do not ‘whip’ councillors of members.
We are currently the only conservatives. – Both the Conservatives and Labour are socialists.
We have had the Labour / Conservative duopoly for a hundred years – and no one believes them anymore.
The members of the Duopoly have proven that they are much more interested in feathering their own nests than those of ‘the people.’
“I feel that I can do a better job than someone ‘parachuted’ in for them to try and make a name for themselves”
You’re the Spokesman for South Leicestershirewhat’s made you decide to represent this area?
I’ve lived here for nearly 40 years, I feel for the area and the people, and I feel that I can do a better job than someone ‘parachuted’ in for them to try and make a name for themselves. Indeed, Reform UK offered me several places before I could eventually get this seat.
“There is a threat of increased housing in the south of Leicester and virtually a new town to the east of Lutterworth, but there are no plans for proper infrastructure”
What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?
One of the greatest concerns in the infrastructure. The area has a number of industrial sites and the largest distribution set of warehouses in Europe. There is a threat of increased housing in the south of Leicester and virtually a new town to the east of Lutterworth, but there are no plans for proper infrastructure.
Lutterworth has needed a relief road/bypass for decades; the Plan for Lutterworth East will have a single road running through it. Should it be blocked at one end, then – Carmageddon! – It was originally suggested that that road would take traffic away from Lutterworth!
Whilst the NHS is suffering from bed blocking, which is creating waiting on surgery lists and A&E etc, The NHS fighting the possibility of keeping or even extending the facility of step-down beds at the Feilding Palmer Hospital, I have been working for five years with the ‘Mary Guppy Group’, to keep the hospital open initially and now to keep some beds there.
For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?
Jan Cresswell is the SDP prospective candidate for Blackpool North and Fleetwood. We spoke with Jan about her decision to stand.
“I have a fundamental mistrust of empire building, and expect that in time the EU bureaucratic machine will overreach itself enough to see the edifice come tumbling down”
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Jan Cresswell, and until very recently I worked as a conservation officer at Blackpool Council. I retired at Easter, so I’m looking forward to filling my time with travel and hobbies. I’ve been married to Keith for 29 years, and have two children: Jessica and Jonathan.
What made you decide to stand for the SDP?
I joined the SDP about 4 years ago when I was feeling politically homeless. I’d always considered myself ‘a bit of a leftie’ but found myself being shunted towards the centre ground without having particularly changed my worldview! Brexit was a big issue for me. I have a fundamental mistrust of empire building, and expect that in time the EU bureaucratic machine will overreach itself enough to see the edifice come tumbling down as other European countries reject its ideologies. It’s clear how far it has enmeshed itself in our everyday lives by how difficult it has been to extricate ourselves.
“I was born in Blackpool, spent my early years in Thornton (5 miles north) and went to senior school in Fleetwood. I’ve always worked on the Fylde Coast, so I feel sure I know the area, its struggles and its people”
As I was casting around for a new political home I discovered the SDP, and instantly felt that their policies chimed with my own beliefs. As well as being left-leaning economically they, for instance, consider the nation-state to be the upper limit of democracy. They also pledge to uphold the values of freedom of thought and speech which lie at the heart of British democracy. As someone who was shocked at the rapid descent into authoritarianism since March 2020, and censorship of dissenting voices in this and other matters, this gave me hope. I know small parties struggle to be heard above the noise of the two main parties, but I firmly believe that people should be given a real choice, and that’s why I’m standing, no matter how high a mountain there is to climb.
You’re the spokesman for Blackpool North and Fleetwood. What’s made you decide to represent this area?
I was born in Blackpool, spent my early years in Thornton (5 miles north) and went to senior school in Fleetwood. I’ve always worked on the Fylde Coast, so I feel sure I know the area, its struggles and its people. I’ve seen the changes and how they have affected the health, wealth and well-being of local people, and it would be an honour to champion them.
“it sometimes feels like the town has been written off, like so many other industrial areas where the main source of employment has disappeared. I would champion the re-industrialisation of Fleetwood, supplying training and jobs (see the SDP policy on Special Economic Zones)”
What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency, and what issues do you hope to champion?
As the first mass working-class seaside resort, Blackpool became a victim of its own early success. In the 1970s and 80s mass tourism declined with the availability of cheap foreign holidays. B&B owners and other local businesses struggled to stay afloat. In the following years, a downward spiral of cheap accommodation chasing fewer visitors, more and more given over to houses in multiple occupation, lack of investment and the steady influx of people from other areas, attracted to plentiful cheap accommodation by the sea, bringing their own problems with them, has resulted in a town having some of the worst health and social inequalities in the country. However, I know that the local Council is trying to turn back the tide, and have been successful in attracting millions in government funding to improve the town, which will encourage private investment, improve life for residents and give holidaymakers more reasons to visit. It will take many years to reverse the impact of that earlier decline, but I would make championing the work of the Council (which often isn’t recognised) my main concern, because I know they have the best interests of local people at heart.
Fleetwood has similarly suffered a long decline since the closure of the branch railway line and the demise of the fishing industry. It’s unlikely even with Brexit that fishing will ever recover its former importance, but it sometimes feels like the town has been written off, like so many other industrial areas where the main source of employment has disappeared. I would champion the re-industrialisation of Fleetwood, supplying training and jobs (see the SDP policy on Special Economic Zones). There is also now a glimmer of hope that the branch railway line will be reinstated to link up with the tramway in Fleetwood, and I would definitely champion that given the opportunity. People, especially young people, need to be given the chance to fulfil their potential, and good education and training and affordable transport links for business and leisure, are also very important to achieve that.
But I think it’s important to be honest with people that there are no quick fixes, that turning around decline can take decades to see tangible results. In today’s world of instant gratification that’s probably a hard sell, but I find that honesty is ultimately the best policy!
Lastly, I’d encourage anyone who thinks that the SDP might be for them to visit the website sdp.org.uk to look at their comprehensive policies.
Stephen Balogh is the SDP prospective candidate for next General Election for Ealing Central & Acton, He is also on their London wide list for the Greater London Authority. We spoke with Stephen about his decision to stand.
“following a 30-year business career, I am now active in non-profit, political and public policy organisations that promote the general flourishing of society and building of community”
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
As well as being a candidate on the London List for the upcoming London Assembly elections, alongside Amy Gallagher as our mayoral candidate, I am the SDP’s prospective parliamentary candidate for the SDP in the Ealing Central and Acton constituency, in which I have been resident for 25+ years. In terms of a brief background, following a 30-year business career, I am now active in non-profit, political and public policy organisations that promote the general flourishing of society and building of community through the thoughtful application of socially responsible, small-c conservative principles. This includes active involvement in my local parish and other neighbourhood cohesion initiatives through to much broader based regional and national organisations promoting kinship, community and service. As part of this, I am National Organiser for the New Culture Forum and in this capacity responsible for the “NCF Locals” initiative in which groups are established in localities around the country, giving a fresh rootedness to those who feel isolated politically. I am married (in fact married/widowed/remarried) with two grown up adopted boys.
“Instead of being seen as a means to achieve national cohesion, all too often community is now seen as a way to demarcate and fragment society into groups jockeying for preferential treatment”
What made you decide to stand for the SDP?
There’s a clue in my previous answer. For me, community is the bedrock of society and we have seen a fragmentation in recent decades of what it means to be community. Instead of being seen as a means to achieve national cohesion, all too often community is now seen as a way to demarcate and fragment society into groups jockeying for preferential treatment that is sometimes (often, even) incompatible with the overall demos. The values and policies of the SDP unashamedly seek to restore a different vision of community that transcends defined interest groups and orients citizens once more to the nation in which they live. A lot of the SDP’s policy framework stems from this simple but foundational proposition.
“the real problems of London: crime, lack of housing especially at the affordable end and a sense of allocation priorities that do not always feel just, an overriding sense of edginess bordering on hostility in public spaces that used to be welcoming”
What do you see as the big concerns for London and what issues do you hope to champion?
The dominant mode of politics in London is divisive and all to often described along contours of identity differences and perceptions of difference and disadvantage. This creates a sense of “us and them” and a zero-sum game in the race to preferential treatment. Meanwhile, the real problems of London: crime, lack of housing especially at the affordable end and a sense of allocation priorities that do not always feel just, an overriding sense of edginess bordering on hostility in public spaces that used to be welcoming, public transport that does not provide the sense of personal security and efficiency that Londoners and visitors to London rightly think they should deserve and are paying for, all against an increasingly grubby feel. Personally, I start with my back yard, that is, the essential but effort-consuming “keepie uppie” of community building for public good, not for subsectional interests. With restoration of a sense of civic pride and responsibility, a renewed desire to influence and participate in policies for the good of all Londoners is generate in its wake. Where this does already exist, there is for instance ready collaboration with neighbourhood policing and a sense of cohesion to replace isolation and edginess.
For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?
Please follow me on X/Twitter (@BaloghStephen), also London SDP (@Londonsdp) and SDP mayoral candidate Amy Gallagher (@standuptowoke). Retweet what you agree with (and feel free to comment on what you don’t). For the campaign policy manifesto, look at https://sdp.org.uk/amy/. The London election campaign is of course short now, but there is a slightly longer game for the many SDP candidates for London parliamentary constituencies, such as me. If you would like to help or even join the SDP as a member, get in touch via www.sdp.org.uk. Our profile is growing all the time, and we welcome any help to make it grow faster, for the sake of our communities and nation.
