Category: Adam Williams

Adam Williams, candidate for leader of the SDP.

Following the resignation of William Clouston as leader of the Social Democratic Party, Adam Williams has announced his intention to run for the role.  We speak with Adam about his plans.

“Chair of the Young Social Democrats, and as the party’s national spokesperson and campaigns organiser, because I believe the SDP can bring about real change for Britain”

Can you introduce yourself and tell us why you are running for leader of the SDP?

My name is Adam Williams. I joined the SDP in 2024 because it’s a party I truly believe in. Since then, I’ve poured myself into it: as a volunteer, as Chair of the Young Social Democrats, and as the party’s national spokesperson and campaigns organiser, because I believe the SDP can bring about real change for Britain.

I am a trained administrator and historian by background. I started my career as a bartender, before becoming an apprentice, then working in the museum sector, after that I took a break to do my MA in Crusader Studies, before returning to work for a charity as a fundraiser and organiser, and now I work for the SDP handling political communications. Politics has been a lifelong passion of mine, I’ve been actively involved in some way or another since 2016 (Brexit was my first vote), and I am determined to make a positive change for this country.

The party has received a lot of publicity but has had limited electoral success. How would you hope to build the vote?

We’ve had good friends in the podcast scene and news media who’ve given us a platform over the years, but it’s provided little cut-through. In the age of attention politics, we need a new approach: a radical, hopeful message that matches the public mood for change with the energy it demands. We should stop waiting to be noticed and start demanding attention with our output.

“My real focus is the cost of living. I want our party to get radical with the solutions we offer, and to put some feeling and romanticism back into our politics”

What changes to policy, or shifts in policy emphasis, would you introduce?

The coming general election will be fought on two main fronts: the cost of living and immigration. On immigration, our part of the electorate has reached a clear consensus, and our policy platform already tackles it robustly, though I’d welcome further measures. My real focus is the cost of living. I want our party to get radical with the solutions we offer, and to put some feeling and romanticism back into our politics: the hope and optimism so many people are crying out for.

“We will bring back hope and optimism for the future, and be a party our supporters are proud to back”

Beyond the party itself, what’s your pitch to the public to support the SDP?

My pitch to the public is simple: under my leadership, the SDP will answer the public’s cry for change with the urgency and radical ideas the moment demands. We will not be “just another party” that promises much and delivers little. We will bring back hope and optimism for the future, and be a party our supporters are proud to back every time they vote.

How can people find out more about your campaign?

My campaign website is live and ready to launch on 12 October, the first official day of campaigning. Everything about the campaign will live there, so watch this space. Until then, I’ll be posting across my socials, holding Q&As, and sharing my thinking right up to the close of campaigning, with one or two policy announcements along the way.

You can find me on X – @WilliamsAdamUK, Facebook – Adam Williams SDP and Instagram – Adam Williams SDP

Tales from the campaign trail: Adam Williams, SDP, Totteridge and Bowerdean.

We spoke with Adam before the recent local elections when he was a candidate for the SDP in the Totteridge and Bowerdean ward of High Wycombe, for Buckinghamshire Council.  We catch-up with him for his tales from the campaign trail.

“I am incredibly grateful to everyone who came up to High Wycombe to support me, especially since it’s an absolute hike to campaign in my ward”

You ran in the elections in May. Looking back what is your main memory of the campaign?

The feeling of achievement when I finished leafleting, my feet were killing me, I had one volunteer left and we’d just put through my last leaflet, and I was just so happy to have managed to reach my goal of covering the whole ward in SDP leaflets. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who came up to High Wycombe to support me, especially since it’s an absolute hike to campaign in my ward (It’s not called High Wycombe for no reason!)

The seat was won by Wycombe Independent’s and has received some press coverage.  Did you have much interaction with other candidates or parties during the campaign?

My ward was a battleground between the Liberal Democrats and the Wycombe Independents with the occasional Labour sign. The Conservatives and Reform were non-existent and didn’t even turn up to the count. I interacted with all three of the other parties who actually turned up and put some work in and I got on very well with all of them.

The thing about local elections is that they all wanted to improve our local area, they just differed on how that should be done, so I appreciated the camaraderie.

The Lib Dems in particular were very kind to me, and they actually stood up for me online! I got a lot of abuse and harassment from Reform voters on Facebook but the Lib Dems and some of the other Buckinghamshire Independents supported me in my comment section. The abuse from Reform supporters was a bit of an eye-opener for me. As a party we get a lot of comments about how we should work with them or alternatively, merge, however after what I experienced I am disinclined towards that now.

“I only received one comment on the doorstop about Gaza, and I responded with SDP policy, that the issues in the Middle East won’t be solved in Buckinghamshire”

Do you have any funny stories or interesting encounters from campaigning?

I received a vaguely threatening email from the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in High Wycombe about signing their petition to force Buckinghamshire Council to disinvest from Israeli companies. I ignored it because I don’t engage in sectarian politics that has nothing to do with our local area, however, because I did so, my name and picture appeared in red in a video that the PSC produced, so that was an interesting experience!

I only received one comment on the doorstop about Gaza, and I responded with SDP policy, that the issues in the Middle East won’t be solved in Buckinghamshire and that we take a pro-British foreign policy outlook. I also ended up quoting Treebeard from Lord of the Rings at the gent who asked me the question – “I am on nobody’s side, because nobody is on my side” and he actually went from being a bit aggressive about the issue to then nodding, saying fair enough and asking me about potholes and the police!

Leaflet
Leafleting

What would you say to anyone thinking of becoming a candidate?

If anyone is tired of the situation in our nation and wants to try and improve things, but is scared to take a stance, don’t be. There’s a buildup and an almost fearful atmosphere about being a candidate, and the day before my first leafletting activity I was actively terrified of what I would face. However, with the support from both my partner and my party I managed to get out and face it, and I found that actually it wasn’t too bad! It’s quite an enjoyable experience and makes you feel like you -can- make a difference.

“Now it’s all about long term growth and building up the party infrastructure in High Wycombe”

What are your hopes now for your involvement in politics, for Totteridge and Bowerdean, for High Wycombe, and for Buckinghamshire?

I received 34 votes in the election, not an amazing result by any margin but I was only 96 votes behind the Conservatives, so I’ll take that. Now it’s all about long term growth and building up the party infrastructure in High Wycombe. This town is crying out for competent leadership and investment in its future, and I believe that the SDP can provide that, we just need to grow our membership in the area.

I have also started up a full-time position within the party as it’s Campaigns Organiser, I will be working on the ground across the country to help improve our chances of winning elections and providing this country with a genuine alternative political choice. Reform have shown that they don’t have the ability to maintain a coherent policy or governmental position and I worry that as time goes on, all of the councils that flipped to them will struggle to function.

The SDP is on the rise, it’ll take time and a lot of hard work, but it will be worth it and we will break through. We have to, the country and our very future depends on it.

Adam Williams, SDP candidate for Totteridge and Bowerdean in the Buckinghamshire Council elections

Adam Williams is the SDP candidate for Totteridge and Bowerdean in May’s Buckinghamshire Council elections. We spoke with Adam about his decision to stand.

“my standing is an investment in the future of our town. I want to see it succeed for my children and their children after them”

Can you introduce yourself to our readers, and tell us what made you decide to run?

My name is Adam Williams, I’m 27 years old and originally from the West Midlands. I’ve set up shop in Buckinghamshire and I am putting down roots in Wycombe. I’ve decided to run because I believe that High Wycombe offers a lot of potential for young people and their families, and my standing is an investment in the future of our town. I want to see it succeed for my children and their children after them.

I’m standing for the Social Democratic Party as the party of the traditional left. We’re culturally conservative and left leaning on economics. We seek the common good of the British people. We believe in a social market economy, the family, the fraternity of the British nation and aim to provide a political party for those who have given up on the current batch in Parliament and are looking for a hopeful alternative.

“Windrush Drive has appalling potholes, the Red Kite council estate is in disrepair and the tenants are not looked after properly”

You’re the candidate for Totteridge and Bowerdean. What are the main concerns in the area?

Windrush Drive has appalling potholes, the Red Kite council estate is in disrepair and the tenants are not looked after properly, the London Road is used a racetrack at times, and we have major issues with speeding. We’re seeing a rise in major crime events, just the other day the train station had police surrounding it, as well as minor ones such as fly tipping, making the area feel dirty and unsafe.

“I would push for the construction of data centres in Iver and Wycombe in order to facilitate economic growth in the county”

What do you see as the major issues more widely across Buckinghamshire, and if elected, what do you hope to champion?

The major issues across Buckinghamshire and what will I champion are:

  • Drug Crime and associated disorder
  • Pressures the council budget faces from unfunded mandates
  • Economic growth – more jobs in the county rather than being a stop over for London commuters, in particular low and medium skill jobs.
  • Housing for young people

I would push for the construction of data centres in Iver and Wycombe in order to facilitate economic growth in the county, and in my ward in particular I would be focusing on anti-social behaviour, such as littering, fly tipping and speeding, pressuring the council to carry out much needed road repair and advocating for a restoration of the Red Kite council housing to properly suit the tenants needs.

“We seek the common good of the British people. We believe in a social market economy, the family, the fraternity of the British nation”

How can people find out more or get involved in the campaign?