“I voted to stay in the EU in 1975 but two years later came to the conclusion it was a huge mistake. I thought it would be a trading organisation but soon discovered it had a political agenda”
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Tony Love and I live in Felixstowe, next to Ipswich, with my long term partner. I have three children
I voted to stay in the EU in 1975, but two years later came to the conclusion that it was a huge mistake. I thought it would be a trading organisation, but soon discovered it had a political agenda; the breakdown of the nation state and their borders, which would lead to the breakdown of our cultural identities and eventually our communities. It is true that for the next forty years I bored everybody I met trying to explain why we should leave.
I was a bookmaker for thirty years on the Surrey/Hampshire borders. On the night of the Referendum I sat down to watch David Dimbleby, expecting that we would vote to stay in the EU. Forty years and I would now have to shut up! The good news is we voted to leave, the bad news is it cost me £10,000 in my betting shops, paying out on bets taken that day to Leave at 9/1.
“The biggest ever infringement of our civil liberties occurred during the Covid Lockdown with the Labour Party wanting to be more draconian than the Government”
What made you decide to stand for Reform UK?
I watched the lunacy in the House of Commons as the politicians strove to overthrow the biggest ever constitutional vote ever in our country. I watched as John Bercow attempted a coup of our Parliament. My partner kept telling me to stop moaning and do something about it if I felt so passionately, so I did, I was the candidate for the Brexit Party in Suffolk Coastal in the 2019 election. Nigel Farage then stood us down to assist Boris Johnson who promised to achieve Brexit, but I had made too many promises that I would stand and so continued as an Independent.
The biggest ever infringement of our civil liberties occurred during the Covid Lockdown with the Labour Party wanting to be more draconian than the Government. The vile coercion used by Parliament to make us comply, let alone the restriction on freedom of speech, travel, familial relations etc. beggared belief.
I have also watched this Conservative Government lie barefaced about its promises to keep immigration in the tens of thousands. They have been complicit in the cultural destruction of our cities and towns by allowing huge numbers to legally enter our country, over 600,000 net last year. Illegal immigration last year was 52,000 and that was only those we know about.
The people of Ipswich have lost cultural identity, their community, and their town, with many feeling intimidated in the town centre and most certainly in the evenings. The town is dying, shoplifting by gangs and individuals is rampant, businesses are leaving, and the police are ineffective.
“We are against Net Zero, 15-minute neighbourhoods and ULEZ which are being imposed against majority opinion. We intend to be the voice of the silent majority”
Richard Tice, the party leader of Reform, has financially enabled the Party to survive these past four years, and it now stands alone in offering a real option to those who feel disenfranchised. I was not going to be politically involved again as I felt I had done my bit, but the so very sad situation in this country has changed my mind. I have decided to stand up for the people of Ipswich in my neighbouring constituency.
The Reform party is beginning to gain traction. We are not against migration as we are a nation that has always welcomed and then benefited from migration. But we are against unfettered migration, and most certainly illegal migration. We are for the principles of democracy that our present political incumbents think they can ignore. We are for the rights of the individual, which are being obliterated by international organisations. We are against Net Zero, 15-minute neighbourhoods and ULEZ, which are being imposed against majority opinion. We intend to be the voice of the silent majority, the people who know something has gone badly wrong and need someone to vote for.
For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?
At a local level Reform Ipswich can be contacted through our website – reformukipswich.com, and followed on Twitter.
At a national level Reform can be contacted through our website – reform party.uk.
With Reform UK rapidly appointing candidates for we spoke with Mark Simpson the candidate for Eltham & Chislehurst.
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am Mark Simpson and after a journey from Aberdeen to Yorkshire to China I find myself in London. After returning from a 7-year stint in China I returned to the UK / London to pursue a Masters degree in International Business and Politics from Queen Mary, University of London. Today, I work full-time in sales. When not working (or Reforming) I enjoy watching various sports (in a pub with a pint preferred!), reading and travelling. During my years abroad, I was fortunate to have spent time in so many amazing destinations in East Asia and really getting to see what a wonderful world we live in.
“politics is not about winning per se. It is about standing up for what you believe in and doing what you can to forward that.”
What made you decide to stand for Reform UK?
It is many ways simple, if it wasn’t for Reform UK, I would not in good conscience have a political party I could vote for. My political leanings have taken me along the same political path Nigel Farage has trodden. I stood for UKIP, supported the Brexit Party and upon my return kept my support behind the vehicle for change Richard Tice kept going, Reform UK. The establishment parties do not represent me. I remember growing up as a teenager and being anti-the Iraq War and seeing how Tony Blair ignored the millions that went to protest it and how he lied to the country to take us to war. (how many of the woes in the Middle East today stem from that?!) The Conservatives aren’t much better, I won’t waste anyone’s time repeating why.
I have always felt it important to support a party that aligns with my principles, even to the detriment of being able to taste victory. To me, politics is not about winning per se. It is about standing up for what you believe in and doing what you can to forward that. Reform UKs commonsense policies of stopping the boats and cutting immigration, cutting taxes for the poorest in society, abandoning Net Zero and being proud of our country and heritage resonate strongly.
Today my role at Reform UK has evolved. I stood in our first-ever election, the 2021 London Assembly candidate (List and constituency candidate) and now take care of several London Boroughs as the regional organiser. It is hard work, the party is building something entirely new from the ground up to challenge a political system that is designed to keep outsiders firmly out. I see from my discussions with members and chats on the doorstep what an opportunity there is for Reform UK. Brexit was hard fought but demonstrated the change millions across the entire UK wanted to see. Reform UK continues with this bold and crucially optimistic vision of how Britain should be.
“The current Labour MP Clive Efford and the prospective Conservative candidate both wanted and actively campaigned for a second referendum. That is simply not acceptable and must be challenged”
You’re the Spokesman for Eltham & Chislehurst what’s made you decide to represent this area?
As well as being the candidate for Eltham and Chislehurst I have contested Mottingham, Coldharbour and New Eltham ward during the Greenwich council elections of 2022 and will be standing again in the upcoming London assembly elections locally. This is a part of London that I have decided to call home.
It is an area that voted Leave in the EU referendum and will have a slate of candidates that supported remaining in the EU. The current Labour MP Clive Efford and the prospective Conservative candidate both wanted and actively campaigned for a second referendum. That is simply not acceptable and must be challenged. Leaving the EU was the first step on a journey to fundamentally change our country and the direction of travel successive governments had taken us down.
When I go out and talk to locals across the constituency I am struck by the lack of enthusiasm for politics. People are fed up with the current Tory government, which is no surprise after 13 years when most people would struggle to name much in the country that has changed for the better. There is no love for Labour, when people say they will vote for them at the next election, they are doing so as a vote against the Conservatives, not for Keir Starmer and his politics.
And this for me is where Reform UK is crucial. We stand on a platform that puts the interest of ordinary people first. In Reform UK we are NOT career politicians, we entered politics to give a voice the the forgotten and champion the big issues people really care about.
“I spoke to a lady who has had her house broken into 3 times in 18 months and feels totally unsupported by the police. I spoke with a local business owner about how shoplifters act with impunity, whilst he loses hundreds of pounds per week”
What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?
As with most of London, crime is the root cause of so many of the woes we face. Successive governments have failed to take the zero-tolerance approach to crime that is necessary. At the weekend I spoke to a lady who has had her house broken into 3 times in 18 months and feels totally unsupported by the police. I spoke with a local business owner about how shoplifters act with impunity, whilst he loses hundreds of pounds per week. These are real people, having lives and livelihoods ruined by the inability of the police. This must change and can never be normalised.
We must also address the lack of TFL services and accessibility to them. I will push for the DLR expansion to be continued into the constituency and regular express busses to be linked to the Elizabeth Line so its benefits can be shared.
There is also a feeling among residents that Eltham is a forgotten part of Greenwich. Despite having elected Conservative councillors in Eltham, what is really needed is a strong voice for change that will speak up for the constituency and its residents.
For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?
All help is welcomed, regardless of experience or how long you can commit. The establishment has had many years of a heard start on Reform UK, but with support we can be the change people are looking for. I am active on Twitter @RealMgSimpson and can be contacted by email at [email protected].
There really is something for everyone to get involved with and I am happy to discuss!
We first interviewed Alan Cook in 2019 when he was a prospective candidate for the then Brexit Party. We caught up again with Alan who is now the Reform UK Party candidate for Bromley & Biggin Hill.
Can you briefly introduce yourself again to our readers
I am the Reform UK candidate for Bromley & Biggin Hill and also a candidate for the party in the London Assembly. I live with my girlfriend of 26 years with our two amazing daughters and a fox terrier. We split our time living between Bromley and Westminster, obviously a great situation to be in and ideal if I do manage to secure the parliamentary position. I have had a long and successful career in business. I think it is time to give something back to my wonderful country. The greasy pole of politics for its own sake holds no attraction for me. I see public service as just that, being a servant to the public. These days unfortunately it appears that many in parliament are self-serving and not aware of the true honour and meaning of the role.
“the end result being them both admitting that the illegal crossings by boats could be stopped immediately but there is not the political will within the party to do so”
…and tell us what you’ve been up to in the past few years since we last spoke?
After the 2019 election I joined the Tories and started the procedure to become a candidate, however it didn’t take me long to discover that it was no longer a party with conservative values or policies and was not going to be anytime soon. My plan to steer the party from the inside was unfortunately rather naive.
This was borne out over a conversation I had on immigration in the Commons with David Davis and Sir Bill Wiggin, the end result being them both admitting that the illegal crossings by boats could be stopped immediately but there is not the political will within the party to do so and that it would not look good internationally!!! I believe uncontrolled immigration, both legal and illegal is the driving force behind so many of the issues we are facing in this country, pressures on education, health, housing, and employment. It is very well known that low skilled migration is not positive for the economy. Needless to say, I left the Tory party that week and joined Reform UK.
Work wise, I was involved in studying new technologies including Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) and Blockchain and have worked closely with Triad Group plc, a main list quoted company in the IT industry and also with one of the UKs leading layer-1 blockchain platform providers. However, I am now fully invested in politics, which has already earnt me the nicknamed ‘One job Al’, which is a little dig at the incumbent Bromley MP.
You are a member of the All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPG) for Artificial Intelligence and for Blockchain. How did you get involved in these?
I’m also involved with two more, the APPG for Crypto & Digital Assets and the APPG for Digital Skills, which is a very rewarding one. Its remit is digital upskilling and ensuring the non-tech literate are not left behind but also to ensure that the race to digital services doesn’t erase face to face public interaction. My involvement in these was necessary through the work I was doing with Triad Group Plc. I am less involved now but I still dedicate some of my free time towards them. It is important that the Commons and the Lords are properly informed regarding technology and how to regulate it.
Saying that, we decided that trying to regulate A.I. would be futile. Apart from the fact that technology does not respect national borders, A.I. is evolving at such an incredible pace, we realised the best way forward was to create an advisory framework instead of trying to regulate it.
There are both fun and serious sides to APPGs. Getting an invite to the AGM of the APPG for beer is a bonus but on the other hand, having weapons manufacturing companies debating against representatives from the United Nations and Amnesty International on the use of A.I. in target selection for deadly weapons, brings home the seriousness of the work.
“With no difference between the two parties, we now have a one-party system. Never before has government reform been more needed, thankfully Reform UK is giving the people an option”
Beyond technology, what are the passions that have found you throwing your hatinto the electoral ring again?
I’ve already mentioned immigration, but you are right tech has kept me in the political arena to a degree, although it is a-political, which is very healthy for creating a balanced view. I do get other insights from being the vice-chair of a House of Commons based social think tank. Through this I have good access to the Commons and to many people therein.
At a recent Commons breakfast, the day after the Labour Party cabinet reshuffle, I received wonderful insights into the possible future under a Labour government. One Lord at the breakfast announced that after the reshuffle, a gaggle of peers in the Lords surrounded Peter Mandelson and congratulated him on being back in power, obviously a reference to the number of Blairites moved into the Labour cabinet. Also, at the same breakfast, the Times and Sunday Times political editor said that the rumour of a rift between Blair and Starmer was fabricated, in fact both Blair and Brown have Starmer’s ear. Having access to inside information is one of the things that has drawn me back into politics. This recent titbit very much cements my reason for doing so. I want the UK to be sovereign and self-determining – to be able to decide its own destiny. Clearly Kier is a puppet for Blair, Brown and Mandelson, all of whom are in league with the global elite, as is the billion-dollar Sunak couple. I believe the UK should not pander to super national corporations, bodies and billionaires, that is why I am standing and am very passionate on this subject.
We used to have a two-party system before the Tories slid to the left. We now have the highest taxation in 70 years, high debt, a nanny state, big government, increasing reliance on benefits, uncontrolled immigration, and a leaning towards the globalist agenda instead of being UK centric. With no difference between the two parties, we now have a one-party system. Never before has government reform been more needed, thankfully Reform UK is giving the people an option.
I shouldn’t complain, the lack of choice makes us more relevant and our job easier. When canvassing we tend to hear either ‘thank you for doing what you are doing and you have my vote’or ‘who are you’? But again ‘who are you’ is an easier thing to address than ‘I disagree with you’, we are in a good place and voter intention polls are moving in our favour. We’re in this for the long term, we are not just looking at this election but we are also planning for the next.
The existing two or as it seems one party system now, has produced truly awful results over the last 30 years and it is genuinely time for reform.
My objective in seeking election to the House of Commons is to perform my public duties to the best of my abilities and energies. If I have the honour to be elected to serve and represent Bromley & Biggin Hill. I will intend to engage as a very active constituency MP and a plain-speaking member of the House of Commons. I will set up a staffed constituency office and spend significant time throughout the whole constituency.
“I chose to represent Bromley & Biggin Hill as I feel very lucky to have grown up there, I look back fondly and feel protective, I want others to have similar positive experiences”
You’re the Spokesman for Bromley and Chislehurst what’s made you decide to represent this area?
My family moved to Bickley when I was in my early teens. Bromley was a pleasant and safe place to be at that age, it is no longer safe, and that will be one of my absolute priorities. I may have spent a little too much time in The Bickley Arms and the Ramblers Rest, but also the Chislehurst Caves as it was so close to where we lived. I knew the tour guides and we used to explore parts of the caves that were not open to the public, there was always something interesting to do locally.
Bromley is still a wonderful place to live, but I have seen changes that are not positive. Not just in local government services, health education, policing but also the social cohesion and I think planning has a role to play here. The Tories always tend to fall in favour of big business at the expense of the residents, I believe the residents and small local businesses should always be my first consideration.
So, I chose to represent Bromley & Biggin Hill as I feel very lucky to have grown up there, I look back fondly and feel protective, I want others to have similar positive experiences.
“I’m setting up a team to help the funding to get the Downe Activity Centre, an 86 acres centre back up and running for the Scouts. I enjoyed camping there as a child, when these places are gone, they are gone for good”
What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?
Transport: I’ve been working closely with Howard Cox our London mayoral candidate on the creep of anti-motorist policy, ULEX LTN’s etc. Affordable private transport in conjunction with a fit for purpose public transportation network is key for the functioning of work, family, and our social lives.
Crime: Zero tolerance on knife crime, kick off with a knife amnesty, more visible policing, a greater number of bobbies on the beat. Remove all wokeness from the police force, have them concentrate on key policing, not chasing transgressions on social media. I’m setting up a team to help the funding to get the Downe Activity Centre, an 86 acres centre back up and running for the Scouts. I enjoyed camping there as a child, when these places are gone, they are gone for good, young people need a greater number of local outlets for fun and learning.
Planning: Change local planning so it favours the people that live in the constituency, not big business.
Waste: I will seek to ensure no taxpayers’ money is wasted by the council on vanity projects, diversity managers etc. I will stop the council’s headlong rush to reach net zero by 2027, this totally unnecessary cost will be borne by the residents amidst a cost-of-living crisis, it is total madness.
Woke: I will endeavour to erase gender ideology and critical race theory from education and any department or body that is in any way publicly funded, full stop.
And of course, it’s very important that I hear from the people what their issues are, my contact details are my website just google reform Alan Cook or enter the site address which is below.
For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?
We have regular social drinks meeting in Bromley where we talk policy, plan street stalls and leafletting walks around the constituency. Every 2 to 3 months I plan on organising larger speaking events at which we will invite senior people from the party and other leading political entities. The last one included speeches from Ben Habib, Howard Cox, Roger Gravett and me, it was excellent fun, informative and very well received.
Jonathon Mabbutt has been announced as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) parliamentary candidate for Bethnal Green and Stepney. We spoke with Jon about party, the constituency, and the upcoming campaign.
“We passionately believe in democracy, freedom of speech and a rational approach to policy”
Many people will have heard of the SDP, but maybe not for some years. Can you briefly introduce the party and tell us what it stands for?
The Social Democratic Party was once a big force in British politics, finishing third in an alliance with the Liberals. The majority of the party merged to form the Liberal Democrats but those who remained kept the party alive. Fast forward to today and we are the fastest growing grassroots party and plan to field more candidates at the next election that at any time since the 80s.
We are fighting for the common good in Britain’s national interest. We passionately believe in democracy, freedom of speech and a rational approach to policy. We believe in a strong social sector and building national resilience against global shocks. We hold to traditional values and stand for community, family, and nation.
Can you also let our readers know about yourself, and what led you to get involved in politics?
I am a husband and father and I have been working for charities in the homelessness and addiction sector for the last 15 years. I was a youth and children’s worker for a church for 2 years prior to that. I have always wanted to do work that helped people, especially those in difficult circumstances, and getting involved with the SDP is really a continuation of that.
“the SDP is a party that is actually offering solutions and reflects the mainstream very well, especially in places left behind by political indifference”
You’re the parliamentary candidate for Bethnal Green and Stepney, what’s made you decide to stand?
I have always been interested in politics but never felt represented by any of the mainstream parties. This is quite a common experience. Much of the nation is pretty detached from the views of the Westminster bubble. By contrast the SDP is a party that is actually offering solutions and reflects the mainstream very well, especially in places left behind by political indifference. If we are to bring change that would benefit us all then we need good candidates. After much consideration I decided that I couldn’t complain from the side-lines any longer.
“We have huge issues of overcrowding with many, many flats housing far more people than there are bedrooms. The social housing stock here is miniscule and what remains is often very run down”
What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?
I’m standing in Bethnal Green. We have huge issues of overcrowding with many, many flats housing far more people than there are bedrooms. The social housing stock here is miniscule and what remains is often very run down. We also have extremely high levels of child poverty and a lack of social cohesion.
On the national level I’m passionate about standing up for free speech and free association, a respect for the family and the role of parents and getting the state back into housebuilding. I’m in favour of a reduction in economic migration and a compassionate yet sensible approach to the refugee crisis which prioritises taking the most insecure people in refugee camps over those from Europe crossing illegally with the help of criminal gangs.
For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?
I would invite people to take a look at the policies and new declaration on our website sdp.org.uk, and if they speak to your concerns then consider joining us. Likewise, you can e-mail me at [email protected].
