Harry Phillips is the Reform UK candidate for the 16th October, Staines ward by-election in Spelthorne. We spoke with Harry about his decision to stand.
Can you introduce yourself to our readers, and tell us what made you decide to run? I’ve lived in Spelthorne all my life, growing up in Stanwell before moving to Staines two years ago. At 31, I run my own businesses in cosmetics and social media marketing while also training as an accountant. I decided to run because residents deserve a strong local voice—someone focused on real issues, not political games. I want to deliver tangible outcomes for Staines.
“I decided to run because residents deserve a strong local voice—someone focused on real issues, not political games. I want to deliver tangible outcomes for Staines”
You’re the candidate for Staines ward. What are the main concerns in the area? Residents tell me they’re worried about crime, anti-social behaviour, and the pace of overdevelopment. People want safer streets, a regenerated High Street and Elmsleigh Centre, and more investment in local infrastructure. Protecting green spaces is also a big concern, ensuring our town grows sustainably. My priority is listening to residents and working with them to deliver practical improvements for everyday life.
“People want safer streets, a regenerated High Street and Elmsleigh Centre, and more investment in local infrastructure”
What do you see as the major issues more widely in Spelthorne and if elected what do you hope to champion? Spelthorne has been let down by years of mismanagement, leaving finances unstable and services at risk. I want to challenge waste, stop “fire sales” of council assets, and focus on long-term investment that benefits residents. If elected, I’ll push for regeneration, progress on the River Thames Scheme, and policies that improve quality of life—while protecting our community from opportunistic overdevelopment.
“If elected, I’ll push for regeneration, progress on the River Thames Scheme, and policies that improve quality of life”
How can people find out more or get involved in the campaign? We’re always looking for local residents to get involved, whether that’s delivering leaflets, sharing campaign messages, or talking to neighbours. Anyone can contact our campaign team directly by emailing chair.spelthorne@reformuk.com, or if you have a leaflet scan the QR code to join or donate. Together, we can build a strong Reform UK voice in Spelthorne that puts residents and community first.
We spoke with Chase Blount the Chairman of the Libertarian Conservatives.
“We aim to sway the membership’s opinion further towards free markets and individualist social policies”
Can you introduce yourself to our readers, and tell us about your group?
We’re the Libertarian Conservative Interest Group, a grassroots, youth-led organisation aimed at promoting libertarian and classically liberal policies within the Conservative Party. We aim to sway the membership’s opinion further towards free markets and individualist social policies, as well as scrutinising the Conservatives when this might not be the case. We’re also a space for libertarian and classical liberal Conservative members to connect and socialise.
“We injected freedom into the state education sector by empowering academies, which significantly improved pupil outcomes…. We also scrapped Labour’s ID card scheme, something we libertarians will appreciate”
Many of us feel the Conservative Party wasn’t very libertarian over it’s 14years in government. What do you think were the highlights and lowlights of that period?
We agree – whilst we definitely did a better job in government than Labour or the Liberal Democrats would have ever done, mistakes were made. In particular, we often prioritised placating the electorate over implementing the bold, long-term decisions that Britain needed. Low points include a failure to reform planning and build again, the implementation of the Triple Lock, and much of the pandemic – especially the national debt ballooning, government infringements on our civil liberties and instances of corruption and sleaze. But we achieved notable successes in government too. We injected freedom into the state education sector by empowering academies, which significantly improved pupil outcomes. We raised the Personal Allowance for income tax, delivered same-sex marriage, and managed to cut National Insurance Contributions for working families. We also scrapped Labour’s ID card scheme, something we libertarians will appreciate.
What’s surprised you most in the past year of Labour government?
What’s surprised us the most has been the speed at which Labour broke their promises. We all remember how they pledged no new taxes in the run-up to the general election – then almost immediately upon entering government, they had discovered a £22 billion “black hole” and used it to justify £40 billion in higher taxes on the British people. Labour’s taxes on business are decimating our economy. Investment plans have been cancelled and layoffs expanded – so much so that job vacancies have fallen by 5.8% between May and July. The Conservatives must return to government and reverse these disastrous policies, or the British economy will continue to decline.
“Young people don’t want an unaffordable housing market or a higher tax burden due to an exploding national debt – and libertarianism has the solutions”
What would you like to see the Conservative Party focus on now from opposition?
As you may expect, we’d like to see the Conservatives take a much more libertarian direction. We must be bolder on the issue of housing and endorse significant planning reform, and fight Nimbyism within our own party. We also need to be upfront and honest about our entitlements, including pensions, to make those systems much more sustainable. These issues aren’t solely libertarian, they’re also pro-young people. Young people don’t want an unaffordable housing market or a higher tax burden due to an exploding national debt – and libertarianism has the solutions. That’s why the Libertarian Conservatives have received overwhelming support from Young Conservatives across the country.
How can people find out more about your group?
We operate social media accounts on X and Instagram, on which you can keep up to date with what we’re doing. If you’d like to join the Group as a member, we’re open to all Conservative members who share our values and principles. Please feel free to DM @liberty_tories on X or Instagram and we’ll add you to our members community on WhatsApp. We’d love to have you onboard!
“Christian Democracy has long been a strong presence on the continent, but it never truly gained ground in the UK… Our mission is to change that by applying traditional Christian principles within a modern democratic framework”
We first spoke with you when you were the SDP Coordinator in Dorset in January last year. Can you tell us a bit about your political journey since then?
When you last interviewed me, I was serving as Dorset County Coordinator for the Social Democratic Party. During the general election, I managed six campaigns—two of which delivered some of the party’s best results nationally. However, after the election I began to doubt both the SDP’s direction and its prospects for real electoral success. This led me to leave the party and rejoin Reform UK in October of last year.
Since then, I have managed a local election campaign for Reform in Wiltshire, where our candidate secured second place with over a quarter of the vote, beating the Liberal Democrats. At present, most of my political work is focused on my think tank, Christian Democracy UK, which I founded last month. Alongside that, I remain active as a member of my local branch of the New Culture Forum.
“True freedom and flourishing are found in strong families, vibrant local communities, and a society rooted in mutual responsibility”
You’re the Chair of Christian Democracy UK. Can you tell us about the organisation and what its aims are?
The group exists to promote the values of traditional Christianity across all areas of policy, rooted in the philosophy of Christian Democracy. Emerging in 19th-century Europe, Christian Democracy has long been a strong presence on the continent, but it never truly gained ground in the UK, where politics has been largely secular in outlook. Our mission is to change that by applying traditional Christian principles within a modern democratic framework.
Our core tenets include:
Sanctity of Life: We believe every human being is created in the image of God, giving each person inherent dignity and value. From this conviction flows our consistent life ethic—opposing abortion, euthanasia, and capital punishment alike.
Communitarianism: We affirm that people are deeply connected and must work together for the common good—not out of vague compassion, but as members of one human family. True freedom and flourishing are found in strong families, vibrant local communities, and a society rooted in mutual responsibility, with special care for the most vulnerable and marginalised.
Secure Borders: Loving our neighbour also means protecting our communities, families, and the common good. Mass immigration places enormous strain on housing, services, and social cohesion. While compassion remains essential, it must be balanced with justice, order, and responsibility towards our own citizens and the health of our nation.
Social Market Economy: Guided by the principle of distributism, we believe the world’s productive assets should be widely owned rather than concentrated in the hands of the few. We reject both state socialism and unrestrained free-market capitalism, embracing a ‘third way’ that upholds private property, ensures fair taxation (with the wealthiest contributing more), and guarantees social protections for those unable to participate in the labour market.
Stewardship: Humanity has been entrusted with the care of God’s creation. We reject selfish exploitation of the natural world, instead promoting a balanced approach that recognises human beings as stewards, not owners. Environmental policy should be wise and proportionate—protecting creation without imposing extreme measures, such as rigid Net Zero targets, that risk severe economic and social disruption.
Unlike many Christian groups that focus solely on moral and social issues, we apply Christian principles comprehensively—across economics, housing, energy, foreign policy, and more. On some issues we may lean towards centre-left solutions, while maintaining a firm social conservatism on others.
Our vision is to represent the sensible centre—a movement uniting Christians across the political spectrum, challenging the excessive individualism and materialism of today, and rejecting the extremes of both left and right.
How do you see Christian Democracy UK fitting in with the political parties we have today?
We are a cross-party pressure group – with active members in seven political parties, including the three largest parties by membership (Reform UK, Labour and the Conservatives). Our role is not to replace existing parties but to introduce a distinctly Christian democratic perspective into their debates and policies.
We seek to shape the national conversation by reminding politicians of the moral and spiritual dimensions of political life, whether on economics, family, community, or national culture. By working across party lines, we can advocate for the communitarian principles of Christian social teaching in a way that transcends partisan divides. Our mission is to ensure that Christian values are not side lined but actively shape Britain’s political future – which is particularly important in a nation where religion has experienced a sharp decline in recent years.
What areas do you think a Christian perspective can inform policy across a range of parties?
A Christian perspective can inform policy across every area of public life, not just the moral sphere. Questions of economics, welfare, housing, education, foreign affairs, and even environmental stewardship are ultimately questions of human dignity, the common good, and our responsibilities before God.
While groups on both the left and right often reduce politics to snappy slogans and populism, we insist that politics is first about people—the flourishing of families, communities, and society rooted in truth. From distributist economics to strengthening the traditional family unit, from just foreign policy to care for creation, we believe Christian principles offer a unifying and humanising vision that can enrich and correct the political debates across the spectrum.
“We affirm the free practice of religion as a cornerstone of democracy and human dignity. However, we also reject the notion that this requires a faithless public square”
What stance does Christian Democracy UK take on working with other religious communities?
First and foremost, we are a Christian organisation, rooted in the teaching and tradition of the Church. Our mission is to apply Christian Democratic principles to public life, and so naturally our membership is overwhelmingly made up of practicing Christians. That said, we welcome support and contributions from those of other faiths—or even of no faith—who share our vision for the common good.
We affirm the free practice of religion as a cornerstone of democracy and human dignity. However, we also reject the notion that this requires a faithless public square. We believe Christianity, as Britain’s historic faith, has a rightful role in shaping public life and guiding policy, alongside a recognition of religious freedom for all.
“This resurgence is encouraging, because it shows that the next generation is not turning its back on faith altogether, but is instead rediscovering it as an anchor in turbulent times”
What do you think is the outlook for Christianity in the UK today, and what are any positive trends?
Of course, there are challenges when looking at the outlook for Christianity today. The 2021 census recorded the lowest proportion of people identifying as Christian in our history, while the numbers of the irreligious and other faiths continue to rise. Attendance in the Church of England has fallen to record lows, with many parishes struggling to keep their doors open.
Yet, alongside these concerns, there are real signs of hope. In the past few years we’ve seen a marked rise in youth attendance at church. Among young men, the figure has risen from just 8% in 2018 to 20% in 2025, with young women also increasing to 12% over the same period. This resurgence is encouraging, because it shows that the next generation is not turning its back on faith altogether, but is instead rediscovering it as an anchor in turbulent times.
Many young men in particular are looking for a rooted alternative to the instability and hostility of secular liberal culture, which often treats them with suspicion for who they are. For them, Christianity offers a way back to tradition, responsibility, and community – and a faith that can give real meaning to their lives.
How can people get in touch if they want to know more?
If you’d like to get involved, there are several ways to do so. You can reach me directly at max.stenner@icloud.com to express interest in joining our working group, or follow us on Twitter/X at @christdemsuk to stay up to date with our latest announcements and publications.
Our official launch will take place at the New Culture Forum’s Christianity and Politics Conference on 30 September 2025, held at Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, Blandford Forum, at 7pm. The event will feature a keynote address from myself, alongside Adam Smith-Connor (noted for his arrest for silent prayer) and Tyler White, Leader of the National Distributist Party. Attendance is free and open to all—details can be found on the poster below. If you’d like to reserve a place, simply email me.
Steve Davison is a founder of Politics in Pubs, a network we’ve joined. Steve also writes and releases videos as Baffled by Science. We speak to Steve about these and more.
“One of the things that stood out was how conservatives, socialists, libertarians and even communists, could enjoy a drink together and have a healthy, friendly debate – something increasingly unusual today”
We first meet you through Politics in Pubs, can you tell our readers a bit about the group and how you got involved?
Certainly. Politics in Pubs is a free speech group that meets monthly in pubs around the country to discuss topic political and cultural issues. Our members come from across the political spectrum and in general feel that the current political system is broken.
The founding members were involved in the Manchester Leavers of Britain campaign and forged a great relationship during that time. One of the things that stood out was how conservatives, socialists, libertarians and even communists, could enjoy a drink together and have a healthy, friendly debate – something increasingly unusual today.
When the referendum result came in, we wondered whether there would be a way to keep the group going. After discussions over a BBQ one afternoon, t’committee (as we came to be called) decided that yes, we really valued the forum and wanted to keep it going.
However, we couldn’t be called “Leavers” anymore, particularly as we wanted to grow the group irrespective of political affiliation and Brexit preference. The name “Politics in Pubs” fell out of a brainstorming session during the BBQ. It answers two obvious questions: what do we do and where do we do it? We also really wanted to help preserve our pub culture when the hospitality industry is under threat as never before.
Our members value the freedom to question and to speak openly – we don’t record meetings or name individuals if they prefer us not. Many of our members are active in other areas such as voluntary community groups, campaigning groups and a variety of political parties. These are people who do give a damn and want to have an impact on Britain’s future direction. We look for opportunities to influence, learn from each other as well as network with groups and organisations across the country who share similar aims to our own – which is how we met your group.
We carried on meeting in a variety of pubs around North Manchester, beginning in November 2021. We struggled at first because with the referendum over we didn’t have a focus for discussion but kept the meetings going with members leading discussion on topics that we chose at each meeting. Then in January 2023 we had our first guest speaker, and this became the model for future meetings. Attendance grew to a regular 20-30 people, and we started a new group in Newcastle which has become very popular.
In terms of people on t’committee, we have a great chairperson who keeps meetings running smoothly. We also have an amazing secretary who produces engaging write-ups of every meeting and a keen treasurer who looks after our funds which all come from voluntary member donations. My background is in IT, so I put together our website which acts as the hub for communicating with members and subscribers around the country.
What have been some highlights from your discussions and debates?
That’s a really hard one. We are very lucky to have had some fantastic speakers leading really challenging debates on a wide variety of controversial topics including the pandemic response, gender identity ideology, 15-minute cities, Net Zero, trust in the media, assisted dying, devolution, the future of NATO and voting reform.
We have also provided a forum for political parties to let us know what they are up to and have been following Reform UK and the SDP for some time. We have struggled to get speakers from the mainstream parties – though they are very welcome. That said, we do have a meeting with Graham Stringer coming up, but he’s a bit of a maverick in the Labour Party, someone who isn’t afraid to speak his mind.
Our most recent discussion on whether AI can save democracy was fascinating and caused a lot of heated debate. However, there have been disappointments. A local humanist came to tell us that god doesn’t exist. He also said we should follow the experts who say the world is doomed by climate change. He just couldn’t see the irony!
“there is plenty of evidence contradicting the idea of catastrophic man-made global warming. This was the first time I really came to appreciate how much we are lied to by the media and politicians”
You have a Substack and YouTube channel ‘Baffled by Science’ what’s the idea behind the channel?
At the moment “Baffled by Science” is more a vehicle to help me maintain my sanity than a serious attempt to influence the world! I have been interested in climate change for over 30 years. I studied physics at university, gaining a D.Phil. in physics in the 80’s. Although my area of research wasn’t directly in climate physics I worked in related areas and have a good grasp of the issues involved in analysing data and building climate models.
For quite a while I went along with the mainstream narrative because I just hadn’t had time to look at climate specifically. I didn’t need to – there was plenty of information out there and I had no reason to distrust it. That changed suddenly as a result of a challenge over a beer in the pub.
I suggested to a friend that we needed to take every opportunity to go skiing as a result of global warming meaning there soon wouldn’t be any more snow in the alps. This still makes me cringe when I think about this. Anyway, my friend was having none of it, simply saying there was plenty of data to the contrary if only I looked. I took the challenge and went off thinking how easy this was going to be.
I will never forget the shock of actually doing the research for the first time and very quickly finding multiple sources of data and analysis showing that there is plenty of evidence contradicting the idea of catastrophic man-made global warming. This was the first time I really came to appreciate how much we are lied to by the media and politicians. Once that happens you start to question everything you see and read.
This doesn’t mean that the climate isn’t changing of course. However, I found that it isn’t changing as much as the models predict and isn’t changing unusually – looking back over longer timescales. I also found that there are plenty of natural explanations for observed warming.
None of this is communicated to the public but policy makers have channelled trillions of dollars into projects around the world, supposedly to save the planet. Many of these projects will likely make things worse since the renewable energy brings many issues, not least being expensive, intermittent and challenging to balance on the grid. And don’t get me started on EVs. Clearly many people support this with the best intentions but equally there are many people with vested interests making fortunes on the back of things like carbon trading and renewable subsidies.
Rather than try and convince people about the realistic state of climate science and its dismal communication, I decided to start blogging about the consequences of implementing policies based on a false premise. I have been highly influenced in this respect by organisations like the Global Policy Warming Foundation, the Renewable Energy Foundation, along with energy bloggers like David Turver, Kathryn Porter, Richard Lyon and Paul Homewood.
I don’t expect it to become wildly popular but the process of writing and video making, employing AI tools to assist with the research and video production, is a very creative and enjoyable experience. It will be some time before I have that gold plaque on the bookcase, but I’ll keep at it.
“This is interesting as a stress test, but clearly unrealistic as the most likely scenario. It is disturbing therefore that advocacy groups, the media and policy makers concentrate on this scenario. In the process we generate hopelessly unrealistic policy, such as Net Zero by 2030”
This is one of the many areas where science results are communicated badly to the public, often deliberately so. Unless you have been involved in writing computer models it can be very difficult to appreciate how to respond to the results they generate.
A good case in point would be the pandemic predictions produced by Niall Fergusson at Imperial College. It turns out that his model assumptions were unrealistic. However, at no point did he make clear to policy makers the uncertainty inherent in his forecasts. It’s hard to estimate the incredible damage done by not challenging his assumptions. We need to appreciate that models are at best a method to better understand what might happen if certain other things happen.
Climate models are exactly the same. They are made up of physically based equations (our best guesses for how climate really works) as well as multiple assumptions about how different parts of the climate interact. These include thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, radiative transfer, cloud microphysics and geophysics (my specialism) plus a several more.
However, under no circumstances can they be regarded as providing an true and accurate representation of the climate – it is simply too complex. These models are refined regularly, but recently some of them were found to run hot, predicting unrealistic high temperatures. For the first time, scientists on both sides of the debate agreed that this is a problem.
On top of these equations, the models are also run under a number of scenarios which describe how socio-economic and technical factors will change over time. These scenarios are called Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) and describe future high, medium and low emissions scenarios. The worst-case scenario, RCP 8.5, imagines a future with continued high emissions including a massive increase in coal use. This is interesting as a stress test, but clearly unrealistic as the most likely scenario. It is disturbing therefore that advocacy groups, the media and policy makers concentrate on this scenario. In the process we generate hopelessly unrealistic policy, such as Net Zero by 2030.
The societal consequences of this will be profound as I discuss in another video “A Review of the iron law of energy”. Not only are we squandering huge resources tackling a non-existent problem, but we are also starving capital from projects that could make guaranteed improvements to human health and prosperity.
“the new wind farm is being developed to meet an arbitrary government target. It will produce very expensive energy as a result of public subsidies. It will have no impact on the global temperature”
Your involved in a big campaign against a new wind farm between Edenfield, Rawtenstall and Rochdale. What are your main objections to the wind farm?
Fundamentally the new wind farm is being developed to meet an arbitrary government target. It will produce very expensive energy as a result of public subsidies. It will have no impact on the global temperature but will do massive damage to our unique peat moorland – something the government has separately committed to protecting!
It will be located either side of and cross an old, cobbled road called the Cotton Famine Road. This is a reminder of the harsh times cotton workers had to endure during the Cotton Famine in their support of the abolition of slavery and is unique in linking the American Civil War to social changes in our own country. In order to alleviate the poverty, the mill workers were engaged in a huge public works project, laying over 300,000 stone setts across the moor. Walking or riding up this road is a really moving experience. The wind farm will completely destroy the peace and tranquillity of this incredible heritage asset.
Our local MPs, Labour, are strongly supportive of the proposals. This includes my own MP, Elsie Blundell, who described the importance of the Cotton Famine Road in her maiden speech! Both local councils, Labour controlled, are desperate for the funding that the wind farm would bring them. Draw your own conclusions!
Are there any last thoughts you would like to leave our readers with?
Nothing profound! I recommend finding groups like ours and yours to meet up and debate, learn new things and of course, simply to socialise. I have made many new friends through Politics in Pubs, all of them deeply concerned about the state of our country and keen to see things improve for the better.
The other thing I would say, as a counter to the too common attitude of “why bother voting”, is that we are demonstrably going through a period of profound change. The two-party system is dead – in fact those two parties are already on life support. They just don’t realise it. Who would have thought that even a couple of years ago?
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!
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.
Arlene Dearlove is the Reform UK candidate for the 22nd May, Carshalton South and Clockhouse ward by-election in the London Borough of Sutton. We spoke with Arlene about her decision to stand.
“I have been involved in the local community as a provider of not-for-profit social care and support to our most vulnerable members of society for over 27 years”
Can you introduce yourself to our readers, and tell us what made you decide to run?
I have been involved in the local community as a provider of not-for-profit social care and support to our most vulnerable members of society for over 27 years. In this role I assist children and young people with profound physical and sensory difficulties to access local services and activities. Also, for over 17 years I have been running day services, offering respite to families with activities including horticulture, cooking, baking, pottery and skills for living.
I am a Christian and my faith is my foundation as I seek to serve the local community to the best of my ability. It is a real privilege to be the local Reform candidate for the upcoming council election.
“We feel the council didn’t fully back us when we raised concerns over ULEZ, and we don’t feel the council is backing residents over concerns on crime and anti-social behaviour”
You’re the candidate for Carshalton South and Clockhouse ward. What are the main concerns in the area?
Carshalton South and Clockhouse ward is such an interesting and varied ward covering the Clockhouse area in Coulsdon, the countryside Little Woodcote and Carshalton Beeches.
I live in the ward, and I know many people feel ignored by Sutton Council, which is increasingly complacent after many years of LibDem councils. We feel the council didn’t fully back us when we raised concerns over ULEZ, and we don’t feel the council is backing residents over concerns on crime and anti-social behaviour.
I will speak up for residents’ day to day concerns and be your voice for Reform on the Council.
“Businesses are both crucial to our local economy and the employment of our local work force. It is essential that they get the support and help they need to thrive and bolster our community”
What do you see as the major issues more widely in Sutton and if elected what do you hope to champion?
There are 3 main areas I will focus on.
Community Support Networks
I want to establish communication links with residents to tackle issues that affect us all, from housing to potholes.
Protection and support for our local businesses and public houses
Businesses are both crucial to our local economy and the employment of our local work force. It is essential that they get the support and help they need to thrive and bolster our community. The effect of ULEZ expansion and ongoing uncoordinated roadworks, is having a dire effect on footfall.
Tackling crime with the Safer Neighbourhood teams
As a priority, I will work closely with residents and the police to ensure our safety as the incidents of all kinds of criminal activities and anti-social behaviour are increasing.
How can people find out more or get involved in the campaign?
A pro-market, pro-merit, pro-freedom and pro-Indic civilization party, the Libertarian Party of India is promoting a vision of freedom to the world’s largest democracy. We spoke with one of their representatives.
“We are acutely aware of all the untapped potential lying wasted in the country with its demographics, geographic location and natural resources”
Can you introduce yourself to our readers, and tell us a bit about your party?
I am Tushar. I along with my mates were frustrated by the level of discourse going in India. We are acutely aware of all the untapped potential lying wasted in the country with its demographics, geographic location and natural resources. Libertarian ideas found resonance and offered a solution to our situation. Hence, we being of the entrepreneurial mindset decided to start the party. It started a year ago March 28th it started with just a website, few friends and an X handle. Within a year we are at 3 million impression of X and 3 million on Instagram. Each day new people who share our story follow us, contact us. They are from diverse fields and know things can be better with a libertarian system put in place replacing current socialist system.
“Ours is a federal system in constitution but unitary in practice. Hence our towns and municipalities do not have the sufficient resources or say in day to day functioning of civic life”
What do you see as the major challenges facing India and what policies is the party championing?
The biggest challenge we are facing right now is the over centralisation of power. Ours is a federal system in constitution but unitary in practice. Hence our towns and municipalities do not have the sufficient resources or say in day to day functioning of civic life. All these accusations flung at India being misgoverned is an bug of unitary system (similar to Ireland) than something intrinsic to the country. We have always been a strong country but a weak state. This over centralisation of power is an historical aberration and needs to be corrected.
“Free speech is essential for a free civilized society, power imbalances are managed by constant questioning and expressing diverse viewpoints”
If you could introduce policies to change just 3 things in India, what would they be?
Our top 3 Policies are:
Decentralisation – greater authority and budget allocation to municipalities to solve problems and experiment with solutions with people’s feedback.
Deregulation – reducing the scope of bureaucratic corruption and government (politician) intervention in the economy to let free markets operate and offer solutions to people’s problems. This will also lead to reducing tax burden which will eventually be replaced with voluntary contributions and fundraising.
Free Speech and Right to Self Defence. Free speech is essential for a free civilized society, power imbalances are managed by constant questioning and expressing diverse viewpoints. The related aspect of free speech is right to self-defence via arms because it’s human to take offense to different opinions but there needs to be some deterrence to ensure that the discourse continues to remain civil additionally voter lottery elects tyrants time to time it’s important to ensure that people can push back.
How can people find out more about what the party is up to?
Mary Lawes is the Reform UK candidate for Folkestone East in the upcoming Kent County Council elections. We spoke with Mary about her decision to stand.
“they chose to target the most vulnerable in society to balance their books, stripping pensioners of their Winter Fuel Allowance just as winter began”
Kent County Council
I am Mary Lawes, and I am standing as a candidate for Reform UK because I am deeply concerned about the direction in which Labour is taking our country. Labour is misleading the British public, convincing them that only they can serve their best interests, while in reality, their policies are causing serious harm.
Labour’s Broken Promises
Labour’s General Election manifesto promised to fix the NHS. Instead of delivering real reform, they handed the unions a pay deal to halt strikes and increased public sector wages—yet the NHS remains in crisis.
They also repeatedly claimed that there was a £22 billion “black hole” in public finances. Were there? Regardless, they chose to target the most vulnerable in society to balance their books, stripping pensioners of their Winter Fuel Allowance just as winter began. They are also forcing farmers to give up their land and cutting support for the sick and disabled.
“we should be utilising our own energy resources while gradually transitioning to advanced nuclear technology, which is cleaner, more reliable, and does not depend on the weather”
The Cost of Net Zero
One of the most damaging policies Labour is pursuing is Net Zero. They have shut down domestic energy production, forcing the UK to import expensive foreign fuel—raising costs for consumers. Meanwhile, they are covering our countryside with solar farms and wind turbines while adding green levies to household energy bills.
The UK contributes just 1% of the world’s CO₂ emissions, yet billions are being spent on ineffective green policies. Solar panels, imported from China, are produced using materials mined by child labour under dangerous conditions. Instead of this, we should be utilising our own energy resources while gradually transitioning to advanced nuclear technology, which is cleaner, more reliable, and does not depend on the weather.
Neglect of Folkestone East
I am standing in Folkestone East, a deprived area that has been neglected for over 20 years.
There are no proper community spaces.
The Folkestone Harbour area, home to over 5,000 children, has just one small play area.
There are no sports facilities, football pitches, or youth clubs.
There are no organisations like Guides, Brownies, or Scouts.
Meanwhile, our roads are in disrepair. While new housing estates receive investment in infrastructure, our area suffers from dangerous roads, few pedestrian crossings, and an inadequate public transport system.
Protecting Food Security and Small Businesses
Our country’s food security is at risk. Without farms and farmers, we will be forced to import food, leaving us vulnerable to external control. Labour’s policies are deliberately worsening this situation as part of their globalist agenda.
Meanwhile, small businesses are struggling. Labour’s increase in National Insurance is making it more expensive to hire staff, while their so-called minimum wage increase does little to offset soaring costs in:
Energy bills
Water rates
Rent & mortgages
Council tax (which has seen record-high increases in our district over the last five years)
People are struggling, and in deprived areas, life is becoming unbearable for the most vulnerable in our society.
“With approximately 15,000 trucks entering the UK daily, this policy could generate significant funds to maintain and improve our roads”
A Fair Solution for Road Maintenance
Reform UK Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh has a practical policy to fund road repairs in Kent. British truckers must pay substantial fees to drive through Europe—so why shouldn’t foreign truckers contribute to our infrastructure?
We propose a £35 daily charge for trucks coming from the continent, using the existing infrastructure at Dover and the Channel Tunnel.
With approximately 15,000 trucks entering the UK daily, this policy could generate significant funds to maintain and improve our roads. We would want this ring fenced for Kent roads.
I am also committed to:
Improving road safety (with more crossings in high-risk areas)
Addressing the poor local bus service—especially the vital 74 bus route
“second rail service could bring much-needed competition to Eurostar, potentially reopening Ebbsfleet and Ashford International stations, which have been closed since Covid”
Reviving Local Transport and Businesses
The approval of Richard Branson’s second rail service could bring much-needed competition to Eurostar, potentially reopening Ebbsfleet and Ashford International stations, which have been closed since Covid.
Currently, Kent residents must travel to London just to board a train that passes through these closed stations. Increased competition would mean:
Better services
Lower fares
We must also do more to support local businesses. Reform UK will push to:
Reverse the National Insurance hike
Lower energy bills to help struggling businesses
Our high streets are dying, and people are losing jobs. We must take action now.
Get in Touch
I am committed to fighting for the people of Folkestone East and ensuring that our voices are heard.
With a general election in Canada being held on April 28. David Sabine is the Libertarian Party candidate for the riding of Airdrie—Cochrane. We spoke with David about his decision to stand.
“I am putting my name on the ballot to amplify voices who believe our federal government is too big, too costly, and too corrupt”
Can you introduce yourself to our readers, and tell us what made you decide to run?
I’m David Sabine, running for the Libertarian Party in Canada in the riding of Airdrie-Cochrane, a region near Calgary, Alberta. This western province is known for its rugged landscapes and its energy, agriculture, and forestry sectors. I’ve worked as a management consultant across Canada and beyond, earning degrees from the University of Regina and Arizona State University. I am putting my name on the ballot to amplify voices who believe our federal government is too big, too costly, and too corrupt.
“Albertans, known for their industrious and family-oriented spirit, value their freedom to run businesses and live independently. They’re troubled by Canada’s shift toward authoritarianism”
You’re the candidate for Airdrie—Cochrane. What are the main concerns in the area?
Airdrie-Cochrane faces intense strain from mass immigration driven by Justin Trudeau’s lax border policies — labelled “out of control” even by his own ministers. Albertans, known for their industrious and family-oriented spirit, value their freedom to run businesses and live independently. They’re troubled by Canada’s shift toward authoritarianism, with steep taxes, market interference, and declining rights like free speech and property ownership.
Federal mismanagement, mounting debt, and trade restrictions strike this region hard, where energy and enterprise fuel the economy. Alberta is a resource-rich province and clashes with Ottawa, the federal capital, sending massive “equalization” payments to other regions while facing Ottawa’s aggressive climate policies that throttle local industry.
Separatist tensions, simmering for over a century, are boiling over, with growing daily demands for Alberta’s Premier to hold a referendum on breaking away from Canada.
“cut the power of the administrative state, reduce bureaucratic bloat, end government debt, and enable citizens to shape their own prosperous future”
What do you see as the major issues more widely in Canada and if elected what do you hope to champion?
Libertarian-leaning voters in Airdrie-Cochrane are alarmed by Canada’s authoritarian drift characterized by excessive taxation, market intervention, the erosion of property and civil rights, and an ever-expanding censorship regime. Canadian author, Margaret Atwood, criticized Justin Trudeau and his Liberal party’s “creeping totalitarianism” — the root cause of Canada’s economic fragility and societal division.
Canada’s federal government is too big, too expensive, and meddles too much in provincial jurisdiction. Past Liberal and Conservative regimes have overreached as morality police, selectively enforcing laws to push specific ideologies. A Libertarian in Parliament would influence policy to cut the power of the administrative state, reduce bureaucratic bloat, end government debt, and enable citizens to shape their own prosperous futures.
Canada’s self-inflicted barriers, like interprovincial trade restrictions, pipeline bans, and supply management, inflate costs for essentials and trap consumers. Libertarians propose dismantling these barriers in pursuit of principled free trade with all countries. The Libertarian approach rejects central economic planning favouring individual liberty and economic freedom.
Canada’s economic hardship stems from Liberal mismanagement and their socialist base — trillion+ in debt, overregulation, and policies that stifling growth. The growing calls for separation in Alberta and Quebec underscore this fracture. Given our natural resources and adjacency to the largest economies on Earth, Canadians should be prosperous, resilient, creative, thriving!
How can people find out more or get involved in the campaign?
With a general election in Canada being held on April 28. Alex Joehl is the Libertarian Party candidate for the riding of Langley Township-Fraser Heights. We spoke with Alex about his decision to stand.
“I feel strongly that there should be a principled, liberty candidate on every ballot in the country… I can at least give the voters of Langley Township-Fraser Heights that option”
Can you introduce yourself to our readers, and tell us what made you decide to run?
I’m a husband and a father, but when you do a Google search of my name they call me a Politician.
I studied Journalism after high school, and though I no longer work in the media industry, my time at college helped shape who I became as a young man. After learning about this history of western economics and philosophy I began to realize that I was a Classic Liberal and immediately began to seek out a political party that shared my views.
I found the Libertarian Party of Canada and in 2008 I ran for office for the first time, under the LPoC banner in Surrey-North. I finished sixth out of nine candidates, garnering 347 votes (1%), and I was hooked on the democratic process. Only by putting myself on the ballot could I guarantee that there would be an option I could vote for in good conscience.
Since then, I’ve run federally three times, provincially three times, and ran locally for Mayor, for Councillor, and for School Board Trustee. I’ve never been elected but that has not deterred me. In 2023 I was selected to be the Leader of the British Columbia Libertarian Party (provincial). Even though we did not elect any candidates, we had the fourth-highest vote total of all parties.
I decided to run this time around because, well, somebody has to. I feel strongly that there should be a principled, liberty candidate on every ballot in the country, and while I can’t do that on my own, I can at least give the voters of Langley Township-Fraser Heights that option.
“Langley is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the country, so naturally a lot of the concerns revolve around infrastructure”
You’re the candidate for Langley Township-Fraser Heights. What are the main concerns in the area?
This is a brand new Electoral District this year. It encompasses a large portion of the Township of Langley and party of Surrey north of the Trans Canada Highway.
Langley is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the country, so naturally a lot of the concerns revolve around infrastructure. As the region grows in population the access to healthcare has not increased, and our public monopoly on healthcare has garnered horrific results, with thousands of Canadians dying each year while waiting for diagnostic tests, for treatments, or even just to see a specialist.
“the governments’ incessant deficit spending puts the nation further into debt, while also inflating the money supply”
Finances are a hot topic obviously — it is very difficult (if not impossible) to purchase a home without some sort of “Bank of Mom & Dad” contribution. Many people are struggling to keep up with their bills — Two-thirds are $200 away from not being able to meet their monthly commitments, and Canada has the highest personal debt in the Western world. Meanwhile, the banks keep benefiting from fractional reserve lending, watering down people’s purchasing power, and the governments’ incessant deficit spending puts the nation further into debt, while also inflating the money supply.
Yet, all we hear about in the news is Tariffs, Tariffs, and more Tariffs, as the U.S. president is challenging our economy with his protectionist policies. Yes, these are important to discuss, but Canadians are being harmed much worse in more ways that we can actually control and undue.
What do you see as the major issues more widely in Canada and if elected what do you hope to champion?
Canadians need to wake up to the source of all of our struggles – the Bank of Canada tinkers with our economy with artificial interest rates and enabling government overspending by monetizing their deficits. And the private banks thrive within the environment that allows them to add to their balance sheets without deposits to back up the credit they lend out.
“our healthcare system is broken, and we need to immediately make it legal for Canadians to obtain the best care they can acquire”
Meanwhile, our healthcare system is broken, and we need to immediately make it legal for Canadians to obtain the best care they can acquire. Canadians should not have to leave the province, or the country, to get timely, appropriate care for their maladies. Currently only a select few — which includes the federal police force and prisoners — are allowed to access healthcare outside the public system. I want to extend that to all Canadians by scrapping the Canada Health Act and extending what the province of Quebec won in the Chaoulli v. Quebec court ruling to the rest of the provinces.
I’d love to see tax reform because, after all, Taxation is Theft, our Foreign Policy needs to be drastically scaled back, and Firearms Rights need to be addressed.
But we can’t fix those other problems when our ability to save and pay for things are being challenged by government policy and people are dying waiting for a doctor visit.
“I am always looking for volunteers to help evangelize the message of liberty with me, so if anyone has some time to share, get in touch”
How can people find out more or get involved in the campaign?
This 2025 federal campaign will be finished as fast as it started. The new Prime Minister called an election and allowed for the smallest window for the campaign. There will only be three weeks between when I am confirmed as a candidate and the final election date.
Visit my website www.AlexJoehl.com for some unique content, and there you’ll find other ways to contact me, including email and my social media accounts.
I am always looking for volunteers to help evangelize the message of liberty with me, so if anyone has some time to share, get in touch with me and we can figure out how you can assist! Donations will not be accepted this time around, but hopefully a future campaign will be set up early enough to fundraise and mobilize some freedom fighters.
