Category: Interview

Catherine Becker is the Reform UK Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Hampstead and Highgate.  We spoke with Catherine about her decision to stand.

“I have become increasingly frustrated at the poor running of government both by Labour at the local and London-wide level and by Conservatives at national level”

What made you decide to stand for Reform UK?

I have a successful business background rather than being a career politician. However, I have become increasingly frustrated at the poor running of government both by Labour at the local and London-wide level and by Conservatives at national level. I saw Reform policies and the sensible and well thought through solutions to crime, the economy and across the board and was delighted that there was a credible alternative.

You’re the Spokesman for Hampstead and Highgate what’s made you decide to represent this area?

Hampstead and Highgate have the third worst crime in the whole of London.  There are only 2 policeman per ward (who are on shifts and if on holiday/sick not replaced) and there is little funding or operational efficiency to support them.  In addition, labour have been running the area for over 25 years and there has been a rise in wasted expenditure, poor amenities and pushing through irresponsible policies.  I have real solutions and policies to turn this round without bankrupting the area.

“having more front line police is key, but it’s not just about funding (which Reform will increase by 28%) but also about creating a safe culture in which the police operate”

What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?

a. Crime –  is one of the biggest – having more front line police is key, but it’s not just about funding (which Reform will increase by 28%) but also about creating a safe culture in which the police operate.  Many have left the force as a result, and having run a business I know about keeping a culture in our organisations so they thrive and stay.

b. Transport – The 20 miles an hour restriction is important near schools and small roads, but along the finchley road and other key main roads is too restrictive and can be more dangerous.  The safer streets again is important but has been rushed through and in many cases means the elderly cannot get essential visits or deliveries and is certainly not making our streets cleaner.

c.  Housing – we need more affordable housing, but without being rushed through by labour without the necessary increases in tubes, GPs, hospitals, schools and infrastructure.  This needs to happen alongside which it currently is not.

“There should be proper tenders for all government expenditure not the chumocracy we have at present.  And we want to make it better for workers and local business owners too by taxing less and delivering growth”

d. Economy – The expenditure and deficit in H&H is poorly handled by Labour, I am a business person and used to getting the best value out of our budgets.  There should be proper tenders for all government expenditure not the chumocracy we have at present.  And we want to make it better for workers and local business owners too by taxing less and delivering growth in the area.

e. Students and young people – many people think labour is the party for young people but our policies of not taxing the first £20k of income (as opposed to £12.5k now), no interest on student loans and better crime prevention and amenities show that Reform have the best policies to provide support.

For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?

Yes, we need more active volunteers in the area.  Being involved in a political campaign is fascinating and great experience – so please do get in touch at [email protected] or our Facebook page at Reform UK – Hampstead and Highgate Constituency 2024 or fill out this very short form for feedback on policies and volunteering at: Reform UK – volunteering and help.

Malcolm Cupis is the Reform UK Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Melksham and Devizes.  We spoke with Malcolm about his decision to stand.

“I grew up in Melksham and went to school at Aloeric Primary School and George Ward Comprehensive… and live in Keevil with my wife Caroline, two dogs and a cat.

Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?

I grew up in Melksham and went to school at Aloeric Primary School and George Ward Comprehensive before emigrating to South Africa with my family when I was 15 years old in 1983.

I returned to this country in 1989 and became Editor of the Melksham News and founder Editor of White Horse News in 1990.  This was followed by a career in public relations which included living in London, the Middle East, and extended periods of time in various parts of Africa, and the Far East.  I returned to this area in 2019 and live in Keevil with my wife Caroline, two dogs and a cat.

“The Party stands strongly for the classically liberal values of low taxation, personal responsibility, small government, empowered individualism”

What made you decide to stand for Reform UK?

I was an active member of the Conservative Party for 25 years before resigning last year. The farce over the leadership contest was absolutely the final straw for me. The Conservative Party has moved further and further away from core conservative values in the last 20 years and I no longer felt able to support it. It is absolutely clear to me that those values have been embraced by Reform UK.

The Party stands strongly for the classically liberal values of low taxation, personal responsibility, small government, empowered individualism, properly policed borders, free market economics, law and order and, above all, common sense. It is resistant to conformity, statism, bureaucracy and authoritarianism.

One of the biggest problems we have in politics now is that Parliament is chocked full of identikit career politicians who get parachuted into constituencies that they have no real affiliation to, having previously gone to the ‘right’ school and Oxbridge. They often have no real-life experience. They exist to impose centralised policies on their constituents, regardless of their opinions, needs and aspirations. I’ve done things the hard way. I haven’t been parachuted in from London or Cheshire with the financial support of a big political party.

“villages throughout the constituency, have seen largescale housebuilding in the last few years with little or no commensurate investment in associated infrastructure”

What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?

My main areas of focus are:

1. Campaign for no more housebuilding without investment in infrastructure 

Melksham and Devizes in particular, but also other town and villages throughout the constituency, have seen largescale housebuilding in the last few years with little or no commensurate investment in associated infrastructure.

By this I mean roads, schools, healthcare facilities, retail leisure facilities and dedicated commercial areas. The result of this has been that living standards have dropped markedly as pressure has increased on all these things.

I will campaign vigorously to not just bring the infrastructure up to an appropriate level for the housebuilding that has taken place, but also to insist that it must be further appropriately developed before future housebuilding takes place. No infrastructure – no more housebuilding.

2. We need our own hospital

This follows on closely from the first point. With the great increase in the number of people living in the area it is iniquitous that people in the West of the constituency are dependent on the Royal United Hospital in Bath and people in the East have to travel to either Swindon, Salisbury or Bath. We shouldn’t have to travel 25 miles in an emergency for life saving treatment, or for cancer treatment or to see other specialists for long term healthcare.

Bath in particular is now very difficult to get to quickly and cost effectively due to the transport policies of the Council there. All three hospitals have terrible backlogs for appointments and operate way beyond demand levels that they were designed for.

I will campaign that we should have our own hospital in the constituency, with increased capacity for General Practitioners and dentists operating alongside it.

3. Support our farmers

This remains very much a rural constituency with very many people employed directly or indirectly in agribusiness and food production. Our farmers are under terrible pressure with supermarkets forcing prices down to maximise their profits and buying food in from other countries where farmers are more heavily subsidised. As a result many farmers are going out of business or giving up fields for subsidised solar farms or housebuilding. We cannot be reliant on importing our food from other countries. We must ensure that we grow our own food. We must support our farmers.

“Rural people deserve equal law enforcement and I am committed to campaigning for more visibility and better service from the Police throughout the constituency”

4. Prioritise the needs of local people

All across the country migrants are being prioritised for housing and healthcare, even if they have travelled here illegally. This must stop. I want to make sure that local people have priority for housing and healthcare, especially homeless ex service men and women and I will fight to make this happen.

5. Combat rural crime

Police numbers have been greatly reduced and what officers we have are hampered by endless bureaucracy. As a result the majority of their focus is on urban centres, where the majority of crime takes place and it increasingly feels as if rural areas are overlooked and forgotten. Criminals are aware of this and can see rural areas as soft targets. Rural people deserve equal law enforcement and I am committed to campaigning for more visibility and better service from the Police throughout the constituency, not just in urban and suburban areas.

For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?

You can contact me by email at [email protected], and find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/reformuk.melkshamanddevizes and X/Twitter at https://twitter.com/reformukmandd.

Kabeer Kher is the Reform UK Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Mid Norfolk.  We spoke with Kabeer about his decision to stand.

“I was born in Northern Ireland where I grew up above the family pub. I went to University in Glasgow to study international business”

Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?

My name is Kabeer Kher.  I was born in Northern Ireland where I grew up above the family pub. I went to University in Glasgow to study international business. After graduating I worked for BT, ran a business for several years, followed by a career in financial services. I settled in Norfolk in 2015 where I live with my wife and 2 children.

“I decided to join Reform UK when our genius Prime Minister decided to ban UK Shale Gas in the middle of the worst energy crisis since 1973”

What made you decide to stand for Reform UK?

I decided to join Reform UK when our genius Prime Minister decided to ban UK Shale Gas in the middle of the worst energy crisis since 1973. I realised in that moment that the Conservative Party has absolutely no idea how to look after the interests of the people in this country.  When I read the policies for Reform UK, I felt like I had found my people and that it was time for me to step forward and do something to change this country.

You’re the Spokesman for Mid Norfolk what’s made you decide to represent this area?

Mid-Norfolk is where I have lived for the last 9 years. My wife’s family are from here and my parents and siblings have since moved here with their family.

“The most pressing concern for Mid-Norfolk is flooding…. The government’s decision to stop dredging rivers is exacerbating the issue”

What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?

The most pressing concern for Mid-Norfolk is flooding. My parents have been directly affected by the flooding in Attleborough in 2023 as a result of house building on flood plains. The government’s decision to stop dredging rivers is exacerbating the issue. I would like to see a ban on building houses on flood plains, and a part nationalisation of the water companies to end the profiteering at the expense of local people. I would also like to see much more investment in nuclear energy so we achieve energy self-sufficiency instead of wasting billions on wind farms and solar farms which only work intermittently and do not last anywhere near as long as nuclear power plants.

For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?

For those who want to joint my campaign they can find me on Facebook at Reform UK Mid-Norfolk or on X @KherKabeer / Reform UK Mid-Norfolk or email me at [email protected].

Roger Clark is the Reform UK Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Harrow East.  We spoke with Roger about his decision to stand.

“My overarching feeling is that our politicians and most institutions of the state no longer represent us, are no longer fit for purpose”

Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?

Professionally I am an internal auditor. I have travelled a great deal. I find the world a fascinating place.  I’ve been increasingly unhappy over many years that the UK has been declining on multiple levels. My overarching feeling is that our politicians and most institutions of the state no longer represent us, are no longer fit for purpose, are no longer good for us, indeed are betraying us by causing our decline.

What made you decide to stand for Reform UK?

The world suffers excess population growth greatly increasing likelihood of conflict, poverty, energy and food insecurity, and famine. All are now beginning to occur in Britain. Many millions of people want to come to the UK. The UK needs to stabilise its population at 64 million (already excessive) by protecting its borders and reduce net entry to zero. It is failing to do this, on the contrary the UK government granted 1.2 million visas last year. The Tory government needs to be dismissed.

“The major parties won’t reform very much, and they don’t know how to do it and they lack the courage to do it”

What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?

There is rapidly growing pressure on all resources: schools, NHS, dentists, GP’s, housing, roads, open green space, policing (because of increasing crime), to name a few. These pressures are mainly caused by excess population growth.  Britain needs major reforms urgently. The major parties won’t reform very much, and they don’t know how to do it and they lack the courage to do it. The national issue I hope to champion personally is quite different – reform of the House of Lords which is a dysfunctional, overblown, costly, and ineffective outdated entity.

For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?

I will welcome help in leafleting. My email address is [email protected], and you can find out more at https://www.reformparty.uk/harrow-east-constituency.

Timothy Blaxill is the Reform UK Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Witham in Essex.  We spoke with Timothy about his decision to stand.

“I believe the masses are waking up to the lack lustre leaders, who seem to be more focused on their own gains, rather than putting the nation at the heart of their decisions”

Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?

I’m a family man, local to the area and an active part of the local community. This is my 1st General Election, after standing for local elections on behalf of Reform.

What made you decide to stand for Reform UK

I stand for common sense: Reform UK is our only serious contender, which can make Britain great again. 

My strap line message is “if it doesn’t make sense, it needs reform”. – I feel this message can be applied to all areas of politics from both local to national and even international perspectives.

I believe in working for the masses and I believe the masses are waking up to the lack lustre leaders, who seem to be more focused on their own gains, rather than putting the nation at the heart of their decisions.

Reform has policies which make sense, use simple language and simply just speak common sense.

“I want the local community to actively engage in politics for a better outcome for all. We need people voting with their feet (and a few to help spread the message!)”

You’re the Spokesman for Witham what’s made you decide to represent this area?

I live and work in Witham and am raising my family here.

I firmly believe it’s vitally important to have a principled and moral individual who is known and respected in the local area in representation of Witham.
I want the local community to actively engage in politics for a better outcome for all. We need people voting with their feet (and a few to help spread the message!)

It’s time the Government remembered they work for you first as a voter before the Business Sector.

“Why didn’t the police attend when I reported a burglary?
Why is it cheaper to fly to Italy, eat a pizza and drink a nice cool beer, than it is to get a return ticket into London on the train?”

What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?

I’m here to champion whatever issues my constituents feel are important. From the small issues to the larger ones – they all need to be reformed.

For example –

• when did you last get a chance to see your GP face-to-face?
• Last time you saw a policeman on the beat?

Along with issues our local community have felt -such as;

• Why didn’t the police attend when I reported a burglary?
• Why is it cheaper to fly to Italy, eat a pizza and drink a nice cool beer, than it is to get a return ticket into London on the train?
• Where does my road tax go? When all I see around the county are potholes I could swim in.
• Why is the price of everything skyrocketing?
• Why is V.A.T added to purchases that are of a necessity such as sanitary products? And necessary commodities such as fuel and utilities?

The whole system is skewed toward the elitist few. However, there are only a few elites and there are millions of people just like you and me. If we can unite as one voice, we can not only win but prosper.

For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?

I can be contacted via email at [email protected], and found on Facebook, and Twitter / X.  You can find all my details on the Reform website. There you will find the details for my Perspective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC). You will note, unlike other potential MPs, my full contact details including my mobile number are available publicly. I’m not sure most MPs could say the same…

Politics is about the greater good for all, I desperately need help in spreading the word and gaining traction to turn into votes. We need people to spread the word and vote with their feet. No change will come if we don’t vote for change. A vote for Reform would not be a wasted vote, that’s simple propaganda peddled by the worried red and blue.