Reform / Brexit Party – Page 10 – Croydon Constitutionalists

Dave Holland, Reform UK candidate for Mid Bedfordshire

Following the resignation of Nadine Dorries the Mid Bedfordshire by-election is coming up on the 19^th October. We’ve spoken with local Dave Holland, who is the Reform Party candidate for the election.

“I felt I had a choice between shouting ever more loudly at the evening news on TV or to get involved”

Can you introduce yourself to the people of Mid-Bedfordshire and tell us what got you involved in politics?

I’m Dave Holland, Reform UK candidate for the Mid Bedfordshire constituency. I was born in Ampthill, have remained local all my life and currently live in Shillington. During the years following the referendum I became increasingly disillusioned about the chaos in government, the lack of will to carry out the will of the majority of the British people.

I felt I had a choice between shouting ever more loudly at the evening news on TV or to get involved. I made a start by volunteering to canvass for the Brexit Party in the Peterborough by-election & my involvement snowballed from there.

Early in 2022 I was assigned the Mid Bedfordshire constituency for Reform UK & made a start putting my campaign together. My initial thinking was that Mid Bedfordshire might be due a by-election at any time as I couldn’t see Boris Johnson lasting for a full term & fully expected Nadine Dorries to be on his honours list. I have been proved correct in that regard & if it was not for Ms Dorries’ intransigence with regard to actually resigning we would have a new MP in Mid Bedfordshire already.

“We believe in and support personal freedoms, personal responsibility, fairness & equality for all”

Can you introduce the party and say a bit about what it stands for.

Reform UK was formed in 2020, from the mothballed foundations of the Brexit Party. We had hoped that after we officially left the EU that our government would embrace the many opportunities of being a sovereign nation, however it soon became apparent that embracing those opportunities was not on their agenda.

We saw the need for fair representation for the many hundreds of thousands of disillusioned, angry Brexiteers who feel that they are being short changed.

There is far more in need of reform than just our relationship with the EU, the level of government waste has increased in recent years. All our public services are in decline while our taxes keep increasing.

Reform UK are a small c conservative Party of low taxes & small state. We believe in and support personal freedoms, personal responsibility, fairness & equality for all. We will never all end up with equal outcomes, but we should ensure that everyone has access to equal opportunity to succeed.

“There is not a single bank branch in the Mid Bedfordshire constituency. Flitwick for example, a town of over 13,000 doesn’t have a bank or post office”

If elected what are the local issues you want to champion?

Mid Bedfordshire faces the same challenges that are happening across the UK. Diminishing services, diminishing standard of living but with ever growing taxes & costs.

One of the biggest issues locally is access to health services. Despite all the house building in the area we have seen no additional capacity in GP surgeries, Dentists or Hospitals. This has led to worse clinical outcomes for thousands and it shows no sign of being addressed. The situation won’t be fixed using the current strategy which is what has got us into this situation.

A larger population requires more hospital beds, not less, more Doctors, not less, more nurses not less. The government blame the care sector, but they have heaped more pressure on the care sector without scaling it with resources required so it could cope as they have cut bed capacity and front-line staff numbers.

We don’t train enough Doctors annually because the BMA haven’t allowed it. 38,000 applied in 2022 nationally, but less than 10,000 were accepted. 5,000 Doctors retire annually, so at the current rate we will never reach a point whereby we are training enough of the vital staff that will allow the NHS to treat us all in good time.

We have many other local issues, transport infrastructure, building on greenbelt land, policing and crime as well as the ongoing loss of local amenities, banks, post offices and other essential facilities. There is not a single bank branch in the Mid Bedfordshire constituency. Flitwick for example, a town of over 13,000 doesn’t have a bank or post office and so people have to drive into Ampthill to access a post office. This doesn’t represent progress to me and is a backward step for any thriving community.

How can people find out more and get involved in your campaign?

I will be out canvassing everyday up until polling day with a team of enthusiastic volunteers. You can find out more about Reform UK at https://www.reformparty.uk and much more about me and my campaign at https://www.dave-holland.co.uk if you would like to come and help us canvassing please email [email protected] for details or call me on 07903 416187.

Dave has a fundraiser you can contribute to, you can also follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Wet summer, whilst Europe burns. Is it weather or is it climate change? – Your Views (Part 3)

In the UK we’ve faced a wet summer, whilst we’ve been told Europe burns. Are we being told the truth? Are these problems man-made or due to climate change? If climate change, what if anything should we do about it?

We asked our contributors for their views.

Back to Part 2

Chris Scott, Reform UK

“the British summer has never been a given: predictably unpredictable. Nothing this year we haven’t seen in living memory”

The following represents my own, reasonably humble opinion: all or even part of it not necessarily coincident with that of Reform UK.

We’ve certainly had a topsy-turvy summer in Blighty, and there were heatwaves in southern Europe while we were almost shivering and damp here. But the British summer has never been a given: predictably unpredictable. Nothing this year we haven’t seen in living memory, following a day or two of just about record highs last year.

First let me admit to a very limited knowledge and understanding of climatology. On the other hand, 35 years in aviation and a general interest in natural sciences have led me to a close interest and reasonable understanding of weather, and its short-term forecasting.

” I rarely give heed to bold predictions – eagerly seized on by journalists – of weather extremes 10 or 14 days in advance. As for what sort of weather we can expect in the next month or three: forget it!”

Weather forecasting has been largely computerised and enables meteorologists to predict most types of weather phenomena up to 4 or 5 days ahead with remarkable accuracy. Beyond that period, reliability rapidly declines, and I rarely give heed to bold predictions – eagerly seized on by journalists – of weather extremes 10 or 14 days in advance. As for what sort of weather we can expect in the next month or three: forget it!

That doesn’t mean, of course, that the climatologists’ gloomy analyses of long-term climate-change trends can simply be dismissed, nor that human activity has no effect on world climate. But it seems to me that, to take one example, they are not always comparing like with like in their historic graphs of temperature. For example, many rural thermometric sites in the 19th century have since been surrounded by buildings. Temperature readings are bound to be generally higher. In one sense, that is man-made climate change! Can and is due allowance made for that?

They claim that extreme weather events, including fatalities, are and will continue to be on the increase. But, in this age of mass, almost instant worldwide communication, events that would have remained unrecorded – or at least overlooked internationally, even 50 years ago – are on our TV screens within 24 hours. And the 24-hour news media make a big proportion of their living by reporting them in the greatest detail.

“There are doubts on the impartiality of a climate science that is funded by governments and international organisations (using your taxes and mine)”

There are doubts on the impartiality of a climate science that is funded by governments and international organisations (using your taxes and mine) pursuing a globalist agenda that would impose swingeing restrictions on the freedoms, lifestyles and even the diet of ordinary citizens, while its leaders’ swan around in private jets from conference to conference with their entourages. In the UK, to take one example, present government policy would ban the production of fossil fuel-powered cars in just over six years’ time, while the electric alternatives remain problematical, to say the least.

Finally, there is also a shrillness in the pronouncements of the self-styled climate-emergency lobby, and an unwillingness to engage in calm debate. Climate-change sceptics are branded as climate-change “deniers”, a term that implies bigotry. An old adage springs to mind: “methinks thou doth protest too much…”

You can contact Chris at [email protected]. More information on Reform UK and their policies can be found at https://www.reformparty.uk/.

Simon Richards, former CEO of The Freedom Association

“Let’s be honest – most of us don’t even know for sure how tomorrow’s weather will turn out.

Consequently, I prefer to hedge my bets about climate change”

Unlike so many politicians who pontificate about climate change with all the certainty of meteorological professors who have also been granted forward climatic vision for the next century or two, I claim no such expertise. Let’s be honest – most of us don’t even know for sure how tomorrow’s weather will turn out.

Consequently, I prefer to hedge my bets about climate change. My guess is that it is mostly down to natural causes, but that it makes sense to treat the planet and the atmosphere with care and respect. For that reason, I reckon it makes sense to develop renewable energy and nuclear energy. But it is also sensible to try to reduce our energy dependence on what are often hostile overseas powers, so I also favour using all domestic energy sources, including shale oil, coal, oil, natural gas etc. as necessary.

“As usual, the Left is using fear to drive an expansion of state control and interference in people’s lives.”

As usual, the Left is using fear to drive an expansion of state control and interference in people’s lives. Excessive adoption of the Net Zero agenda in the UK must not be allowed to impoverish us, whilst Communist China and others make a mockery of our self-flagellation.

You can listen to podcast with Simon at https://croydonconstitutionalists.uk/podcast-episode-82-simon-richards-local-election-results-no-sunset-for-eu-laws/.

Back to Part 2

Photo by USGS on Unsplash

Podcast Episode 83 – Howard Cox: Reform UK’s Anti-ULEZ Mayoral Candidate

We are joined by Howard Cox, who was recently announced as the Reform UK candidate to take on Sadiq Khan in next year’s election to be Mayor of London. Howard explains his reasons for standing and his plans for London.

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Contents:

00:00 – Intro
01:37 – Who is Howard Cox?
05:07 – Why Reform UK?
07:20 – ULEZ
10:16 – Policing & Other Policies
13:50 – Wasted Vote?
18:06 – Campaigning
21:39 – How to get involved
23:08 – Website & Events
25:08 – Outro

Chris Scott, Reform UK candidate, Horley Central & South ward, Reigate and Banstead Council.

We spoke with Chris Scott when he ran in Horley in 2022. Chris is running again in this years local elections and we were delighted to hear more on the party, and Chris’ campaign for Reigate and Banstead Council.

“Far too many unacademic A-Level students are being steered towards inappropriate, “soft” university courses instead of some form of apprenticeship. This leaves them with the prospect of repaying a large debt”

So what is our take on the current dysfunctional governance of the United Kingdom? Or should I say our DIS-United Kingdom and, seven years after the Referendum, our status of having achieved Brexit in name only? How many of the laws that Parliament enacted at the behest of the European Commission have been repealed? When I last heard, none. it seems that the Prime Minister, who claims to have voted to Leave without campaigning for it, is in the thrall of Tory MPs who are instinctive Remainers. An increasing majority of his cabinet voted Remain and, one suspects, pay merely lip-service to Brexit.

In more general, national terms, Reform UK advocates that:

1) Schools should never again be closed during a pandemic. Literacy and numeracy must be prioritised. Sport must be offered and encouraged. Pupils should not be encouraged to question their sex. If any child shows signs of gender dysphoria, the parents must be consulted. Far too many unacademic A-Level students are being steered towards inappropriate, “soft” university courses instead of some form of apprenticeship. This leaves them with the prospect of repaying a large debt unless they fail to earn well in their subsequent careers.

2) The NHS is systemically broken, however excellent are its clinicians. Due to failure to train enough of our own, we are poaching too many foreign clinicians that are trained and needed in their home countries. Too much money is being wasted. The terms of service of GPs are counterproductive for their patients. Major revisions are essential, even if they involve some form of insurance or means-tested contributions for consultations. Excessive delays for consultations or treatment should qualify patients to go private at NHS expense.

3) On immigration, it is unacceptable that people arriving illegally with no personal documentation by hazardous, highly expensive crossings of the English Channel should all be treated by default as genuine asylum-seekers at taxpayers’ expense and parachuted in large groups into small communities nationwide.

“People earning little more than the national median wage are becoming subject to 40% tax. That is grotesque”

4) Major tax reform is essential. People on low incomes should not be paying income tax at all. People earning little more than the national median wage are becoming subject to 40% tax. That is grotesque, as are the thresholds for inheritance tax. People who paid tax on their earnings throughout their lifetime should be entitled to hand the residual funds and property down to their children without further taxation.

5) “Net Zero” must be abandoned. It will ruin our economy and cause serious hardship, particularly to people on low-to-medium incomes – unlike the legislators who dreamed it up. Globally futile, it will be ignored by the major world polluters, such as China and India, whose economies will profit at our expense. Wind and solar could never reliably supply even half our needs, and their energy output is non-storable in the present state of technology. Likewise, the ban on production of internal-combustion-engine cars from 2030 is impracticable and must be abandoned before it’s too late. It would reveal the limitations of our national grid, and deplete the finite, worldwide resources of minerals needed to produce batteries that last less than ten years and are extremely expensive to replace. Decades of neglect on nuclear technology after our early international lead have denied us its ideal role in supplying the base load for electricity generation. Given that the variable excess demand cannot be supplied reliably by wind and solar, and hydrogen is not widely available in the foreseeable future, fossil-fuels remain an essential energy source. Further exploitation of North Sea gas and oil reserves must be considered, as well as fracking, which our present prime minister promised to do during his Tory leadership campaign as recently as last autumn.

6) HMG boasts its alleged spending of 2% of GDP, but the war in Ukraine has highlighted the latter’s inadequacy. Our three armed services are left in a parlous state. The Royal Navy has two large aircraft carriers that are short of aircraft and, perhaps even worse, suitable escort vessels. The Army headcount is at an all-time low. In the RAF, aircrew are not flying enough to maintain experience levels. All three services are, it seems, more concerned with diversity than excellence.

“There is a general slide in government towards a form of woke, defeatist, social-Marxism that will persist as long as the main parties at Westminster are ruling the roost in the UK”

7) There is a general slide in government towards a form of woke, defeatist, social-Marxism that will persist as long as the main parties at Westminster are ruling the roost in the UK. When elected, Reform UK MPs will challenge that damaging, conventional mindset.

Of course, none of the above issues can be at the forefront of my local-election campaign in Horley Central & South.

“Town centres must be reinvigorated with cuts in business rates, free car-parking, more residential accommodation and targeted investment. In Horley, too many small retailers have been priced out”

In addition to the issues I have raised on the front of my personal election leaflet (below), Reform UK proposes the following policies in local government.

(a) Local communities should have more say in their affairs than at present. A random example of that would be the recent overruling by HMG of Braintree Council’s attempt to stop so-called asylum-seekers being accommodated on the old aerodrome at Weathersfield to the detriment of the local community.

(b) Unnecessary local spending should be cut. Do lesbian, gay and bisexual residents really appreciate pedestrian crossings being repainted in rainbow colours?

(c) Town centres must be reinvigorated with cuts in business rates, free car-parking, more residential accommodation and targeted investment. In Horley, too many small retailers have been priced out.

As a Reigate and Banstead district Councillor for Reform UK in Horley Central & South, I would make my own decisions on local policy initiatives without being subject to diktat from party HQ.

You can read our first interview with Chris at https://croydonconstitutionalists.uk/chris-scott-reform-uk/. You can also contact Chris at [email protected] and find out more about Reform UK and their policies via https://www.reformparty.uk/.

Marc Mason, Reform UK candidate, Wilmington, Sutton-at-Hone & Hawley Borough Ward, Dartford Borough Council.

“I no longer felt that recent consecutive governments were in touch with the real world and that hard-working residents were being left behind”

Tell us a bit about yourself and your party?

As a person of working class, I no longer felt that recent consecutive governments were in touch with the real world and that hard-working residents were being left behind. Reform UK campaign on sensible politics and everyday issues that others no longer do.

“Local businesses are at the very heart of the communities and those should be protected”

Can you introduce the ward to us and what you can bring to the area?

Wilmington, Sutton-at-Hone and Hawley is a leafy village ward. Local businesses are at the very heart of the communities and those should be protected. Extra homes on Brownfield sites should be voted on by residents who should have the ultimate and final say on if they should be built.

David Anstiss / *St Michael and All Angels Church* / CC BY-SA 2.0

More widely what would you like to see change at Dartford Borough Council and across the area?

I would like to see more residents in council wards given a stronger say in decisions that can greatly impact themselves, their families and future generations.

How can people find out more or get in touch if they want to get involved?

For direct contact please email me on [email protected] and or go to https://www.reformparty.uk/.

Martin Barringer, Reform UK candidate, Cranleigh West ward, Waverley Borough Council

Martin is standing in the Cranleigh West ward, Waverley Borough Council.

“I wish to see Cranleigh thrive and continue to be a great place to live for all residents. Changes must be for the benefit of our community.”

I have been a Cranleigh resident for more than 30 years and have loved living here. I wish to see Cranleigh thrive and continue to be a great place to live for all residents. Changes must be for the benefit of our community.

Preserve our rural environment and oppose over-development.
Encourage independent shops for a thriving High Street.
Co-ordinate councils and utility companies for efficient local services.

” We will protect our green spaces and heritage by building new homes on brownfield sites and make sure real infrastructure like road improvements, school places and medical facilities come first”

What We Stand For Locally

Planning – We will protect our green spaces and heritage by building new homes on brownfield sites and make sure real infrastructure like road improvements, school places and medical facilities come first.
No Whip – All of our councillors are whip-free, which means they can vote on matters that concern you and your community without interference from the party.
Save Our High Streets – Rescue our struggling high streets with free parking, business rate cuts, encouraging homes in town centres, targeted investment, local resident discount schemes and more.

What We Stand For Nationally

Cheaper Energy – We will renationalise utility companies, making them 50% taxpayer owned and 50% British pension fund owned. We will approve of shale gas exploration so we no longer rely on Putin or Macron for our energy.
Illegal Immigration – It’s time to put a stop to vile traffickers, who are profiteering while people drown in the Channel. We will return boats to French ports and take zero tolerance approach to illegal immigration.

Contact Martin at [email protected] or go to www.reformparty.uk for more information.

Peter Appleford, Reform UK candidate, Lightwater Ward, Surrey Heath Borough Council.

“I believe in freedom of speech, providing democratic choice and spending taxpayer’s money wisely”

I have lived in Surrey since 1975. I am your Reform UK (formerly the Brexit Party) candidate in Lightwater Ward, for Surrey Heath Borough Council.

I stood for Reform UK in the 2021 Surrey County Council Elections. Prior to that I was an active campaigner for Brexit from 2013. I am a retired Computer Consultant.

I believe in freedom of speech, providing democratic choice and spending taxpayer’s money wisely. Any help with leafletting would be greatly appreciated.

If you can help get in touch via [email protected].

Alan Latham, Reform UK candidate Seaford East ward of Lewes District Council.

“In Reform, we have no whip, so unlike other Parties I am free from Westminster, County and Town/Parish politics to work directly for you, without hindrance”

Dear Electors

I am Alan Latham, ex Seaford Town Councillor for 8 years, now of Reform UK and your District Council candidate in the May 4th local elections for the ward of Seaford East. To see our policies, please go to https://www.reformparty.uk/ or email [email protected]. In Reform, we have no whip, so unlike other Parties I am free from Westminster, County and Town/Parish politics to work directly for you, without hindrance. Please support our Reform programme.

The Talland Parade scaffolding shown here has been an eyesore at the junction of Saxon Lane, Broad Street and the High Street for 10 years or more, with successive developers ignoring the ineffective threats from councils to get on with development – Councils who say they have no power under current legislation to act in the interest of Seaford. A Reform UK Council would! Our goal is to restore democracy and deliver Brexit at all levels. Government of the people, by the people, for the people, which so sadly has been violated by recent administrations.

John Wallace, Reform Party candidate, Pulborough, Coldwaltham & Amberley Ward of Horsham District Council.

“We stand for small government, low taxation, and a stronger, vibrant GB with our own UK energy programme.”

Our party, Reform UK plans to rewrite the rule book of how we should be governed and how we must address a multitude of issues that successive governments have ignored. We stand for small government, low taxation, and a stronger, vibrant GB with our own UK energy programme.

I am writing to you to request that you kindly help me in my quest to become a District Councillor in the ward of Pulborough, Coldwaltham and Amberley. Below please find my background described in both politics and the wider World.

My beliefs:

FREEDOM to speak without fear or threat;
CONSERVATION of our truly beautiful local environment, by fighting any unwanted urbanisation (aka development) and helping to combat litter and improve, where necessary rural husbandry;
PROPER REPRESENTATION by those elected to represent your views, local knowledge and opinions to local government such as County and District Councils and assist electors liaison with our Westminster Reps.
ROAD MAINTENANCE is currently high on the agenda with the Government’s decision via County to add the A29 to the Major Road Network (MRN), without taking account of local concerns and knowledge. There are now literally thousands of potholes to be filled, plus encroachment of trees, which reduce the useable safe width of a few roads.

I left agricultural and auto engineering college and joined Lola Cars in Slough building racing cars and subsequently joined some teams and travelled extensively. I had a brief but immensely enjoyable time at BMW UK Ltd in west London, was a sales director of Glanfield Lawrence for ten years before starting my own engineering company in Storrington, where we designed and produced a vast range of components for industrial and marine engines. Customers included the MoD, film industry (films such as Gladiator, Saving Ryan, Band of Brothers, the list is long), plus Caledonian MacBrayne, assorted fishing boats and many industrial / mobile plant manufacturers, etc.

I was inspired by my local publican. Bill was no ordinary publican! I joined UKIP in 2004 having heard Nigel Farage interviewed on radio 4 one morning. I assisted our local branch (Arundel & South Downs), became West Sussex County Organiser in 2006 until my resignation in late 2019. I have also been a parish councillor for some 16 years on Washington representing Heath Common and latterly Pulborough councils. I have stood in most local (County and District) plus two Westminster elections for UKIP. In Heath Common, our Residents Association on which I sat produced the very first Village Design Statement in Sussex (forerunner to the Local Plan). We also changed the Parish boundaries to combine under one parish (Washington) instead of three.

John is standing as for election as a District Councillor for Pulborough, Coldwaltham & Amberley Ward for Horsham District Council and a Parish Councillor for the Parish of Pulborough.

To get involved contact John at [email protected].

Robert Stevens, Reform UK candidate, Hailsham South Ward of Wealden District Council.

Reform UK the successor to The Brexit Party is standing candidates in May’s local elections. We spoke with Robert Stevens who is standing for them in the Hailsham South Ward of Wealden District Council.

Tell us a bit about yourself, your party, and where you’re standing.

“Hailsham… has a farmers market located near the town centre. It has some very beautiful scenery nearby and some wonderful walks”

Hailsham is a small Market Town located north of Eastbourne. It is vastly growing due to continuous development in the area and still has a farmers market located near the town centre. It has some very beautiful scenery nearby and some wonderful walks. The Cuckoo trail being one of them, which used to be a railway line leading from the north of Eastbourne all the way to Heathfield.

As for myself I am in a long-term relationship for near on ten years and have lived in Hailsham for six years. I am employed by Royal Mail as van technician for roughly five years, and before that had my own business in soda blasting.

“development has taken priority over everything else in my area without thinking how this will affect the local community”

The main reason I got into politics is to see change. As mentioned earlier development has taken priority over everything else in my area without thinking how this will affect the local community in the way of Doctors, Dentists, Parking, Shopping, Roads, Schools, Sewage, Water supply and also flooding which has happened at numerous new built estates.

All these are being dramatically affected now. Which is why need some thought and new plans to be put in place before things get even worse.

How can people find out more or get in touch if they want to get involved?

If anyone would like to get in contact me, they can reach me at [email protected].