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.
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 How many of the laws that Parliament enacted at the behest of the European Commission have been repealed?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.
“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 2.0Roger Smith / St. John’s Church, Sutton-at-Hone / CC BY-SA 2.0
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?
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
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].
An appeal from Rosco Paterson Reform UK co-ordinator for Surrey.
“all candidates are important, and any candidate allows us to get the Reform UK logo and name onto the voting slips”
May 4th seems close but not touching. The Reform UK process for the application by and the selection of council candidates, although not overlong, means we must get things going quickly. The deadlines imposed by the councils themselves for meetings with candidates and election agents are also pretty aggressive.
Resources are a limiting factor against this timescale, and we fully understand that candidates standing now, for the most part, will not be able to manage a fully equipped campaign and everything that goes with it, but all candidates are important, and any candidate allows us to get the Reform UK logo and name onto the voting slips. If we can pass 800 candidates then we get a party political broadcast; that would be a real win.
If you decide to do this and also give it a go for the election, we promise to communicate with members in the county (and outside) with the hope of assisting you for leafletting and door-knocking. So as an ardent request please contact me ([email protected]) if you are interested and willing to:
Stand in the forthcoming council elections on May 4th, (for those eligible in Surrey)
Could be available, for leafletting, and/or
Could be available, for buddying up with a candidate for doorstep chats.
I was asked the other day how many seats were up for grabs and our starting position. I think you will see from the following table just how many opportunities there are in all 11 boroughs in the county. Some councils elect all their councillors every four years and some rotate one-third of their councillors each year, the size of the prize is still considerable. (The table also shows the control of each borough as published after the last major elections and a few recent updates):
Elmbridge
16
NOC Residents Assoc & LibDem
Epsom and Ewell
13
Residents Associations
Guildford
48
NOC LibDem Minority Admin
Mole Valley
14
LibDem
Reigate and Banstead
15
Conservative
Runnymede
14
Conservative
Spelthorne
39
Conservative
Surrey Heath
35
Conservative
Tandridge
14
NOC Residents Assoc & Independent
Waverley
57
NOC Residents Assoc & LibDem
Woking
10
LibDem
The total is 275 seats; that is over one-third of the target required for the whole country, just here in Surrey, for the party’s political broadcast.
The European Court of Human Rights intervened to stop the deportation flight of asylum seekers to Rwanda. The UK is a member of the Council of Europe and a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights.
We asked your views on: How should the government react to the ruling by the ECHR?
“Whatever the outcome, the government should withdraw from The Convention and replace the existing UK Human Rights Act, which enshrines The Convention into British law”
As a member of the Council of Europe and a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights, the UK really has no choice but to follow The ECHR’s urgent interim measure and await its full judgement. I’m not sure if the UK can appeal the interim order in the meantime.
Whatever the outcome, the government should withdraw from The Convention and replace the existing UK Human Rights Act, which enshrines The Convention into British law, with an Act that provides the same protections as The Convention but with the UK Supreme Court as the final arbiter. It should also commit to enshrine any future changes to The Convention into UK law, subject to there being no jurisdictions outside the UK courts.
Having served notice of its withdrawal from The Convention, the government should urgently consider ignoring any rulings of The ECHR and rely on the rulings of the UK Supreme Court on those matters.
Brexit campaigner Georgina Guillem.
“Human Rights did not begin with the ECHR the UK has always had the reputation for setting high standards both domestically and internationally”
The ECHR has stopped the first fight of Asylum Seekers to Rwanda. This of course should have been considered as all European institutions (EU or otherwise) will do all it can to thwart whatever the UK does to try to address this problem. Likewise, all the do-gooders that protest. There must be a solution to this ever-increasing problem of mostly young men arriving by boat without trying to be accepted through the right channels. Human Rights did not begin with the ECHR the UK has always had the reputation for setting high standards both domestically and internationally.
Not to honour a treaty once signed is wrong, however the safeguard of the UK must be considered, therefore it is also wrong not to put its wellbeing first. A true Brexiteer wanted to leave the EU, all the institutions of Europe and return full sovereignty without a deal, had we done this we might not have had all this agony. Also the Northern Ireland Mess might have been avoided.
Brexiter Jeremy Wraith who has contributed several articles to our site.
“Why did the interviewer on Sky not ask him why they did not walk into one of the British embassies in the many safe countries they crossed and ask for asylum there, France in particular?”
I watched an interview on Sky TV with the Chief Executive of the Refugee Council. He said that the refugees have a human right to come to the UK and claim asylum here as the refugees in Palestine cannot walk into the British Embassy in Palestine to ask for asylum. Why did the interviewer on Sky not ask him why they did not walk into one of the British embassies in the many safe countries they crossed and ask for asylum there, France in particular?
I firmly believe that the UK should cancel its involvement in the ECHR as the UK is perfectly capable of defending the human rights of its own citizens. So why are we relying on foreign bodies to dictate our human rights policies for us.
The quicker we withdraw from many other European and EU treaties and rules the better!
“If a signatory country is prevented from deciding who can enter and, therefore, whom it can legally deport, it is no longer sovereign”
Chris Scott stood for Reform UK in the Horley Central and South Ward of Reigate & Banstead Council, in May’s local elections.
I’m no lawyer, nor even a student, so my response will be based mainly on what I’ve gleaned from media interviews and discussions since the eleventh-hour ECHR ruling on the planned Home Office deportation flight to Kigali last week.
Although there was a lack of transparency by the ECHR on which judge, or judges were hurriedly called in to rule on deportations that had just been ruled legal by our own Supreme Court – the third English court to consider the appellants’ case – I guess it was unlikely that the Home Secretary would have been prepared to flout the decision on this occasion. I wonder, however, if the Home Office lawyers were expecting it and, if so, whether Miss Patel had been warned of the probability. Flouting international law is not something one would want or expect HMG to do in haste.
The UK was, evidently, the chief author of the original convention on human rights for Europe in the aftermath of the horrific events that were revealed during and after WW2. That we should have drafted it was right and proper. We had been the only European combatant to maintain our democratic freedoms during the war and had played a major part – initially single-handed, but for the stout help of our Empire countries – in saving Europe and much of the world from tyranny.
A court, also bearing the initials ECHR, was created. But, as I understand it, the convention’s original provisions have been extended and others added to the extent that the court seems even to have become a threat to national sovereignty. If a signatory country is prevented from deciding who can enter and, therefore, whom it can legally deport, it is no longer sovereign. Based in the same campus as the European parliament in Strasbourg, one suspects that the Court’s advocates may share similar aspirations to members of the Council of Europe and Eurocrats who, for reasons of their own, wish to lessen the autonomy of the EU’s nation states.
There is, therefore, a strong argument for the UK to withdraw from the ECHR and to give precedence to a new bill of rights seven decades after we framed it. This would doubtless provoke wide international condemnation, much of it sneering and disingenuous, from countries that have in many cases come late to the table of human rights. After all, it started here in Blighty over eight centuries ago with Magna Carta. The UK should continue to hold its head high on human rights and perhaps take a new lead, as we did in 1950.
