Graham Drage is the Reform UK Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Godalming and Ash. We spoke with Graham about his decision to stand.
“I spent 16 months studying politics in Paris, which opened my eyes to the realities of the “European project”
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Graham Drage. I am Guildford / Godalming born & bred, going onto read Politics, International Relations & French at Lancaster University in the late 1980s / early 1990s. As part of my degree, I spent 16 months studying politics in Paris, which opened my eyes to the realities of the “European project”. Today, I remain a passionate, bilingual European (culturally-speaking) and a strident supporter of the new outward-looking opportunities which Brexit presents.
I’ve been self-employed all of my life; working as business consultant for some of the UK’s principal telecommunications and managed services companies. I also setup a small manufacturing business, building wine cellars over a 15-year period, whilst employing a small team of ex-offenders in our workshop in Farnham.
“if the Social Contract is an implicit agreement between the people and their government about what each side provides to the other, the Tories have clearly broken this contract”
What made you decide to stand for Reform UK?
I was moved to stand for Reform-UK because I’m acutely concerned about the Tory Party’s move to the left, its steadfast refusal to deliver an honest, conservative agenda and because of the parlous state of British politics generally. I’d describe my political views as right-of-centre, moderate and coherent. I believe in small state, low taxation economies which operate ‘within their means’. As a business owner, I also believe that SMEs are the beating-heart of our economy, providing 16m jobs and accounting for half of the UK’s income.
The Tories have wilfully moved away from conservative policies in recent years, to the extent that they can no longer reasonably be called Conservatives. Moreover, if the Social Contract is an implicit agreement between the people and their government about what each side provides to the other, the Tories have clearly broken this contract. A few quick examples below:
- Implemented a hostile economic environment for small business people
- Imposed the Northern Ireland Protocol / effective annexation of NI to the EU
- Failed to take full advantage of Brexit – abject failure to escape the stagnancy-inducing, anti-competitive regulation of the EU
- Pursued an irrational decarbonisation policy, whilst dishonestly offshoring UK’s heavy industry and carbon footprint
- Wilfully neglected young people – university degree courses now the preserve of the wealthy
- Govt spending completely out of control – public debt ballooning from 40% to 100% of GDP in two decades
- Excessive reliance on 957 undemocratic & unaccountable quangos
Reform-UK is unique in that it’s appealing to people right across the socio economic spectrum, united by common concerns and a love of country. My decision to stand for election with Reform-UK stems from a profound belief that a new approach is required.
You’re the Spokesman for Godalming and Ash what’s made you decide to represent this area?
I grew up in Normandy / Ash area of Surrey and was state-educated in a variety of schools across Guildford & Godalming up until the age of 18. Godalming VI Form College helped me to win a place at university and I purchased my first house on Brighton Road in Godalming. Whilst I now live in Guildford, I have a strong affinity with South West Surrey and retain many friends in the area.
“if I had one extra hour every day to devote to a specific cause, I would focus on undoing some of the anti-business policies which the Tories have introduced and which makes us all as a country so uncompetitive”
What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion
- NHS waiting lists – 1 in 3 (33%) of constituents waiting six months or more for NHS treatment
- GP appointments inaccessible – almost 6 in 10 people (59%) advise that friends or family had experienced difficulty in booking a GP appointment and nearly half (47%) struggled to book an appointment themselves.
- Cost of living – (63%) of local constituents feel their “quality of life is deteriorating” due to the cost of living crisis. 46% of constituents said they’d reduced spending on ‘basic necessities, like food’, while 38% had worried about paying essential bills, like rent or mortgages
- “Vision Zero” Road Safety Strategy – anti-car policies – car & van drivers under attack on at least 4 fronts, as a result of a culture of “safety at any cost” – creeping, collective targets and limits all set without reference to the people who will be expected to meet them.
- Ongoing attacks on local Small & Medium Businesses (SMEs) – marginal rate of corp tax now reached 26.5%, VAT threshold freeze, increases in dividend tax, introduction of off-payroll working rules (i.e. IR35) – all utterly unconservative policies which have made Godalming & Ash (and the UK generally) an extremely challenging place for entrepreneurialism & innovation
Whilst all of these areas need to be addressed, if I had one extra hour every day to devote to a specific cause, I would focus on undoing some of the anti-business policies which the Tories have introduced and which makes us all as a country so uncompetitive. As stated above, since SMEs are the beating-heart of our economy, providing 16m jobs and accounting for half of the UK’s income, if we can begin to unpick some of the problems created by the “Conservatives”, this would go a long way to generating a more conducive business environment, more jobs and greater disposal income for South West Surrey at large.
For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?
For residents of Godalming & Ash who are motivated to get involved in our campaign, we would be delighted to receive any help they can provide. Whether this comes in the form of assistance with leafleting and canvassing across our sizeable constituency , a small donation to our GoFundMe fund-raising-initiative or some engagement on our Facebook / Twitter pages, we welcome all involvement, small or large:
Canvassing and Leafleting Support, please email me, Graham Drage, at: [email protected]
GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/9871adf4
Facebook: Reform UK Godalming and Ash
X (Twitter): @ReformGodalming
