Ivan Kinsman is the SDP prospective candidate for West Suffolk. We spoke with Ivan about his decision to stand.
“I believe that the current duopoly of Conservative and Labour is failing the country, as well as the first-past-the-post electoral system”
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
I am 61 years old and a graduate from The University of St Andrews M.A. Hons.) and Edinburgh University (MBA). I was brought up in the Lake District, later moving to the south-west of England as a teenager and attended Eton College. After my university education in Scotland, I moved down to London, working as a wine salesman, IT and telecoms conference organiser and then website administrator/copywriter for a fund manager prior to moving to Newmarket in Suffolk.
I run my own translation and proofreading business, which I have been doing since 2011 (which also involves a lot of foreign travel).
What made you decide to stand for the SDP?
I have a keen interest in politics and current affairs. I believe that the current duopoly of Conservative and Labour is failing the country, as well as the first-past-the-post electoral system. I was persuaded to join the SDP by The New Declaration as well as by listening to the speakers at the party conference in Manchester in 2022. The SDP very much reflects my own political views, which are left of centre on the economy whilst right of centre on cultural and social issues.
“the SDP’s political agenda, focused on family, community and nation, will appeal to voters who live in a county that has a large number of historic towns and large tracts of farmland and countryside”
You’re the Spokesman for West Suffolk - what’s made you decide to represent this area?
I have a strong association with West Suffolk through living in Newmarket, a town famous for its horseracing (around 3,000 race horses are stabled in and around Newmarket; by comparison, the human population is around 15,000 and it is estimated that one in three jobs are connected to horseracing in one way or another).
The constituency’s MP is currently the independent Matt Hancock who is standing down at the next election. Although traditionally a Tory constituency, I feel that the SDP’s political agenda, focused on family, community and nation, will appeal to voters who live in a county that has a large number of historic towns and large tracts of farmland and countryside, so most people lead a predominantly rural lifestyle. Nick Timothy will the Conservative PPC but he carries a lot of baggage as the political advisor to Theresa May who, along with Fiona Hill, was held responsible by MPs for the disastrous snap election results called by her.
I regularly attend the EofE SDP meetings, chaired by Michael McGetrick, as well as the party annual conferences.
“The Conservative party has conserved very little but instead – as William Clouston correctly emphasises – put everything up for sale, and it is increasing clear that Labour has abandoned the nation’s working men and women”
What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?
Jobs, cost of living, housing, public services, energy and immigration are all issues affecting West Suffolk. voters.
Energy: Sunnica Energy Farm, a solar photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage project in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. West Suffolk Council are currently evaluating a Development Consent Order to the Planning Inspectorate. I am a strong supporter of renewables so am supporting this initiative.
Public services: Suffolk Country council this month (January 2024) has proposed £64.7m in cuts to balance its budget including scrapping funding for the arts, making redundancies and closing two archives’ branches. The Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds could have its funding stopped by Suffolk County Council as part of the proposed £500,000 in savings by stopping core funding to art and museum sector organisations from April 2025.
Cost of living/health: West Suffolk also has some poverty hotspots, for example the Howard Estate in Bury St Edmunds has recently been labelled the most deprived ward in West Suffolk with “significantly higher rates of hospital admissions compared to the national average, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), self-harm and alcohol related conditions being some key areas of concern” (Suffolk News, 5.01.24).
My core message will be that the SDP is not a party of the major urban centres like Labour and the Conservatives but focused on strengthening communities. Like in other parts of the country, I am convinced people in West Suffolk believe that the old Labour/Conservative duopoly is harming our nation. The Conservative party has conserved very little but instead – as William Clouston correctly emphasises – put everything up for sale, and it is increasing clear that Labour has abandoned the nation’s working men and women. To preserve what is best in our nation Westminster must change, and as West Suffolk’s MP I will be working hard for my constituents instead of being sucked into the Westminster metropolitan bubble.
For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?
I require 10 signatures from West Suffolk residents who are on the electoral register so please contact me if you can help with this.
I am focusing initially on digital media activities via Facebook and Twitter/X, and then later local campaigning including leafleting and establishing street stalls. If people are interested in helping out, that would be greatly appreciated.
You can find out more about the SDP at https://sdp.org.uk/ and follow or contact me via:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IvanKinsmanSDP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IvanKinsmanSDP
Email: mailto:[email protected]
