Richard Barker is the Reform UK Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Woking. We spoke with Richard about his decision to stand.
“While it is understood that a pandemic would challenge any government, many of the draconian measures deployed to achieve compliance, particularly the shutting-down of opposing views, were totally unacceptable”
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
Born and schooled in Hastings, on the south coast of England, an interest in science and a passion for the natural world at an early age led me to study geology at university. This was followed by an enjoyable career of more than 30 years as a geoscientist in the global oil and gas industry, with significant focus on optimising production for the UK.
I moved to the outskirts of Chobham village in 2007, just to the north of Woking, where I live happily with my wife, son, two spirited chihuahuas and a garden full of nature that consumes far too much of my time to maintain!
“Reform UK will thus protect what are often cited as the ‘Four Pillars of Civilisation’: Cheap Energy, Meritocracy, Law and Order, and Freedom of Speech.
All pillars are currently under attack!”
What made you decide to stand for Reform UK?
Passionate about my country and wanting to see it thrive, I will never forget the sense of relief and hope I felt as the Tories were swept to power on election night in December 2019. Yet this only made the subsequent betrayal by the Tories, on so many levels, even harder to bear.
While it is understood that a pandemic would challenge any government, many of the draconian measures deployed to achieve compliance, particularly the shutting-down of opposing views, were totally unacceptable. Such groupthink that pervaded Westminster was (and is) only paralleled by the eco-zealotry with which climate change fanaticism took root; championed by the Tories, ‘Net Zero’ policies now unleash havoc across British industry, the economy and the public, with the consequent shocking rise in energy bills and taxes to subsidise unreliable, intermittent energy sources. The same ‘Net Zero’ under which imports to the UK receive an emissions ‘free-pass’ under the Climate Change Act! This will impoverish the British people and we need to change direction fast.
The established parties have morphed into a single mindset. Uncontrolled mass immigration, high taxation, low growth with big state/state interference are now endorsed across the political spectrum. A total failure by the Tories to address the ‘woke’ agenda taking root across society, eroding freedom of speech, promoting anti-white racism, re-writing our history and threatening our culture, can only be interpreted as endorsement of its objectives. Furthermore, the total failure to implement Brexit simply raises suspicions as to the Tories’ belief in our country’s future as an independent sovereign nation.
Reform UK stands almost alone in promoting those values which made Britain a prosperous nation: Freedom (of speech, from tyranny or coercion), the Enterprise Economy (supporting entrepreneurs and businesses), Excellence in Public Services (education, health, police etc.) and Sovereignty (of the people legitimately transferred to parliament, Brexit, free trade). Reform UK will thus protect what are often cited as the ‘Four Pillars of Civilisation’: Cheap Energy, Meritocracy, Law and Order, and Freedom of Speech.
All pillars are currently under attack!
“ULEZ expansion is also a concern for many, with potential additional transport costs for private individuals and businesses alike. Reform would scrap ULEZ altogether.”
You’re the Spokesman for Woking. What’s made you decide to represent this area?
Woking is the main town and business centre close to where I have lived, on the outskirts of Chobham, for the past 17 years. I wanted to represent a constituency near home that had both its own strong business community, where I believe I could have a positive impact, but was also a significant London commuter hub, likely presenting both domestic and international commerce perspectives.
What do you see as the big concerns for the constituency and what issues do you hope to champion?
Many of Woking’s issues are caused by a failure of central government policy cascading down, causing local problems. For example, a report in the Woking News & Mail in January 2023 highlighted that of around 18,000 people living in poverty in the constituency, about 11% had a cardiovascular or respiratory condition. This is a concern because, as stated by the Office for National Statistics, people in poverty are more exposed to the cold, and so more likely to be hospitalised or die as a result of such conditions. The high cost of energy is literally putting lives at risk and needs addressing urgently.
ULEZ expansion is also a concern for many, with potential additional transport costs for private individuals and businesses alike. Reform would scrap ULEZ altogether.
“Perhaps of greatest concern was the effective declaration of Woking Borough Council’s bankruptcy in June 2023 which now threatens services and facilities within the borough, such as the much enjoyed ‘Pool in the Park’ recreational centre”
Another ‘Net Zero’ drive, the UK Energy Bill 2023 passed with little opposition and yet grants enforcement rights to enter private properties to ensure home owners meet energy performance regulations. Failure to comply could lead to fines of up to £15,000, or 12-months imprisonment. This is state over-reach to a level not before witnessed in Britain with such legislation heaping additional costs onto private individuals against the threat of a custodial sentence.
Local businesses I have spoken to comment on increased amounts of bureaucracy, particularly in regards to accounts reporting to HMRC. This is wasted time and effort, that could be better spent growing their business.
Perhaps of greatest concern was the effective declaration of Woking Borough Council’s bankruptcy in June 2023 which now threatens services and facilities within the borough, such as the much enjoyed ‘Pool in the Park’ recreational centre. Government commissioners’ investigation into the (then Tory) council yielded serious concerns as to the ‘exceptional level of financial and commercial risk’ and ‘its approach to strategic financial decision-making’. My initial review of the causes of failure suggest the whole governance structure of local government needs reforming, to ensure decision-making at an appropriate level of competence, effective processes with appropriate checks and balances, peer review, and oversight.
For those eager to help, how can they get involved in the campaign?
If you are also disillusioned with the established parties and support a significant shift in politics, then join the Reform Party, volunteer and help us campaign.
I can be contacted on email: [email protected]
You can also follow me on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ReformUKWoking and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReformUKWoking/
