My Background
I’m 59 years old and have lived in Hazlemere for 17 years with my wife and four children, aged 20, 22, 25 and 27, who all attended local state schools. I’ve never been a politician and I’ve not previously stood for elected office. I’m just a hard-working husband, father and volunteer with a social conscience and a passion for public service.
I was born and brought up on a council estate in Consett in County Durham where my dad worked as a building labourer and my mam as a nurse. I went to a comprehensive school and was both the first person in my family to go to university and one of the first from my school.
I then had a successful career in industry where I worked all over the world in manufacturing, marketing and procurement but mainly in research and development. I became Director of R&D for Cadbury Schweppes and then Director of R&D for Mondelez International (a NASDAQ 100 company) so I understand how to deliver results in tough situations. You can find more about my working career on LinkedIn.
I retired from paid work in 2019 and, since then, I’ve worked exclusively in the voluntary sector. This has included:
- Volunteering at Wycombe Homeless Connection
- A business adviser for Young Enterprise
- Head of Junior Cricket at Great Kingshill Cricket Club
- A LEA co-opted governor at The Growing Together Federation of nursery schools
- A Covid vaccination steward
My Values
I have a passion for social justice and doing the right thing. I believe that a society is judged by how well it looks after the less fortunate, not by how it offers tax breaks to the wealthy (although I do believe that free enterprise is the best way to create wealth). It’s this passion for social justice which attracts me to The Labour Party, which I first joined in 1982.
I’m also a great believer that honesty and integrity matter in everyone but particularly in politicians.
Over the last few years, I’ve had hundreds of doorstep conversations with local voters and I’ve often heard people say, “Politicians are all the same, they are all in it for themselves.” But politicians are not all the same and many are true public servants who only seek to serve their country and their constituents. I will be one of those politicians.
When I am elected as your MP, I promise that:
- I will always abide by the Nolan Principles of Public Life
- I will not seek to enrich my family or friends in any way
- I will not accept donations which seek to influence my views
- I will not accept any gifts or hospitality
- I will never work as a political lobbyist
As a sign of my commitment to the community, where I’ve lived for 17 years, I will also donate 50% of my MP’s salary to charities and good causes based in the constituency. Honesty and integrity matter.
As your MP, I will also:
- Continue to live in the constituency
- Have a walk-in office on one of the high streets. No appointment needed.
- Hold weekly constituency surgeries
- Be a visible, local, accessible MP
In standing to be your MP, I will be straight-talking and I will challenge my opponents but I will never be disrespectful or personally critical. I will listen to everyone who wants to talk to me. I might not have any political experience but I will be a formidable MP. My upbringing, my career, my family, my volunteering, and my passion for public service have all prepared me well.
Many thanks for reading this far. Vote Labour!
Tell me your views
Whichever party you usually vote for, I want to hear from you – please do get in touch, I’d love to hear your views.
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