PROFILE

 

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I was originally a Liberal Democrat member while at University. In 2011 I was elected councillor for Marske-by-the-Sea as a Labour and Co-operative councillor. In 2011 I resigned as a univerity lecturer as I was against tuition fee hikes and could no longer work in an increasingly privatised higher eduction sector. In 2012 I voted against austerity measures at Redcar and Cleveland Council. It cost me my cabinet seat and later I was suspended by the Labour Party from standing in any election for life as I protested against the banning of candidates to compete against a London-based politico for the Redcar Labour Party parliamentry candidate.

From 2011 to 2015, I brought about a series of popular changes locally and managed to sink two developements that that threatened Marske-by-the-Sea's identity.

I stood down as an independent councillor in 2015 to focus on my family and career outside of politics.

In January 2023, I was invited by the Liberal Democrats to re-contest a council seat in Marske-by-the-Sea. 

Professionally, I am PhD Pharmacist with additional humanitarian, maths and law degrees. I am fluent in five languages and work in the biotechnology industry. I went to school in Guisborough, before moving to Marske in my late teens. I live in Marske with my wife and daughter.

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I stand for (among others):

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• Reducing inequality

• The renationalisation of the NHS

• Reaching net zero as fast as possible through reinvestment of all fossil fuel and energy profits into renewable technology 

• Consumer cooperatives exclusively operating energy and water supplies to bring prices down fast and premanently

• Cooperatisation of the bus and rail systems so passengers own and control the companies who run the services

• The immediate closure of all tax havens

• 50% windfall tax of all fortunes over £100M

• Recapturing democratic control from billionaires and international corporate giants 

• Increasing school funding and reducing private company involvement in schools

• 5 year minimum jail sentances for any person found avoiding more than £1M in tax.

• 20% worker ownership of all private companies with more than ten employees.

• A co-operative act which reduces tax for wholly owned consumer and worker cooperatives and mutuals

• A maximum 35 hour working week

• International cooperation to reduce the planetary birth rate (there are now too many people on the planet)

• Fair pay for all public sector workers including NHS workers and the military

• A reduction in Member of Parliament salaries to 2010 levels and for MP wages to be linked to public sector wage increases

• The banning of all MP second jobs

• Lengthly jail sentances for all elected officials found rewarding public funds to those who sponsor their campaigns

• A ten year prohibition of MPs taking a role with a company they engaged with while serving as an MP

• Limiting MP terms to 20 years max

• Proportional representation

• Abolition of the House of Lords

• The citizen's basic income

• A land tax rather than a council tax

• Reforestation of large parts of the British countryside

• A border force that is appropriately funded and an asylum system that is capable of processing claims

• Reinstatement of the democratic right to protest and overturning the 2023 anti-union legislation

• Protecting private, public and state pensions to reduce multiple home ownership as a means for pension income

• Rejoining the European common market - not the EU - and closer cooperation with France and Portugal in particular

• Holding European nations to account - particularly Germany - for their foreign trade policies and poor environmental records.

• Extending visa stays in Europe to at least 6 months for British citizens

• Abolishing tuition fees

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