I’m standing for Reform UK in the Thaxted Division because too many local people feel they are being taken for granted.

Full statement

Decisions are too often made without enough regard for the people who actually live here, pay for services, and deal with the consequences. Residents are expected to accept overdevelopment, stretched infrastructure, declining standards and weak accountability as if that is simply the price of modern life. It isn’t. Our area deserves representatives who will say no when no is the right answer, who will challenge poor decisions, and who will put local people first. The county election for Thaxted Division is on 7 May 2026.

I’ve lived near Thaxted since 2009 and I’ve spent the last twelve years volunteering locally. I served as Chair of Thaxted Primary PTA for four years, helping raise funds for new laptops for the school, and I was on the executive committee for six years. I have been Chairman of 1st Thaxted/Carver Scouts since 2018, having previously served as a Beaver and Cub Leader. During that time, the group has more than doubled in size and fundraised to buy a van. I also coached youth rugby at Saffron Walden RFC from 2018 to 2024. I’m not standing because I want to become a politician. I’m standing because I’m tired of seeing communities asked to accept more pressure, more building and less voice.

Professionally, I’ve spent around thirty years working in financial markets and business, including senior leadership roles in the City. That experience has taught me the importance of accountability, sound decision-making, getting value for money and not passing problems down the road — qualities I believe are badly needed in local government.

My priorities are clear. First, education and youth provision: better support, more activities and safe places for young people to meet, learn and thrive. Second, infrastructure-first development: no more rubber-stamping growth before roads, schools, GP access and basic services are ready. Development must serve the community, not the other way round. Third, stronger support and connection for older and more isolated residents, because a decent community does not leave people behind once services become harder to reach.

For too long, local representation has too often felt passive, cautious and willing to manage decline instead of confronting it. I believe people want representatives who are visible, prepared to speak plainly and willing to push back when their community is getting a bad deal. Thaxted and the surrounding villages do not need more excuses. They need stronger representation.

On immigration, I believe in a welcoming country, but compassion must be matched by capacity and by the rule of law. We need a system that is fair, controlled and properly enforced, with clear rules, quicker decisions and proper funding for local services. Those who come here legally and contribute should be welcomed. But those who are here illegally, or who have no legal right to remain, should be removed. Local communities should not be left to deal with the consequences of weak borders, slow decisions and overstretched services. That is not intolerance. It is common sense and responsible government.

The towns and villages in Thaxted Division cannot keep being asked to accept more housing, more strain on roads and services, and less say over what happens locally. That is not sustainable and it is not fair. I’m standing to push back, to demand better planning and stronger infrastructure, and to make sure local people are heard before decisions are imposed on them.