General Election 2024: Meet the candidates of New Forest West
The A&T has invited all candidates in New Forest East, New Forest West and Christchurch constituencies to tell readers their views on local issues and why voters should put an X by their name on 4th July.
Here it’s the turn of New Forest West candidates.
Reginald Chester-Sterne
REFORM UK
I AM standing for Reform UK so as there is an alternative to the two indistinguishable so-called main parties. New Forest West has always returned a representative who has extremely rarely voted against any government proposal; even when that proposal has been detrimental to the constituency. Party politics will not come first with me, I will vote in my constituents’ interests first.
I was born at The Fenwick in Lyndhurst and have lived in the Forest all my life. I have been married 45 years, have three children and four grandchildren, all who live locally. I am a commoner and de-pasture pedigree English longhorn cattle.
I own several local businesses, so fully understand the trials and tribulations we are all going through at present.
I am an engineer by profession and have worked all over the world running large high-value projects employing hundreds of people. I will bring this breadth and depth of experience to my political endeavours.
Local issues such as the multi-level, competing aims management of the New Forest need sorting. The extremely poor local road conditions could be easily fixed by a change in accounting practices. If repairs are classed as capital expenditure, there are ample funds available. The freeport rules should not apply to the west of Southampton water. There are other issues emanating from Southampton that need guarding against because of their detrimental impact on the Forest.
It is time for change. The other parties have had ample opportunity to lead a recovery and bring back prosperity to our country and its people. Reform has cost affordable policies to address the issues affecting everyday life, cost of living, NHS waiting lists, immigration and much more. As a party, Reform will do exactly what it says and more importantly be honest about it. Read about our policies online and you will see that a difference can be made.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
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Dr Anna Collar
GREEN
I’M Dr Anna Collar, an archaeology lecturer and mum-of-three. I believe the time has come for ordinary people to step up and make ourselves heard.
My children are young, as are the students I teach. I’m worried about the world they’re inheriting – the realities of climate change, the rising cost-of-living, the divisive media culture that pits us against each other.
I’ve never felt more distanced from the politicians supposedly running our country. It’s time for credible people to step up and take the power back. It’s time for real change, real hope, real integrity and politicians who care about the quality of people’s lives and futures. That’s why I’m standing to be your Green MP.
Fair, free healthcare. Many of us are waiting for routine operations, for social care or physiotherapy, to access mental health services, or simply to see the doctor or dentist. The NHS that this country’s taxpayers fund was once the pride of Britain. As your Green MP, I will fight for our National Health Service with every breath I have.
I’m ashamed that we have seven food banks in New Forest West. Fourteen years ago, food banks didn’t exist in Britain. In the sixth richest country, it shouldn’t be the case that people can’t afford to put food on the table. As your Green MP, I will tackle the cost-of-living crisis, increase the living wage, and bring energy prices down.
I love the Forest. We are so lucky to live in this beautiful part of the world – but I’m disgusted that greedy water companies are lining their pockets while polluting the rivers and beaches where we used to swim. As your Green MP, I will hold water companies to account and ensure that taxpayers don’t pay for fixing the sewage crisis.
As your Green MP, my voice will amplify yours. We are united by our shared love for the place we live, our care for the vulnerable children, older and disabled people in our communities, and our need for leadership we can trust.
Lend me your voices, for a Greener, fairer future for all of us.
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Jack Davies
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
I HAVE served as a local councillor here for almost a decade, and I am currently serving as the mayor of Lymington and Pennington. I have both the leadership and experience needed to hit the ground running and effectively fight for our communities.
I am proud to have lived in this beautiful part of the world my whole life. But we have been let down and taken for granted by the Conservatives.
They have broken our NHS, caused a cost-of-living crisis, and let water companies get away with dumping raw sewage in our rivers and sea.
This election is our chance to send a real message – it’s time for change in New Forest West.
Fighting for our NHS is my top priority. Too many people are being left waiting, in pain, for months to get the treatment they need. Everyone should be able to rely on quick access to high-quality local health services when they need them. I will work to make it easier for locals to get a doctor and dentist appointment when they need one.
I’m also leading the campaign locally to stop sewage-dumping in the Solent and our local rivers. Whereas the Conservative MP here voted to let water companies continue to dump raw sewage in our local waterways, I want to ban the bonuses of sewage-dumping water bosses and replace Ofwat with a regulator with real teeth.
We also need MPs who will act to cut the cost of living. Whereas the Conservative MP here voted against a windfall tax on oil and gas profits, I want to tax these massive corporations and use the money raised to cut the household bills of local people.
The choice is clear here: continue being let down and taken for granted by the Conservatives or get a fresh start and a hard-working local MP with the Liberal Democrats.
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Dr Sally Johnston
LABOUR
ACROSS the country, there is an appetite for change. The 2024 election is a unique opportunity to make a positive choice on who is your next MP. I am delighted to be standing as the New Forest West Labour candidate. Having called the New Forest home for over 35 years, I have a clear list of priorities including tackling the lack of truly affordable housing, rebuilding public services, and protecting the local environment.
With a long medical career, I am keen to bring my experience to public office. I have worked in public service as a GP in Lymington for many years, I have frontline experience of what needs to change and improve in our local health services. I am passionate about enabling the NHS to deliver sustainable quality care for all.
Having led the New Forest Covid vaccination programme, I was a core part of the team that gave more than 80,000 vaccinations to patients and staff across the area. I have also served in several elected roles within my field, including as a BMA representative and chair of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight GP Committee. It is heartbreaking to see how long people are having to wait for vital services, such as mental health support, and the impact this has on other parts of society. We need urgent change and a Labour government will deliver that.
On the doorstep, we hear how much people across the New Forest are concerned about the future of their local community and how much harder life has got in recent years. There’s a clear appetite for change and we’re offering a plan that will make the area a better place for everyone.
According to the polls, only Labour can beat the Conservatives here. A vote for me comes with the assurance that as your MP I will put your needs over and above party politics. My home is in the New Forest and I will serve the constituents to help resolve pressing issues. If elected I will strive to give you a voice.
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Gavin Ridley
ANIMAL REFORM
FAR from being a single-issue party, Animal Welfare Party is focused on creating a future that benefits us all – people, animals and planet. I have lived around the New Forest national park for most of my life, and like many have spent a great deal of time appreciating its biodiversity and wide range of habitats. It is an extremely important environment, with a rich natural and human history.
The diversity of life and rich habitats of the New Forest mean a strong tourism industry, which puts pressure on the local wildlife. Yet the tourism industry is important to local business so it is necessary to ensure benefit on both sides, and so there must be a focus on keeping animals safe on the roads.
If we are to keep the New Forest in a condition in which we are proud, then it is essential that we change the way we treat the rivers. They are fundamental to the ecosystem and a major draw for those who visit, so releasing sewage into rivers is a policy which must be stopped.
We must listen to the science involved in the climate emergency. By taking action now, the benefits will be many. Shifting to a more plant-based dietary pattern will not only have positive benefits here but will also reduce our risk of another zoonotic pandemic and the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, and relieve pressure on the NHS by helping to prevent illnesses such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
I am also keen to ensure animals have a better outlook. AWP is committed to tackling issues in the world of companion animals, from ending breed-specific legislation to increasing sentences for those who abuse animals.
Animals do not just live in our world, we live in theirs, and it is fundamentally right that as politicians we consider their position alongside us when making decisions, as well as a focus on the environment and biodiversity, for the benefit of us all. Those that agree are urged to vote for me on 4th July.
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Paul Simon
SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC
I AM a retired senior school assistant head teacher. I have always worked with and on behalf of my local community, as shown by being a former member of Bransgore Parish Council, founding member of the Greening Bransgore group and currently an active member of Bransgore Rotary Club where I am chair of the youth committee.
We Social Democrats believe our two-party system has left most of Britain behind and we want to offer a real alternative.
We believe the family is the foundation of society and we will support traditional family life in welfare, education, housing, tax and economic policy.
Britain has become addicted to mass immigration. Instead of training our own young people we have imported labour which lowers wages and harms social cohesion. We need to end mass immigration and build a safer, more united and harmonious society.
We believe selling off our utilities to foreign owners has been disastrous and unpatriotic. Services have declined and profits have been siphoned off abroad.
We need affordable and reliable energy. The SDP will bring our utilities and railways back into public ownership to serve our citizens. We urgently need a reformed NHS, free at the point of need, as well as drastically improving social care and we will build a ‘National Care Service’ to ensure good quality, comprehensive service throughout the country.
We believe everyone in the constituency needs a decent and affordable home, and young people must have the chance to start a family. We will repair the damage to the housing policy in our area by re-invigorating large scale-state sector building to provide new homes for thousands in our area.
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Sir Desmond Swayne
CONSERVATIVE
IN 2010 the government I support, and in which served as a minister, inherited the worst economic situation since 1930, together with a note from its predecessor stating that “there is no money left”.
In addition, we have had to withstand two massive shocks to the world economy caused first by Covid, and then the Russian war on Ukraine. Addressing these two issues came at the cost of hundreds of billions of pounds to pay for furlough, to protect jobs during Covid, and then paying half the nation’s energy bills when world prices soared as Ukraine was invaded.
It is for this reason tax thresholds have had to remain frozen. But those thresholds have doubled since 2010 and, even after inflation, they are 40% higher in real terms than in 2010.
Times have been hard, nevertheless, we are on the mend:
• 4 million more people have jobs now than when we came into government
• We have become the world’s fourth largest exporter and its eighth largest manufacturer
• At last, taxes are being reduced and inflation is back to normal
• Despite the challenges to the public finances, we have more police that ever in our history
• The NHS has never been better resourced, with 73,000 more nurses and 41,000 more doctors than we inherited
• We have 27,000 more teachers and our children are now among the best readers in the developed world
• We have protected pensioners with the triple lock, last year affording them the highest increase for 30 years. We are committed to raising the income tax threshold in line with the pension so that, in future, nobody will pay tax on their basic state pension
• Finally, immigration has started to fall, and next year it will fall dramatically. The Rwanda removals are about get under way. Other political parties are committed to scrapping the scheme and granting asylum to those who arrive on our shores illegally
There remains much to be done, but the Plan Is Working
So, I urge readers not to abandon it now and send us back to square one.
