EU Election: Comprehensive Candidate Guide

There are no comprehensive guides to EU election candidates in the East Midlands for 2019 … until now.

This information is not collated anywhere else online or off.  It has been gathered from party material sent to us in response to requests (some of the information for the Green Party and Brexit Party), the Democracy Club, Where Do They Stand.org, party websites – local and national, Twitter, Facebook, other newspapers (national and candidate background only), interest group newsletters, articles and accounts the candidates themselves have written, council websites, Wikipedia, YouTube and YouGov.

“Nailed Notes” are informed analysis and are legally classed as opinion.  They are added to challenge blind acceptance and to hold candidates to account for the words they use.  All parties have been Brexit background checked.  All candidates have been checked for controversy.  We may have missed things, but what has been included is fact based and fully checked.

Green Party – bias Pro-Remain, 2nd referendum

The Green Party aims for Remain, and wants to hold a second referendum.  Their manifesto states: “The Green Party has a comprehensive plan to put some joy back into our politics – to get us out of the Brexit mess, to stop climate change before it is too late and to rebuild our communities.”

Information sent from The Green Party

“East Midlands Green Party has selected its list of candidates for the 2019 European Elections.

The Green list will be headed by Kat Boettge from Nottingham, who also stood in the last Euro-elections in 2014.  Second will be Gerhard Lohmann-Bond of South Lincolnshire who is the Greens regional coordinator. Also on the list are Liam McClelland, Daniel Wimberley and Simon Tooke.

The East Midlands elects 5 members of the European Parliament by means of a proportional system of voting.  Because of this, the Greens believe that they have a good chance of having a member of their list elected this time.  They currently have 3 members of the European Parliament, representing London, South East and South West England.”

The estimation of having a good chance is supported by the Vote Remain tactical voting platform, which predicts that the East Midlands are likely to elect one Liberal Democrat and that voting Green is likely to return a second pro-Remain candidate.

Kat Boettge

“Lead candidate Kat Boettge said: ‘Brexit will dominate this campaign and it is very important for us to sort out our long term relationship with Europe.  Other parties will treat this election as a referendum on Brexit ignoring the very real problems that lead to Brexit. People are suffering from the effects of austerity and feeling cut off from politics.  We are now seeing the effects of climate change that will affect the quality of life for many, starting with the most vulnerable in society. These are the issues that Greens will bring into the European elections.  These are the issues that Elected Greens will bring to Parliaments and Council chambers to find solutions that will benefit us all for now and for the future.”

Further statement:

“Cllr Kat Boettge has been a prominent Green Party representative in Nottingham and the East Midlands for some time. She has been known to fight in various campaigns. Kat used to live in Nottingham East and has known the area well. Kat works as a psychotherapist, mainly with NHS clients and is a single parent. She says “I joined the Green Party five years ago, as I was seriously worried about our planet’s and our communities future, but also for my daughter. I thought as a parent I needed to try my best leaving this world one day to our children and grandchildren.”
Kat has been a very outspoken campaigner to remain in the EU during the referendum and as the lead candidate in the European elections 2014. Kat says “Originally from Germany, I have been in Nottingham for over 17 years, whilst my family has lived in Italy, so I see myself as mainly European. If I am elected I will do my utmost to oppose hard Brexit and fight for a second referendum with the options to accept the negotiated deal or to remain a full member.” Kat will fight against fracking, air pollution, climate change, Trident and nuclear power. She also pledges to protect our welfare system, the NHS, public services, wildlife, greenspaces, the environment and fair, affordable and accessible housing for all. Kat says “Only the Green Party offers environmental, social and economic justice.” It’s time to do politics differently; it’s time to vote Green.”

Nailed Notes:
Aims for the EU Election and Parliament are not relevant to councils.  MEPs do not affect councils.
No further issues with Kat’s information.  No controversy.

Gerhard Lohmann-Bond

“Born in Germany in 1954, I have lived practically all my adult life in the United Kingdom. With a background in environmental sciences, urban planning and linguistics, I joined the Green Party in 2015 and became chair of the East Midlands Greens in 2017. I live in South Lincolnshire with my two sons. I am asking you to vote for the Green Party because:

1. Greens are principled. We do not accept money from corporations or trade union subscriptions. That preserves our independence and enables us to hold government at all levels to account and to represent the interests of our constituents in a fair and equitable manner.

2. Greens are not afraid to stand up to the establishment. Unearned privilege and nepotism necessarily result in the kind of poor governance which has seen our country decline drastically under successive governments. We believe that people are not born into an elite, but only become truly part of it by being the best in their chosen field of endeavour.

3. Greens have the vision to create a sustainable society. The Green Party has developed a set of policies which seeks to bring society back into harmony with the natural environment and at peace with itself. We lead, while others follow.

4. Greens have the vision to create an economy which serves the nation. We know that social justice requires tax justice and that markets need to be regulated to function properly for the benefit of all.

5. Greens make politics future proof. We anticipate the challenges which will confront us in the short term as well as in the long term and act accordingly, preventing crises rather than merely managing them.”

Nailed Notes:
2.  People ARE born into an elite, or not.  Gerhard might be arguing that they shouldn’t be, but the grammar of this statement says that they are currently not and this is untrue. If read this way, he seems to be suggesting a meritocracy as a model for society, which begs the question, “what about those who can’t be the best?”
3.  At present the Green Party are not leading, as they have little power.  The Green Party have 3 MEPs. I read this as suggesting that the Green Party have what Gerhard believes are the right policies which everyone should be following.  Again, grammar states a desire as a current reality which is not yet true.  Although the Labour Party’s recent revisions to environmental policy, and other policies, match long set Green policies.
5. Future proofing is an aim, not an insurance.  No-one can accurately predict everything that the future will throw at us.  The future can be planned for, but not fully.

Liam McClelland

No additional information available.

No bio sent.

No statement discoverable.

 

 

Daniel Wimberley

“The Greens want this country to stay in the EU. We gain in so many ways from being in and not out, and the world is a far better place with the EU than without it.

The Farages and Rees-Moggs of this world want us to go back to the age of nationalism, and want us to forget what a startling achievement the EU is. Shared sovereignty has delivered real benefits.

 

The common market has led to peace and prosperity with shared standards on worker, consumer and environmental protection.

28 nations cooperate on setting these standards and on issues like hazardous chemicals and climate change which respect no boundaries.

Contrast this maturity with the Brexit shambles in this country.

Yes, the EU needs constant pressure to reform in the right direction, and Green MEP’s have steadily and successfully campaigned for this reform, for example by increasing the powers of the parliament, by protecting whistle blowers, and by reducing the influence of lobbyists.

The East Midlands region benefits directly from the EU. Nottingham’s tram system, Leicester University, the Buxton Spa restoration, among other projects, have benefitted from EU redistribution from over-wealthy parts of the EU like our own South-East, to poorer regions such as ours.

When I was elected to the parliament of Jersey in 2008, I introduced a bill to ban lying in public life and a bill for electoral reform. I also challenged the establishment to achieve openness over the island’s child abuse scandal.

If elected to the EU Parliament, I would join the long struggle to make the EU more democratic, more transparent and more effective.

Visit my Jersey 2008 election website and you will see there my policies of the time (the thinking round them has not changed) for the island nation of Jersey and be able to judge how I would work for you in Europe.

If you want action in the EU which serves you and not vested interests, then I suggest your best option by far is to VOTE GREEN”

Website:  https://votedaniel.wordpress.com

Nailed Notes:
Asking people to look at an 11 year old campaign in Jersey is probably a no-starter.  It would have been smarter to list the policies.  I did this for you.  His policies contain population control, setting a limit for population and “sticking to it”. There are no details on how population would be controlled.  Other policies are too small and local to be relevant to the EU, or too huge and vague, without any explanation of how the vague ideas are to be achieved.

Simon Tooke

“As a country which is part of Europe, I believe Britain belongs in the European Union. I think there are imperfections in the structure of the EU – just as there are imperfections in the structure of the UK – but if we leave the EU we will have absolutely no control over correcting those imperfections.
I do not believe further European political integration is desirable, but to achieve our Green goal of global ecological and economic sustainability, we have to act together and not as separate nation states with separate agendas.
We must control excessive consumption of resources and agree levels that are sustainable, and work towards the total elimination of environmental degradation. I believe we will be much more effective by working with other green thinking parties in the European parliament than by working alone on our small island.
If we do not achieve proper global sustainability, then our future will be short and our comfort, health and well-being will be even shorter.”

Nailed Notes:
There are no issues with Simon’s statement.

 

Change UK – bias People’s Vote (2nd referendum)

 

Change UK promise to campaign for a People’s Vote (2nd referendum), and intend to fight for Remain in that poll.  They also pledge to fight for a “frictionless border” with Northern Ireland.

 

Kate Godfrey

Bio from Change UK

“Kate Godfrey is a former Labour candidate contesting a target seat, field director and national engagement lead for Britain Stronger in Europe and campaign professional with an unmatched knowledge of the leave-supporting seats in the Midlands, Yorkshire and Eastern regions.

Prior to becoming involved in politics, Kate worked for many years in the Middle East and Africa as a research director, completing long-length field studies in countries including Libya, Syria, Yemen, Pakistan and Iraq, and working for clients including the EU, UNDP and World Bank. Born in Derbyshire and now resident in Nottingham, Kate is expecting her first child in July.”

Nailed Notes:
Kate Godfrey has worked in Regional and National roles for BSiE (Britain Stronger in Europe).  She has failed to be elected to parliament. She pitches these two experiences as constituting a background in politics, but her year at BSiE was marketing and PR, and she never got any experience as a politician, when standing for a seat, because she wasn’t elected.

Kate has written about her journey and choices in The Independent.

Joan Laplana

Bio from Change UK

“Jo Pons Laplana is an NHS nurse based in Chesterfield. Having moved to the UK from his country of origin, Spain, in 2000, Jo has risen to a position as Lead Nurse for Digital Transformation at Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals. For his work empowering patients and frontline staff to lead together, Jo has received awards including the British Journal of Nursing ‘Nurse of the Year’ in 2018, Emerging Leader at the East Midlands NHS Recognition Awards, and NHS Frontline Leader of the Year at the East Midlands GB Care Awards.

Since the 2016 referendum Jo has been recognised as a leading voice in the People’s Vote movement, using his deep knowledge of NHS operations and delivery to explain potential impacts on patients, and more broadly, for EU citizens living in the UK.”

Nailed Notes:
NHS expert. No issues with Joan’s statement.

Narinder Sharma

Bio from Change UK

“Narinder Sharma is the CEO of a charity supporting carers and their families affected by a loved one’s illness, disability or addiction, including young carers.

Narinder’s current role builds on his exceptional 25-year career experience in the voluntary sector which includes the leadership of Age Concern organisations, the charity Prader-Willi Syndrome Association and the blindness charity Age-related Macular Degeneration International. He has worked across the East Midlands including in Nottingham, Derby and Leicester.

Outside of his professional duties, Narinder has held a number of senior non-executive roles including Vice-Chair at board level in NHS organisations, Chair of NHS Direct East Midlands, and a high-profile regeneration agency for deprived inner-city areas. A trustee of a much-loved East Midlands book festival, Narinder works to promote dialogue between and within communities separated by age, educational background, and race.”

Nailed Notes:
Narinder is trained as a physicist. Expert on those in need, he is standing for honourable reasons.
No political experience. There are no controversies.  There are no issues with Narinder’s bio or campaign.

You can read Narinder’s own words on standing on Medium.

Pankajhumar Gulab

Bio from Change UK

“Pankaj Gulab is a career teacher, head teacher, and schools’ improvement specialist living near Melton Mowbray. As a schools’ inspector Pankaj has developed a unique understanding of local schools, education policy and governance. A physicist and engineer by training, Pankaj has taught all science subjects and mathematics, holding a number of school leadership positions culminating in the headship of two much-loved community secondary schools.

Following his recent retirement, Pankaj is now active in community work including supporting the campaign for a People’s Vote and local sports. A magistrate, Pankaj is an active supporter of and fundraiser for regional charities.”

Nailed Notes:
Panjak is an expert on education and is standing for honourable reasons. No political experience.  No controversies or issues with campaign.

Emma-Jane Manley

Bio from Change UK

“Emma-Jane Manley is a primary school teacher awarded Senior Leader of Education status in 2018. Having qualified as a maths specialist teacher, Emma-Jane has more recently lectured for the University of Leicester in the Education Department and has caring experience at home. In addition to a 14-year-old daughter, Emma-Jane has a 12-year-old first diagnosed with autism and epilepsy in pre-school. In addition to her professional education background, Emma-Jane therefore also has extensive knowledge of SEN children’s provision and SEND funding. Emma-Jane now lives near Market Harborough with her husband and daughters.

A strength of Emma-Jane’s selection for the East Midlands Change UK regional list is that she voted to leave in 2016. Concerned by education and healthcare cuts and living in an area dominated by Brexit-backing local MEPs, MPs and councillors, Emma-Jane took the commitments made by Vote Leave on faith, including believing that Brexit would lead to the NHS receiving an additional £350m per week. Three years on, Emma-Jane is angry about how her family were misled and sees standing as a candidate for Change UK as part of redressing the balance.

In a journey echoed in hundreds of thousands of households countrywide, Emma-Jane is a #remainernow.

Nailed Notes:
Voted Leave
No political experience.
There is nothing controversial here, and are no issues with Emma’s bio or campaign.

Emma-Jane explains her change of heart from voting Leave in the referendum:

Conservatives – bias Pro-Leave with Conservative Deal

No manifesto.  No pledges.  No promises.  (This does not mean we failed to obtain them.  It means they failed to produce any.)

The Conservative Party have not published bios for their candidates.  They have not responded to requests for information.  The only evidence they are in this election is their registration to be on the ballot and 2 almost identical Facebook posts on the East Midlands Conservatives page.

The only relevant information on their website is about backing Theresa May’s Brexit Deal.  These are NOT campaign promises.

“If we back this Brexit deal, it means:

 

• We will control our own borders and end free movement once and for all
• We will protect jobs with a deal that is good for our economy
• We will no longer send vast sums of money to the EU so we can spend more on our priorities, like investing in our long term plan for the NHS
• We will be able to strike free trade deals around the world
• We will take back control of our laws, ending the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the UK
• We will keep people safe against crime, terrorism and other threats by working closely with European countries
• And we will protect the integrity of our United Kingdom “

Nailed Notes:
There is no information on how they will protect jobs.
There is no guarantee that payments to the EU won’t be necessary, as no deal is set yet.
They are underfunding the NHS and the Naylor Review lays out already underway plans for selling off massive quantities of NHS land (Babington Hospital) transferring funds from the public purse to the treasury.  It is not a new economic move for the Conservatives to have a fire sale of British assets, which doesn’t improve circumstances for normal people.  They have done this with council housing, utilities, transport, and a huge amount of historic buildings.  It always causes foreseeable problems. It is normal behaviour for them to sell off anything of value and privitise sectors.  The National Health Action Service describes how these buildings are becoming “surplus” by costing repairs highly, underfunding and understaffing these services.  The remaining NHS now has private investment tied up in it, with more planned.  As well as the money hungry Virgin group, American Insurance company HCA is already rooted through the NHS, easing the possibility of further privatisation.  Guardian on NHS privatisation.
Striking trade deals around the world will be organised by the same people who have been organising Brexit.  Without an EU deal, none of them will be with individual European countries, as all EU states need to agree the same deal with external trading partners.
The Conservative Party has been criticised twice by UN investigators for breaches of human rights in regards to the consequences of austerity.  Human rights abusers may not be trustworthy for deciding our human rights.  Britain already has 100% sovereignty over our own laws. The European Court of Justice is our safety net for when our own country fails us.
We already work closely with European nations on crime and terrorism.  Separating will not make this easier.  Separating with no confirmed plan doesn’t even offer it.
The integrity of the United Kingdom was not threatened until negotiations for Brexit damaged it.

Candidates:

• Emma McClarkin MEP
  MEP Website: http://emmamcclarkin.com/
  
• Rupert Matthews MEP
  
• Anthony Harper
• Brendan Clarke-Smith
• Thomas Randall

Independent – Bias – Anti-IRA (No Brexit position stated)

Simon Louis Rood

Statement:
“I am standing to support the veterans of the armed forces who are being prosecuted and charged for alleged crimes in Northern Ireland, yet the IRA get immunity.
I am a veteran and will fight for my brothers and sisters
The 1998 Human Rights Act – article 14: Discrimination – the government has clearly violated the rights of the armed forces and police who served in the troubles in Ireland – Immunity for all or prosecution for all
John Reid who recommended this policy, has never justified why- a public enquiry is required to find out why, and exactly what was his links were to the IRA and benefits he received.”

Nailed Notes:
Simon is an issue candidate.  He has a singular focus, excluding others.  He is not standing for all of the people, on all of the issues.  He wants to stop 6 fellow soldiers from being tried for murder (shooting dead 2 protesters on a civil rights march – Bloody Sunday) and other charges beyond legal army actions. He has not included the potential borders issues for Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland.

Independent Network – bias Fatalist

The Independent Network is an organisation which has supported Independent candidates in elections since 2005.  The Lincolnshire Independents, supported by the IN, funded the candidates through crowd funding to reduce the £5000 cost of an individual to the same cost for 5 party candidates.  They have no stance on Brexit as they are fatalistic about it happening entirely outside their influence. They aim to use the months beforehand to campaign for money for the East Midlands.

Campaign Literature:
“We represent the forgotten region. We want investment in our communities and business. No-one has paid proper attention to our part of the country, the nation’s beating heart. Where is the investment for local services: buses, rail, decent roads and support for charities, elderly and mental health? We want people out of cars, but where is the investment for alternatives? The list goes on. It’s time to claim our share!

A vote for us is a vote for our counties; for Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland. This area holds so many important manufacturing centres that have been allowed to be lost. Where is the investment for the smaller companies, the lifeblood of our country and the bedrock of our communities?

The debate over “stay” or “leave” is history. We believe in the democratic decision of the people, a clean exit. That is not going to happen if we just send in self-serving career politicians.

What can we achieve in the remaining time in the EU? We want our share of any funds that are available to us while we are still members of the European Union.”

Nailed Notes:
The Independent Network candidates are standing with the aim of being in EU parliament for a short time, until October, during which time they wish to secure funding for the East Midlands.  How likely it is that the EU will be giving out money to a soon-to-be former member is unknown.

Nick Byatt

Statement:
“I am not a career politician, but I’m no novice either. People say I’m organised, disciplined and tenacious. I’m a grounded person with wide-ranging life skills who is passionate about making life better for us all, despite the ineptness of our parliamentarians. I trained as a teacher but joined the RAF to fly. During my career I have been an instructor, infrastructure manager, doctrine and concepts developer, leader and war fighter. Since retiring I’ve worked tirelessly with others to find solutions to combat ASB and promote local community cohesion. In going forward I want to further the interests and aspirations of the East Midlands.”

Nailed Notes:
No political experience discovered.

Marianne Jane Overton

Statement:
“Ever felt chained to an agenda you didn’t ask for? Elected as leader of the Independent Group nationally, I am relentless in promoting what local people need and want, simply working together at all levels to get the best solutions, without party political prejudice. Embedded in our communities, serving at every level, from needy individuals to County Council, Vice Chairman of the health authority and a Governor of our University, I see that we are let down by some party politicians who forget they are there to serve us. We deserve better. I ran many challenging scientific expeditions to remote regions of the world and experienced at first hand the beauty and the struggles that face our uncertain world. This is shared in Europe in my role as spokesperson on environmental matters for the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, where we represent 130,000 local councils across Europe. We take an inclusive approach, working together to improve our environment, employment and democracy. Is that not worth some effort? You can help too, by voting for us.”

Nailed Notes:
No issues with statement.  No controversy.

Daniel Anthony Simpson

Bio from Independent Network:
“Strong persistent voice not shackled by political party agendas. Focused to seek out funding and resources for the benefit of the East Midlands. Until Brexit happens, we are committed to fight for reform to; Clean up the EU gravy train and wasteful spend. Return to purely trading status with a duty to cooperate in key areas without being governed. Enable member states to trade globally without interference. Support radical solutions to curb unauthorised immigration, drug and people trafficking. Make financial institutions more accountable. Daniel served his community as a District Councillor in rural Lincolnshire and stood as an Independent Police and Crime Commissioner, gaining substantial support. He supports the introduction of the requirement to fit solar power generation to all new build.”

Nailed Notes:
States a lot more aims than his fellow I.N. candidates. No issues with Daniel’s statement.  No controversies.

Pearl Winifred Clarke

Statement:
“As a nurturing wife, mother, and former teacher of all ages from pre-school to adults I know how unsettling living with uncertainty can be. For too long we have been living with an uncertain future. Having chaired a diverse range of committees both locally and nationally including the Women’s Institute, Parent Teacher Association, The National Board of Catholic Women and The Grail I understand the importance of working collaboratively as a team to achieve important objectives. I have been fortunate in also having experience of international dialogue at the United Nations in New York, at the Vatican and in other European countries which has enabled me to observe not only the value of diversity and cultural differences but also the difficulties in reconciling deeply opposing views. I believe that all these experiences, have equipped me and made me determined to represent the best interests of the East Midlands. ”

Nailed Notes:
Education expert. No political experience. Catholic focus.  No controversy

Nikki Dillon

Bio from Independent Network:
“Nikki is a passionate, tireless force fighting for a better democracy, where ordinary people are at its heart, where decisions are made by the people and for the people. With listening skills and insight gained as a counsellor and mother, dealing with complicated disabilities, combined with communication skills as a trained journalist. Nikki has held a seat on the Royal Burgh of St Andrews Community Council, she serves as a District and Town Councillor (Lincolnshire) and was a Deputy Mayor. Nikki has helped implement new and revised policies. She volunteered her way through many sectors, including counselling terminally ill, counselling children and Citizens advice. Her credentials are the person next door, with her no-nonsense attitude, and will represent the true heart of the people. Nikki is a powerful force for good.”

Statement:

“I am a local person, with local views, where I believe in the spirit of the people that makes our communities great. As a local person, I live and breath the same day to day issues as you. Many of us, strive to enrich our communities, to embed positive and meaningful values into our children, the next generation. My motives towards this election are clear, I will with conviction and honesty move your views forward, towards decisions at a local level. It is time we were represented locally, by someone who knows the issues, and wants them fixed.

I consider myself, a loyal, honest, approachable person. I believe in unity, but also believe in the voice of the individual, let me support your voice. Community needs are my priorities, the local perspective. Let’s get the congestion issues resolved, lets tackle cuts to local services together.”

Nailed Notes:
Congestion, local councils, and cuts to local services are not issues decided by the EU Parliament. No other issues with Nikki’s statements.  No controversy discovered.

Labour – bias – Mixed

Labour is commited to its “alternative plan” for Brexit, which involves leaving and includes post-Brexit co-operation with Europe, a vague connection to the single market, EU workers rights, protection of peace in Northern Ireland,  and a customs union.  Mr. Palmer supports remaining in the EU.

The Labour Party have not released candidate bios.  The Labour Party did not respond to our request for candidate information.  The leaflet sent to houses features Jeremy Corbyn.  Jeremy Corbyn is not a candidate.  Campaign literature is 50% criticism of the Conservative Party.  On potential plans they state, “If we can’t get changes to their bad deal or a general election, Labour backs the option of a public vote.”

Rory Palmer MEP

Rory Palmer supports remaining in the EU.

Leonie Mathers

Leonie had not stepped away from the party line of the Westminster Labour deal, until today.  While I was seeking further (absent) information about her, she tweeted this:

Tony Tinley

Tony Tinley is Union focused, being a Regional Officer for Unite.  He is aiming for a customs union Brexit but wants the focus to be on UK jobs.

 

 

 

Nicolle Ndiweni

Statement to Democracy Club:
“Nicolle sees being a Councillor as a part of her life of service to the community whether it is working with local residents, voluntary groups, or encouraging and mentoring young people to be the best they can be. She is passionate about challenging inequality and injustice, always working to ensure that the vulnerable are never overlooked in community.

“My ambition remains the same, to see Hucknall grow, flourish and continue to provide a vibrant, clean and safe place, where our community can come together.””

Nailed Notes:
Community focused, rather than EU focused. No controversies.

Gary Godden

We have nothing for Gary Godden. As far as we know he backs the customs union Brexit which is the party line.

Liberal Democrats – bias Very Pro-Remain, 2nd referendum

The pro-EU party wants to hold a second referendum where Remain is on the ballot paper. Pledges to defend Freedom of Movement, extend rights for EU citizens in the UK, and provide a £7.5 billion support fund for those affected by Brexit uncertainty.

Bill Newton Dunn

Bio from Liberal Democrats:

“Bill Newton Dunn was first elected MEP for Lincolnshire from 1979 to 1994, and then as MEP for the East Midlands from 1999 to 2014. He crossed the floor to the Liberal Democrats in 2000 because of the ever-worsening Tory approach to “Europe”.

He has written several books, including two full-length biographies. His important political pamphlets drew attention to “the EU’s Democratic Deficit”, pointed out that “Europe Needs an FBI”, and most recently explained “What Do MEPs Do?”, a collection of brief accounts by forty-eight MEPs of seventeen diffferent nationalities.

He speaks good French, good Italian and passing German. He is married with two children who both work in the media. He sings in a choir as a bass, most recently in Mozart’s Requiem in Vienna in December.”

Nailed Notes:
Bill doesn’t tell us what he wants to achieve in the EU.  We must presume that this is the party goal of aiming to Remain.

Michael Mullaney

Bio from Liberal Democrats:

“Michael Mullaney is an experienced local campaigner in Hinckley and Bosworth. He is currently County Councillor for Hinckley.

Over recent years Michael has campaigned on many local issues. These have included;
• Campaigning to successfully save Hinckley’s Ambulance Station
• Successfully stopping the Conservative led Fire Authority’s plan to remove Hinckley’s second fire engine

• Campaigning with residents for Mount Road Hospital in Hinckley to be kept as a Walk in Centre for the town
• Fighting to save threatened local bus services
• Collecting thousands of signatures in Hinckley and Bosworth as part of the successful campaign to force the banks to drop their plans to scrap cheques
• Campaigning to save the Maternity Ward at the George Eliot Hospital
• Successfully campaigned to keep the Workclub at Hinckley Library which gives help and support to local people looking for work.

He has been the Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Bosworth at the 2010, 2015 and 2017 General Elections, fighting against the Tory Government damaging Brexit plans.

Michael’s past jobs include working as a carer for elderly and disabled people. He understands that these vital jobs are often underpaid and is pleased that when the Lib Dems were in government they helped take low paid workers out of Income Tax.”

Nailed Notes:
Michael has a Degree in Politics from University of Nottingham. He has failed to be elected to parliament 3 times.

No controversies discovered.

Lucy Care

Bio from Liberal Democrats:

“Lucy Care is a committed campaigner recognised for putting her priorities and principles into action.

Born in Derby, Lucy studied at Durham University and worked as an engineer at Courtaulds in Spondon, before taking a career break to bring up her family.  During this period she campaigned to save Littleover’s Library and as a result became active in politics.  Lucy is now a well-known and respected councillor for Littleover ward.

Lucy is instinctively a liberal and an environmentalist.  She sees the links between issues, such as the importance of cycling and walking to improve health, reduce air pollution and congestion.  She is passionate about people, wanting everyone to have the chance to do their best whether at school or in later life.  And she is persistent despite setbacks, keen to work with others where aims coincide.

Lucy is also approachable and friendly.  As a councillor and campaigner she believes it is important to keep in touch with voters, producing regular Focus newsletters.  She also speaks to local people all year round, knocking on doors and helping people with a wide range of problems.

Lucy has stood for election to parliament before in 2010, 2015 and 2017 in Derby, driven by a need for better policies nationally to be able to improve the situation locally. 

Lucy said “The coming election provides a real chance for political change.  Five years of Coalition showed how parties working together can provide more stability than a single party ruling alone.  Giving more say to voters with a fairer voting system is one of my priorities, as is helping the country remain open, tolerant and united which won’t happen with a hard Brexit.”

Nailed Notes:

Lucy is a Director of Derby Museums. Lucy has failed to be elected to parliament 3 times. Lucy mentions the long time goal of the Liberal Democrats to change the UK voting system to proportional representation.  The EU is already a proportional representation model.

Suzanna Austin

Bio from Liberal Democrats:

“As a candidate Suzanna’s quiet and understated demeanor belies both a somewhat dogged determination to ensure peoples voices are heard, and an uncanny way of translating policy into meaningful everyday scenarios. It was this determination that drove her to help uncover the issues with waiting lists at a local hospital facilitating changed outcomes for the thousands of patients effected. Whilst her regular work with other political parties demonstrates her view that some issues are above party politics and need collaboration.

Having lived and worked in the East Midlands for nearly two decades Suzanna has a keen understanding of the important issues, not least within one of the region’s largest sectors – logistics where she has worked for pan-European companies. More recently Suzanna has run her own business joining the many hundreds of thousands of regional small business owners given her an insight into the daily challenges faced and the importance of maintaining free trade with our closest neighbours.

Growing up with and still having a hearing impairment has also driven Suzanna to regularly campaign on equality and inclusion issues. As she has shown throughout her working life her hearing has not held her back instead it has been a catalyst for trying to understand the different barriers people face and helping remove them.

Suzanna genuinely is a candidate that understands the needs and aspirations of everyday people and works her hardest to help people achieve them.”

Nailed Notes:
Disabilities expert.  No issues with Suzanna’s statement.  No controversy discovered.

Caroline Kenyon

Bio from Liberal Democrats:

“Caroline moved to Lincolnshire from London over 20 years ago with her husband and five-day old son.

Originally trained as a barrister with a career in London as a journalist and magazine editor, she has run her own Lincolnshire-based business for two decades. For ten years, an award-winning PR agency with many regional and national clients and a special emphasis on food and also economic regeneration in the East Midlands, and since 2011, an international awards company with projects in the UK and USA.

She stood for the Liberal Democrats for the first time in the 2017 General Election. During the campaign, she became aware of the exceptional levels of food poverty in the city and founded the Lincoln Food Summit, an informal cross-party, multi-faith grouping of people and organisations involved in this field, to help tackle problems on a practical level.

She has also been involved in local campaigns such as Stop Veolia, which fought against the planned expansion of a waste recycling unit in Lincoln as well as the Skellingthorpe campaign against the expansion of an animal rendering plant.

Last summer, she walked by herself round the constituency of Lincoln over 5 days and raised £1500 for The Nomad Trust, the local charity for the homeless run by the YMCA.

Her great interests include business as a force for good, food, health (her step-daughter is a GP) and agriculture, and the Armed Forces, having been an Army wife for some years.”

Nailed Notes:
Failed to be elected to parliament in 2017, but has campaign experience. Legal expert.
No controversies discovered.

UKIP – bias No Deal Brexit

UKIP are commited to a hard No Deal Brexit, and pledge to vandalise all EU legislation by voting against it.

Nailed Notes:
UKIP are the architects of Brexit.  The party formed solely to make that happen.  They are responsible for the majority of Brexit lies, around the NHS, around immigration, and in convincing working class people that the EU is to blame for all their problems.  The UK government is responsible for the problems faced by normal people.   UKIP have broken electoral law with the Vote Leave campaign.  They blatantly incited racial hatred, most notably with the “Breaking Point” poster which misrepresented refugees on the Croatia-Slovenia border, who were fleeing from ISIS and our bombs.  4 weeks ago UKIP were ordered by a judge to reveal exactly how they used £300k of political data services, after they failed to give adequate explanations in previous parts of the investigation.  This is part of an investigation into 30 organisations following the Cambridge Analytica scandal which used voters’ data illegally and targeted them with untruthful anti-EU propaganda.  UKIP convinced voters that the UK doesn’t have sovereignty.  It does.  It told the lie that EU laws are forced onto Britain.  They are not.  With sovereignty we always decide.  Additionally many major EU laws came from Britain.   UKIP is drenched in lies and criminal behaviour, and a fair amount of racism. Racism is not provable per candidate due to the low public presence of most of these candidates, but an extreme anti-immigration stance has been part of their campaigning for Brexit, and as the NHS is stripped of nurses, and food rots in the fields, we can see that the impact of trying to make ourselves a “Brits only” nation is harming us.  Some UKIP members broke away to form the Brexit Party citing racism, and support for Tommy Robinson, as their primary reasons.  UKIP Leader Gerard Batten has, within the EU campaign, called Islam a “death cult”, and taken on Tommy Robinson (EDL) as an advisor.  Other candidates in this election are responsible for scandals including making rape jokes to female MPs and constituents, and the dog taught to give a Nazi salute.  They refused to apologise, citing an opposition to political correctness again.

Alan Graves Snr.

Statement:
“I am the most dedicated councillor in the city representing the Alvaston Ward and your views. I was first elected in 1995 and have a huge amount of experience in council business.
The council has gone through one of the most difficult periods in its’ history. The last 5 years we have seen unpopular spending decisions, questionable behaviour from some councillors, problems with the accounts, many protests from unhappy residents and workers, and the lowest reputation the council has had for a long time.
The balance of power on the council is very fine and Labour are projected to lose overall control.
The city’s future is in the balance, your best chance of changing the city for the better is by voting Alan Graves.”

Nailed Notes:
Declared Interests: Derby Homes Ltd.
Alan has just been elected to Derby City Council this month, and he is now the Council Leader.  Being an MEP requires working in Brussels. He will not be able to do both.

In a council meeting a year ago, Alan blamed NHS problems on immigration.  NHS problems are due to a lack of immigrant nurses and underfunding by government.

Marietta King

No bio or written statement available.

 

 

 

 

Nailed Notes:
Marietta misunderstands what democracy means.  She argues for being able to say offensive things in listing “political correctness” as something to be rid of.  “British Values” is a codeword which excludes any mindset differing from their own. Britain does not have uniform values.

Bhatti

Previously stood for election in the 2017 General Election, as the UK Independence Party (UKIP) candidate for the Cities of London and Westminster.

No further information available.

 

 

Fran Loi

No information has been provided.

 

 

 

 

John Evans

John is a councillor for Alvaston.  He only has three phrases on his election profile.

Brexit Party – bias No Deal Brexit

The Brexit Party was set up very recently by former UKIP leader Nigel Farage.  It currently has 14 MEPs, who were not elected as Brexit Party candidates, but all defected from UKIP to separate themselves from accusations of racism, xenophobia and far-right support. It has no policies and stands on the single issue of aiming for a hard No Deal Brexit.  It is chaired by Richard Tice, who was co-chair of Leave.EU, which was fined by the electoral commission for campaign violations (breaking the law), and has evaded questions on the source of the £8million he donated to the Leave campaign.

Nailed Notes:
We have the Brexit Party leaflet that has been delivered locally.  It is misleading.  Only one of the candidates they feature on it is standing in the East Midlands.  The other featured candidates are standing in different areas and you cannot vote for them.  This lack of local information is not helpful to local voters, but reflects the fact that they want you to vote on the single issue of Leaving the EU with no deal, without having any promises to fulfil.

The Brexit Party is composed of UKIP members who fled the party, and new members who want a No Deal Brexit without UKIP.

Annunziata Rees-Mogg

Bio from |The Brexit Party:
“Annunziata Rees-Mogg is a former journalist, having been a leader writer at the Daily Telegraph, deputy editor of MoneyWeek and Editor of the Eurosceptic magazine the European Journal.

In 2003 she founded Trust the People, a campaign calling for a referendum on the proposed European Constitution, later renamed the Lisbon Treaty.

In 2005 she stood for the Conservative Party in Aberavon at the General Election before also fighting Somerton & Frome in 2010.

More recently, she has focused on being a full time mother to her daughters and moved with her family to Lincolnshire.

Returning to the political fray was not something she wanted to do but the betrayal of democracy by the Westminster clique made her feel she had to stand up and fight for the most important issue of our generation.

Annunziata is sister of Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg and freelance journalist.”

Nailed Notes:
The sister of Jacob Rees-Mogg distances herself from her brother’s stance on Brexit and wants no deal and no co-operation with the EU.  She stood and failed to be elected as a Conservative MP twice (2005, 2010), and now she wants to “put the fear of God” into MPs. “Put the fear of God into members of parliament” is a Brexit Party catchphrase used by several members, including Farage; there is no information on how this is to be achieved, as the party offers no plans.

She repeatedly says that she doesn’t want to be a politician, but wants Brexit so much that she is willing to be temporarily, until Brexit is achieved.

She has not consistently stuck to one profession, but after a period of not working, writes freelance on finance and economy for Eurosceptic and conservative owned media.

She has no promises or pledges besides backing a hard Brexit.

Despite coming from an immensely wealthy and privileged family, she uses catchphrases designed to make working class people think she is one of them.  This includes an immense misunderstanding or deliberate misrepresentation of the word “democracy”, which in reality is an ongoing process involving all citizens, in which new information is factored in to adjustable plans, and within which people can change their minds.

Annunziata is the major focus of Brexit Party campaigning.  She is the one candidate who gets extensive press coverage.

Jonathan Deryck Bullock MEP (elected as UKIP but quit due to UKIP’s support of Tommy Robinson)

Bio from The Brexit Party:

“Jonathan Bullock is currently a Brexit Party MEP for the East Midlands. He is well known in the region, having represented the East Midlands as an MEP since taking over the role in 2017, and through his work as a local Councillor and from having previously stood as a Parliamentary candidate. Jonathan was born and brought up in Nottinghamshire. After obtaining a degree in politics, Jonathan worked in the House of Commons as a research assistant. He then moved into a career with advertising agencies based in Sheffield and Nottingham where he worked with local businesses across a broad range of sectors. After this Jonathan became Head of External Affairs at the Advertising Association. He then moved to a similar role at the British Road Federation before taking up the position of Director of Policy at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. Jonathan lives in Northamptonshire. He was a Councillor on Kettering Borough Council for eight years (serving for five years on its ruling Cabinet) and holding various positions, including chairman of the Council’s Rural Forum, member of the Local Government Association Rural Commission and member of the Police Joint Action Group. Jonathan is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts.

Nailed Notes:
Jonathan Bullock has not sat as an MEP for The Brexit Party since his election.  The Brexit Party has only existed for a few months.  Jonathan Bullock was a UKIP MEP and after quitting that party in December was an independent MEP until February.  He designated The Brexit Party as his party in the EU on 13th February, meaning he will have only represented them in the EU for exactly 14 weeks when we vote.  Jonathan Bullock has failed to be elected to parliament for the Conservative Party in 1992 and 2001.  He was a Conservative councillor in Kettering between 2007 and 2011.

He regularly posts photos of 4-10 people meeting campaigners, on Twitter, claiming a phenemonal turnout or a fantastic welcome.

Matthew Richard Patten

Bio from The Brexit Party

“Matthew is an experienced business and charity director, with global board and CEO experience in social impact, sports, commerce, social mobility, governance, campaigning, fundraising and business development. Formerly the CEO of the Mayor’s Fund for London, he worked with 35,000 young Londoners, 400 schools, 150 employers and 70 other charities, government and public authorities. Prior to joining the Mayor’s Fund, he was CEO of The Lord’s Taverners, leading the modernisation of the organisation famous for its sports and entertainment supporters, into the UK’s foremost youth sports and disability charity. Matthew’s previous roles include Chief Executive at M&C Saatchi Sponsorship and Director of Communications for Clubs for Young People, working with over 400,000 disadvantaged young people. NED roles have included St John Ambulance, London Funders, and WSA.”

Nailed Notes:
Matthew worked for Boris Johnson, administering the Mayor’s Fund during his tenure as Mayor of London.  He has been a highly paid CEO of numerous high earning charities.    He was a Conservative councillor for Tendring District Council. He is not related to Lord Chris Patten.

Tracy Selina Knowles

Bio from The Brexit Party

“Tracy Selina Knowles is a British business woman and the Nominating Officer for The Brexit Party. Tracy has 25 years of experience in senior manufacturing management, principally with Mars Inc and P&G. She has significant international management experience including 12 years working in the USA in Illinois, Texas, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She has also managed factories in Mexico and Switzerland. Tracy has owned and operated hospitality businesses, including a Chateau Hotel in Brittany, France. After attending a comprehensive school in Tilbury, West Thurrock, Tracy left school at 16 to work in the laboratory of a BOC metallurgical foundry. Studying at evening classes enabled her to gain a place reading chemistry at Southampton University age 18. Until joining the Brexit Party she was a member of UKIP and stood in the 2017 general election in Mid Norfolk. Tracy is married with one son and currently lives in Norfolk. She runs most days, enjoys long-distance bike rides and rescues dogs.”

Nailed Notes:
Tracy is very focused on immigration and has arranged public events in Norfolk where this is one of the focuses.  She criticised the Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman (Conservative) for saying that “we need immigrants to come in to wipe our bottoms.”  These were not his words, but her contemptuous phrasing.  As far as we can assess she has made no comment on food rotting in the fields due to lack of a migrant (temporary) workforce, or NHS staffing levels due to hostility to foreigners.

Anna Louisa Bailey

“Dr Anna Bailey is a political scientist and researcher specialising in policy formation and British and Russian politics. Her book Politics Under the Influence. Vodka and Public Policy in Putin’s Russia, was published by Cornell University Press in 2018. She works freelance on a wide range of projects and assignments: from Brexit-related research and publishing, to delivering intensive revision courses in secondary schools. Dr Bailey became convinced of the need to leave the EU while working in the civil service in the early 2000s. She realised the sheer scale of costly and unnecessary regulations emanating from Brussels, and how policies’ origins in EU directives were being kept from the public. She is Editorial Consultant for Briefings for Brexit, the website for pro-Brexit academics and professionals making the evidence-based case for leaving the EU, and has written on the politics of the Irish backstop. Dr Bailey lives in Quorn near Loughborough, Leicestershire with her husband Paul. An East Midlander through and through, she grew up in Heanor, Derbyshire, and spent several years working in Nottingham. She lived and worked in Russia as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language before completing an MRes in East European Studies at University College London in 2009. She continued to doctoral study, also at UCL, where she was awarded a PhD in Political Science in 2015. A keen sportswoman, Dr Bailey spent several years playing roller derby for Leicester. Now retired from competitive sport, she enjoys obstacle course racing, cycling and cross training.

Nailed Notes:
Anna denies that the Northern Ireland border is a problem.  She says that “nothing will happen” to the border in the case of No Deal.  She has accused “The Irish” of being “in cahoots with the EU”.  She claims that if there are no checks on the border, the World Trade Organisation (whose rules we would be under with No Deal) won’t do anything about such breaches.  She relies on the notion that any country bringing a complaint would be “international relations dynamite” and that this would ensure that no-one did. The threat of a complaint would, with this non-plan, be ammunition and a bargaining point to use against us in trade deals.

~End~

Further articles on the EU and Election will follow.

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