Conservative Party candidate reveals hopes for re-election
Oliver Dowden CBE, the Conservative Party’s Parliamentary candidate and most recent MP for Hertsmere, has reflected on his time in office and revealed his hopes for re-election.
I am proud to be standing again to be your Conservative Member of Parliament for Hertsmere. I have known this area my entire life. I was born and grew up here, and still live in the area with my wife and two children. My dad worked in a wire factory in Watford and my mum worked in the Boots in London Colney. I went to Parmiter’s School near Watford, and then won a place to study Law at Cambridge University.
I firmly believe in the values of hard work and family and believe that these are the values of the people of Hertsmere. I am passionate about preserving the things that make Hertsmere such a special place to live. We are so lucky to have the best of both worlds here, where we can enjoy the open countryside and have easy access to London.
Over the past nine years of representing Hertsmere, I have fought tirelessly to protect our green belt. After extensive lobbying, I secured further protections at national level. These provided clarity that housing demands do not have to be met from green belt destruction.
I will continue to work locally and nationally to promote our community’s best interests, including defending our green spaces, delivering better transport and education, and supporting the diverse local community.
I also have the honour of serving as the Deputy Prime Minister. In these difficult and uncertain times, I believe I have the experience, character and values to best represent our community. I humbly ask you to put your faith in me in the General Election on July 4.
Labour candidate is ‘committed to doing politics differently’
Labour’s Parliamentary candidate, Josh Tapper, says he is “committed to doing politics differently, raising standards in public life, and showing people that we can have something fundamentally better”.
He explained: “After 14 years of Conservative chaos, families are financially worse off, less safe and have fewer opportunities.
“As your MP, I’ll focus on improving our economy so that families are better off. I also want to see more police on the streets and deal with crime like anti-social behaviour and burglaries. Labour will get the NHS back on its feet, switch on Great British Energy, take back our streets and break down the barriers to opportunity.”
Speaking about how he became interested in political reform, Josh said: “My journey into politics began with a belief that our education system could be fairer. I’ve seen first-hand how the pressure to attend university can overshadow other paths to success. That’s why I’ve been a vocal advocate for alternatives like apprenticeships and championed education reform.”
Josh’s reach was much expanded after his stint on national TV through Channel 4’s Gogglebox. Since then, he says, he has leveraged his platform to advocate for reform.
He said: “I’m standing to be Hertsmere’s first Labour MP because it’s clear that people here have been let down by Conservative instability and turmoil, with our MP at the helm as Deputy Prime Minister.
“I’m proud to be the fifth generation of a family who fled persecution in Eastern Europe to settle in Britain and receive safe haven, and the great-great-grandson of the founder of Bloom’s Kosher restaurant.
“But Hertsmere has shaped who I am – it has given me everything: my education, my first job, my community. And now I want to give this special place everything I can.”
Lib Dem candidate asks residents to ‘vote with your heart’
Emma Matanle, the Liberal Democrat MP candidate for Hertsmere, has spoken to BUSHEYnews ahead of the General Election.
Emma has lived in Hertfordshire for the last 25 years and raised her family in the county. Her background is in international relations, security and law, and she worked for several years as a policy analyst at Chatham House, an international affairs think tank in London.
She explained that she is running for MP because she is “angry at the way we’ve all been treated”.
She said: “I’ve always worked in politics, both locally and internationally (United Nations in Afghanistan). But I’ve never seen such abuse of power and trust of the electorate. It must be stopped. Politics is about helping people, not enriching our own pockets.”
Emma says her key priorities are improving access to health and social care and looking after the environment.
She said: “I would ask the government to deliver Watford General Hospital’s redevelopment and support organisations like hospices. Also, Hertsmere Borough Council is responsible for the Local Plan, but I would ask the government to release up-to-date census data, so we can have accurate local household need rather than figures from 2018 to limit building on the green belt.”
Emma says that her 25 years of living in the local area and her “wealth of experience” equip her to “tackle the grotesque inequalities and injustices that are affecting so many of us”.
She said: “People are just despairing because nothing works. I would get residents access to the services they need. I know many of you are disillusioned. But there are people like me who are in it for the right reasons. You can change your representation on July 4 by voting with your heart.”
Green Party candidate wants to ‘create a fairer future for all’
The Green Party candidate for Hertsmere is management consultant John Humphries, who has lived in Shenley for almost three decades.
John explained: “I am standing for election in Hertsmere because everyone should be able to vote for the Green Party.
“Greens want to create a fairer future for us all – this means access to free health and social care, it means access to childcare and education, to work opportunities, to housing, and a clean and safe environment in which to thrive.”
A keen advocate of the environment, John is disappointed with other parties’ backtracking on environmental policy and watering down of green commitments. On a personal level, his pledge to put the environment first is bolstered by a personal love for Hertsmere’s verdant countryside.
He explained: “We chose to live in Hertsmere for its beautiful countryside and convenient transport connections. One of my hobbies is hiking and Hertsmere has excellent wooded, open country, and riverside walks.
“I’m determined that the rural aspects of Hertsmere are protected and enhanced; that we have better access to NHS services, GPs, hospitals, dentists and social care; that our roads become safer for all users; and that appropriate infrastructure is developed given the need for more housing.”
If elected, John’s priorities for Hertsmere are to “build the right homes in the right places at the right price”; to protect the green belt, woodlands and rivers; to improve the insulation of local homes; and to care for nature by supporting ecosystems.
Reform candidate hopes to ‘pull us out of this downward spiral’
Darren Selkus, Reform UK’s candidate for Hertsmere, has lived in the constituency with his wife and two daughters for 14 years.
He explained that he joined Reform because he didn’t feel represented by traditional parties.
He said: “I’d lost faith in politics and felt like democracy wasn’t working as it should. I thought about running as an Independent. But then, Reform UK came along and I liked what they were about—they offered a common sense-based approach.”
Darren says he has three key goals should he become MP: freeze immigration, put more money in people’s pockets, and eliminate NHS waiting lists within two years.
He said: “If you can’t see a GP in three days, a consultant in three weeks, or have your operation in nine weeks, the NHS will provide a voucher for free treatment in the private sector.
“These priorities aren’t just wishful thinking; they’re what we deserve and should demand.”
Darren says he is not a career politician and is simply “fed up with where our country is heading”.
He said: “I can’t stand by and watch it go down the drain without doing anything. Back in 1988, I volunteered to serve our country in the British Army. And now, I’m volunteering again, trying to pull us out of this downward spiral.
“When elected, I will always be available to the people of Hertsmere, represent them and fight for them. I will also donate 100 per cent of my MP’s salary to charity.”
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