Sprotchester needs representing by a champion of the people, not some career politician claiming to represent Tory or Labour values! At least those were the words of Spit Forshaw, a 43 year old local Sprotchester historian and railway enthusiast, who has announced his candidacy as an independent in the town for the general election.
Forshaw goes on to explain that he is representative of a new style of politics. As an advocate of a fair and competitive taxation system, Forshaw speaks of a vision in which a lower income tax rate for the highest earners may one day be desirable. However, that any moves by a Conservative led Government post 2015 to once again benefit the richest 10% at a time of austerity would be immoral, in the view of the historian.
Forshaw is a great believer that the ills of the NHS go way beyond a need for the service to hire more medical staff, and cut the number of administrators. He will strongly oppose any policies by any government of whatever colour, which he believes will affect the ability of doctors and nurses to deliver first class care. His belief is that the biggest challenge facing the NHS is to stem the flow of the more experienced nurses leaving the service.
On the thorny issue of Europe, Forshaw describes himself as "positively European." Although he accepts that immigration from within the European Union is a challenge, he also believes that people should focus on the bigger picture. For example the social legislation which now protects many employees in the workplace, whilst also not forgetting the various big companies who are making noises about relocating away from the UK should we decide to leave the EU.
With Sprotchester being a town heavily dependent on two local manufacturing plants which are owned by multi-national companies, Forshaw believes he can reach out to people in a way he believes the main parties have failed to do for some time.
Of course Spit Forshaw is a fictitious character, and Sprotchester is a fictitious town. But what the Spit Forshaw/Sprotchester scenario does of course illustrate is that there are millions of UK voters who can't connect with any of the main political parties.
Furthermore, there is a section of disillusioned voters who will also not want to vote for UKIP. A fact borne out by an opinion poll just over a week ago which put support for EU membership at a 23 year high.
Nearly 16 million people did not vote in the 2010 UK General Election. That is a large section of the electorate who could potentially turn UK Politics on it's head, if they could be persuaded to engage in the political process.
My father once said to me, "Andrew, new political parties and independent MPs have generally not done well in this country!" That was before the emergence of social media, which has enabled some people to relate to people in a way they were not able to previously. Watch this space. After all, we now live in different times.
Forshaw goes on to explain that he is representative of a new style of politics. As an advocate of a fair and competitive taxation system, Forshaw speaks of a vision in which a lower income tax rate for the highest earners may one day be desirable. However, that any moves by a Conservative led Government post 2015 to once again benefit the richest 10% at a time of austerity would be immoral, in the view of the historian.
Forshaw is a great believer that the ills of the NHS go way beyond a need for the service to hire more medical staff, and cut the number of administrators. He will strongly oppose any policies by any government of whatever colour, which he believes will affect the ability of doctors and nurses to deliver first class care. His belief is that the biggest challenge facing the NHS is to stem the flow of the more experienced nurses leaving the service.
On the thorny issue of Europe, Forshaw describes himself as "positively European." Although he accepts that immigration from within the European Union is a challenge, he also believes that people should focus on the bigger picture. For example the social legislation which now protects many employees in the workplace, whilst also not forgetting the various big companies who are making noises about relocating away from the UK should we decide to leave the EU.
With Sprotchester being a town heavily dependent on two local manufacturing plants which are owned by multi-national companies, Forshaw believes he can reach out to people in a way he believes the main parties have failed to do for some time.
Of course Spit Forshaw is a fictitious character, and Sprotchester is a fictitious town. But what the Spit Forshaw/Sprotchester scenario does of course illustrate is that there are millions of UK voters who can't connect with any of the main political parties.
Furthermore, there is a section of disillusioned voters who will also not want to vote for UKIP. A fact borne out by an opinion poll just over a week ago which put support for EU membership at a 23 year high.
Nearly 16 million people did not vote in the 2010 UK General Election. That is a large section of the electorate who could potentially turn UK Politics on it's head, if they could be persuaded to engage in the political process.
My father once said to me, "Andrew, new political parties and independent MPs have generally not done well in this country!" That was before the emergence of social media, which has enabled some people to relate to people in a way they were not able to previously. Watch this space. After all, we now live in different times.
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