Interview with Damian Collins Conservative PPC [conducted Fri 22 Jan]

If I were a betting man, my money for who will take the Folkestone and Hythe seat in the next general election would go on Damian Collins, the Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate. In fact, anyone else winning seems so far-fetched I haven’t even troubled myself with finding out the odds.

Mr Collins is standing for a seat which, since its inception in 1950, has always returned a Conservative candidate. Incumbent Michael Howard has held the seat for over 26 years, and despite the scandals that have rocked politics in the last year he would surely have a good chance at the seat were he to stand again. With Mr Howard standing down Mr Collins has a clear run, offering a fresh face untainted by parliamentary shenanigans of dubious moral fibre.

However, it isn’t all plain sailing. With suspicion of MPs in general reaching unprecedented levels the next election will see one of the largest turnovers of Members on record. Having previously stood in a different seat, questions have been raised over Mr Collins' loyalty to the area, and it seems hard to imagine this and his history in PR and Communications will go unmentioned by all other candidates.

Taking nothing for granted Mr Collins has been extremely active on the local scene, regularly featuring in the local press at events and functions, and he keeps an active presence on the web, commenting on national and local matters with some clarity.

Very kindly taking time out of his busy schedule, Mr Collins agreed to meet for an interview and talked about national issues and is thoughts on the local area and his relationship to it.

Do you think the Conservatives will win the national election?

We have an excellent chance of winning, that’s what the opinion polls are telling us. I think there is a real mood for change. I think people have pretty much made their mind up about the current government, but that may change. Opinion polls predict a Conservative victory with a majority of 30 to 40 seats, but a week is a long time in politics

Do you feel you will win the Folkestone and Hythe seat?

I don’t take for granted previous results in this seat at all. People can change their minds. I feel we’ve had a very good response to campaign so far, if we fight a good campaign we’ve got a very good chance of getting a very good result.

Do you feel nationally there is a problem with politics, especially given the scandals of last year?

Yes I think there is. The expenses scandal has brought reputation of politics even lower. I think people question what politicians are for and what they achieve. That combined with general disaffection with the current government is a big challenge. I think there is a big opportunity to change politics and bring in a new generation of politicians who are more sensitive to the public’s disaffection with politics.

One thing that will probably happen at the next election, regardless of the result, is a huge turnover of MPs. If the Conservatives were to win the next election, even with a very small majority, this would combine with a very large number of MPs retiring and this could mean as many as half could be new MPs. This is a new chance for parliament and will be a big responsibility of new MPs to make sure they live up to high expectations of public.

Conservative ‘Time for change,’ is a very strong Conservative message. But the recent Conservative slogan was ‘We can’t go on like this’. Has politics lost its ability to inspire?

Politics at its best is inspirational but we have to recognise we’re still in the longest recession we’ve had in modern times. People are concerned about their jobs and prospects for the rest of the year. You have to reflect the fact that people are very concerned about the current climate. It’s all very well being optimistic but if you come up with something incredible, people just don’t think is something you can deliver. I think this election is about being honest with the public, there are difficult times but with the right policies we can see them through and with the right decisions we can be optimistic. We have to recognise difficult decisions to make.

People say the public are fed up with the politics of spin and spin culture. I think what that means is that the public have come tired of politicians making promises they can’t deliver on and are always looking to put rosy gloss on anything bad that happens. Sometimes people welcome a degree of honesty because then you know where you stand.

Do you think the idea of spin is a stumbling block for the Conservatives and yourself? David Cameron has strong links with the media and you yourself come from Saatchi and Saatchi [global advertising firm] and Lexington Communications [independent public relations company]. Will people believe you when you say politics isn’t about spin?

It’s not about spin – Communications is about expressing your ideas clearly, making yourself understood so people can decide whether they want what you are offering or not. George Orwell wrote about that in the 40s so it’s not a new idea. Spin is where you distort the truth and pretend something is other than what it is to make it more appealing. The two are very different.

Recently it appears Cameron backtracked on promises and proposals about marriage? Isn’t this an example of spin?

It was all massively overplayed. What David Cameron said was that we want to recognise marriage in the tax system. Actually I met a couple in St Mary’s bay when I was out canvassing, and they were in exactly the situation that David Cameron was talking about. Both working, doing their bit to make ends meet and standing on their own two feet but they would be financially better off if they split up. That’s the issue we’re trying to tackle. We shouldn’t create a financial incentive for people to separate rather than be together.

Undermining long term relationships has done so much to undermine not just family life but the social fabric of the country. We’ve looked at a number of ways to get rid of the disincentive for married couples to split up. We are also conscious we will have very limited finances to work with so it might be that initially we can’t make the package as attractive as we’d like to make it. There has been no back track at all in the principle of support for marriage.

The policy states ‘marriage and civil partnerships. What about the idea relationships don’t work like that? People are not always happily married, couples don’t always live together. Aren’t they being discriminated against?

No. It’s reversing a distortion that already exists which incentivises couples to split up. All the research suggests marriages and long term relationships breaking down has a massive effect and is a contributing factor to high levels of social breakdown we have seen in this country in the last 20 to 30 years. All we are doing is getting rid of this distortion. It is recognition of the value of marriage and long term relationships and trying to get rid of the distortion that works against this.

The groups you front and your career shows a concentration on cultural aspects, and recently you accompanied Shadow Secretary of State for Culture Jeremy Hunt on a visit to Folkestone. Do you feel cultural regeneration is being highlighted above other types of regeneration, for example getting other industries into the area?

Good question. Firstly on creative industries there has been a recognition that it’s a very big and important part of the economy. I think creative industries accounted for about 8% of our economy before the financial crisis so the proportion probably bigger now. That includes television, filmmaking, artists, galleries, web technicians, access to broadband and fast communications, all part of the creative industries.

We have a centre in Folkestone and that’s important when you look at how these work they tend to cluster in places. Often creative businesses are small businesses and they rely on others, they don’t do it all themselves. You might get someone who builds websites, a technical person, who uses the services of a designer. In Folkestone we want to nuture this, not for Folkestone but for the whole district to benefit from. I had a meeting with a group of people on the Marsh about creating a film festival down in Dungeness – Last of England – it affects everyone. Those skills are good for other types of businesses as well, because certainly with web and online technology and marketing and online advertising other businesses will use those services.

If I had a 4 point plan for getting our local economy going, it would focus on these things

1) We champion what we’re good at and creative talent is something we’re good at. It’s not only thing, but an important thing.

2) We look at ways we can help small businesses and entrepreneurs do what they’re good at, which is running their businesses. The government can scrap some taxes on employing people that make it hard for small businesses looking to expand. Small business hiring one to 3 people is a big step, and the more businesses doing this the better for everyone.

3) The third thing I’d like to see is councils have more opportunity to keep more of business rates but spend it on regeneration. That could be anything from improving way town centre looks, doing up shops, even reducing cost of parking. If councils are successful in generating more business activity and the income from business rates goes up, the councils should share in that success and keep some of the money. It’s something we’re looking at as a party nationally and something I’d champion in parliament.

4) The fourth thing is the Government could back guarantee loans to businesses. We have seen good, perfectly viable businesses go bust at record levels because they can’t get access to credit. The government could back these loans to help get the credit market moving.

Creative industries and culture are very important for Folkestone but we can also look at heritage as in making more of our heritage to attract tourism and food, particularly the Marsh and Hythe. We’ve got a very rich food producing area. The fish retailer in Dungeness M&M Richardson was a finalist for best food retailer of the year in the BBC Food Awards. We should celebrate [the food production of this area] too. I met with Andrew Goodsell of SAGA, we need to make sure we have the infrastructure to attract and keep big employers.

What drew you to Shepway? The previous seat you contested was Northampton North.

I wasn’t born in this part of Kent but I knew the area, I have friends here and it’s a fantastic place to live. It was enormously attractive to me and my family. I went through a rigorous selection process by the party. I was one probably a hundred who applied for the seat, they interviewed twenty and I was selected in a final where over 300 local association members came to chose the candidate they wanted.

Did you go for any other seats?

Yes I did but it was very early in the process, I was fortunate that I was selected very early. Folkestone and Hythe was one of the first seats offered so I was lucky to be snapped up pretty quick.

From your experience of living here what are the main challenges?

I think we have a fantastic story to tell as a local area. We need to bang a drum for Shepway. I’d like to be a real ambassador for the whole area. We have lots to offer. It’s a great place to live, to come and do business. Now the High speed rail link is open, communication channels to London and the continent are great, and I want people to be aware of what we’ve got to offer. I was asked to join the Kent Contemporary Working Group which will advise Visit Kent on its work in promoting tourism and businesses to come to Kent. Hopefully by being on that working group I can also make sure that Folkestone and Hythe are well represented.

You stood in Northampton North, you are a Conservative ‘A-list’ candidate and were part of the Bow Group . How would you persuade people that you’re not a career politician and that you are interested in Shepway?

I’ve been here nearly four years as a parliamentary candidate, working in that role, which is a big investment in time. I wanted to do that to have the chance to really get to know the area before the election came. Not just what happens on a political level but to see something of the community and get involved in the community as part of that run up. That four year period has been very valuable and I have enjoyed it immensely.

You area a director of Lexingtonn Communications. How many days a week do you spend in Shepway if the company is based in London?

I’m lucky and have a very understanding employer. No two weeks are the same which is rather like the life of a parliamentary candidate. I will be giving up work in the general election and equally after the election, if elected, I won’t go back to Lexington.

So if successful, you won’t have a directorship or paid employment outside of being an MP?

Not at Lexington no, and I have no other offers on the table so I have no intention of seeking out other paid work. Some MPs do do outside work and I think that’s fine - that’s a matter between them and their constituents. I’m not saying I’d never do that. I’m going into parliament where I won’t have any outside interests or paid work.

Presumably you could take work from outside agencies?

I’m saying I’m giving up my job to stand for being an MP. My focus will be being an MP. I suppose if I was asked to be a member of the government that would be taking on another job other than being an MP. You may have other responsibilities.

If you are not successful, will you stay in the area and fight the next election?

Yes. If the Conservatives want me to stay I would.

I note from a few of your tweets, you have moved into Elham? Is this a mortgage or rental?

Sadly it’s a mortgage – I couldn’t buy it outright!

Michael Howard has had twenty years in the seat. Some people feel parts of Shepway that were neglected when he came to the seat are still neglected, such as the east of Folkestone. Do you feel that’s an accurate reflection of Michael Howard’s time? Is there still a lot to be done in Folkestone?

Of course there is always a lot to be done. I think most people would say Folkestone is a much better place now than it was some years ago, in terms of the University Centre, the Quarter house, the Cube, there was only 2-3 business in the Creative Quarter that were open, Roger De Haan hadn’t bought the harbour, it was still under dispute. Not much happened at the harbour since the ferries closed.

I think Michael has been a great ambassador for Folkestone and has worked very hard to promote the area. Michael supported the Channel Tunnel being built, which not everyone did at the time. Most would say the Channel Tunnel has been a good thing for the local economy. I think we could make more of it but I think he’s done a great job.

Lots of your writing says the Channel Tunnel is underused, but has Shepway seen any benefits from the Channel Tunnel? The ferries have closed, jobs are still going in Dover, foot passengers get on at Ashford so really people just drive off the M20 and join a train.

Yes I think we have benefitted, and I think we could get more benefit from it. The High speed service is an indication of how we can start to benefit – it runs on the line put in place for the Channel Tunnel. I think there are businesses that are attracted to this part of Kent, and whether they are in Folkestone or Ashford they will employ people who live in Folkestone and Hythe.

I think the arrival of High Speed one and the Olympics could be great for Shepway. The Olympics has the potential to open up more cross channel travel, including Folkestone and Calais. That part of Northern France is looking at marketing themselves as a place where teams can stay. I had a meeting with the French Embassy to talk about this. They are expecting a large amount of people to come through Northern France. It’s an opportunity to showcase Shepway.

In your writing on Dungeness you support the new station ‘subject to environmental consideration’. The reason it hasn’t been considered is because of environmental considerations, so it won’t be built?

Not necessarily. Natural England, the statutory body, has given advice on the environmental impact on building it. We can consider whether they are right. What we might discover is that the objections they have raised could be mitigated. Their main concern is with the shingle banks. There is some question over if they have exaggerated the amount of land that has to be used. Are there measures which could be taken to protect and mitigate these objections?

I’m not saying we should ignore Natural England but there may be a way of overcoming their concerns. I do think the government can consider Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Importance. I think Dungeness could meet those criteria. It is a key site in the South East, it could be built quicker and connected to the grid faster – it doesn’t need new connections because they are already there. We have a need for clean low carbon energy and Dungeness could supply that.

Are you ready with an alternative to Marsh?

Let’s not forget that the power station will bring new jobs to the Marsh. There will still be some jobs at Dungeness B and A. Other than that, we need to promote the area. My experience in advertising says you have to have a story that makes you sound special and in Romney Marsh we have got that. We have a unique landscape which is very beautiful and has a lot of heritage and a lot of culture. There is a growing appetite for food tourism and a good underlying tourism business and we need to make more of that. Going back to creative economies, more people will be able to work from home and do different types of jobs.

The tourism centred approach is what the local Lib Dems are saying, and local Conservatives have castigated this as ‘cloud cuckoo land’ thinking.

Well, it’s part of the story. Dungeness is important because it provides a lot of jobs and money, a lot of money that is spent in the local community. You’d have to work very hard to come up with the amount of investment in the community you’d get in other ways. Certainly tourism is a way of doing that, but I don’t think we should limit ourselves to that.

Do you support the expansion of Lydd Airport?

I will wait to see what the planning officers come back with in their report, and I’ll read that with a great deal of interest. I have never ruled out the idea of limited expansion at Lydd airport, some people have ruled it out as a matter of principle. The airport has been there for a long time, it is part of the jobs infrastructure for the local area. It’s never going to be a big passenger airport, but allowed to grow in a limited way it could be good for the local economy.

There have been lots of objections and considerations. I have kept as close to it as possible, I have spoken to people on both sides off the debate, I listened to the test flight over three years ago. I know it is a contentious issue. I’d be prepared to support the expansion depending on what the report says.

Where do you stand on the proposed lorry park at Sellindge and Aldington?

We have a creeping industrialisation along the M20 and someone has looked at a map and decided to build a lorry park there. Firstly, there is already a lorry park at Ashford which was set up when the Channel Tunnel was built. I think we should look again at getting that redesignated. We should look at sites that already exist rather than buying new ones.

The issue is much bigger than having a lorry park at Sellindge at not - how do we pay for the infrastructure we need to offset what happens when Stack happens. Strikes, weather and accidents play a part. We shouldn’t just have lorry parks near Ashford. We should look at the whole network and think how we can get lorries off the road before they get down here. Can we complete the duelling of the A2, which Labour promised they would do? All of this costs money, and I don’t think it should be down to the local taxpayer. It is a national network and there should be a national plan to do this. Introducing a charge on foreign lorries should be looked at.

Wouldn’t the increase in haulage costs just be passed to consumers in the UK?

I don’t think so. We are looking at a scheme where if you fuelled in the UK you could offset this against the charge. Lorries can drive around the UK without filling up and not make any contribution to the UK. Road haulage is an open competitive network. It might get rid of some of the disparity working against British road hauliers in favour of their foreign competitors.

Immigration has been seen as a big issue in Shepway. Michael Howard made an issue of this in 2005. What is your view on the levels of immigration in Shepway?

I have been out to Calais to see the new centre to deal with migrants from Asia and Africa trying to get to the UK. There is still a problem, and the problem stems from the belief that the UK is a soft touch, it’s easier to get into the UK and once your here not much is done to assess if you have a valid claim to asylum, I think that works against the interests of the people of Britain, and it works against the interests of the people trying to get in here. Some are led here on false pretences.

How would you solve this problem?

We have said we would scrap the national ID scheme and would invest the money in a proper border police force. David Cameron has talked about doing is having an annual cap based on what jobs are needed in the economy. We area a small island and we don’t have limitless capacity. There has to be some sort of control.

If you scrap the ID scheme then the Border Force will have to stop every one and search every car and van every train and scrutinise every visa? This isn’t feasible, is it?

One of the issues is because our border forces are under resourced. It’s all very well having an ID scheme but without having the people to check the cards it’s a valueless exercise. We need to invest in this force to ensure we do have proper checks to stop people getting in.

Do you feel illegal immigrants are scapegoats and this pressure comes from the numbers of perfectly legitimate European Union citizens coming in. You can’t stop European Union citizens crossing the borders. The problem will persist and it is just rhetoric to say ‘we will tighten the borders’?

The immigration pressure isn’t just from within the EU, it is from people around the world trying to settle in the UK. One of the big issues is the quality of skills and training for local people to make sure they can get off welfare and back into work. This is a massively neglected issue. Through the boom years the level of underlying worklessness never really changed that much. From 97 to 2007 worklessness had gone up by 74%  yet the economy had grown every year. There is almost an underclass of people that have become totally welfare dependent and you almost have a generation of people that have been out of work. In some cases you might have two or three generations of the same family that are largely unemployed. These figures are from a written question tabled by Michael Howard.

We have to tackle the underlying issue of desperation felt by people who are welfare dependent trapped in this cycle. That is the real cauldron of extremism, hatred and resentment. We have to make sure people are given the opportunities to get the skills they need for work. There has to be an element of compulsion in the system so it is understood that if you are able to work and there is a job to do, you should be working.

Labour has poured lots of money into Surestart and Apprenticeships, more than the previous Conservative government. Why would people believe now that the Conservatives have changed and will continue this?

We have already said we would invest in creating more apprenticeships, more places for people at university from poor backgrounds and we will invest in improving SureStart and the access to it. One of the problems with SureStart is that it’s been less good at getting some of the people who need it most to use its services. We are very committed to grass roots intervention. Sometimes you can work with grassroots and the voluntary sector and they can do better than the government on its own.

I think sometimes the government has taken a view that the government or the Secretary of State knows best. Actually local charities and community groups have more credibility and understand better the services needed. We should work with them.

There is much talk of ‘Compassionate Conservatives’ and even ‘Red Toryism’. Is there any difference between the two main parties?


The big difference is – do you trust people to give them the power to do this for themselves, or do you believe that only the government can guarantee the quality of outcome? That is the big difference.
Ultimately we trust people to make the big decisions in their lives. Sometimes some people might need help making those decisions, but generally people are good at making those decisions. That works from parents deciding what type of education is best for their child, to the headteacher having more power over their school and the discipline they set and not to be overridden by government agencies. We believe that helps improve standards.

With that the interview ends and Mr Collins excuses himself, slightly late for his next appointment. Clearly spoken, with a sharp mind and a relaxed air he stands every chance of spending this summer preparing for Westminster. If he delivers for Folkestone and Hythe he could go on to beat Mr Howards 26 years. That is for the voters to decide and is, for now, pure speculation bordering on fantasy.

I hope you have enjoyed these interviews. For interviews with the Labour and Lib Dem candidates, please click on the tag 'Interview' at the bottom of this article and feel free to leave comments. This should soon appear on the Romney Marsh Times, which has a much larger readership and these interviews may generate some interesting comments.

Many thanks for reading.

Interview With Lynne Beaumont Liberal Democrat PPC [conducted Sun Jan 17]

A few years ago the Lib Dems seemed to be on the cusp of great things. Controlling Shepway District Council with 29 seats, in the run up to the 2005 national election Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy visited the Folkestone and Hythe constituency in an attempt to unseat Howard.

However, the last few years have been a torrid time for the local Liberal Democrat Party. but locally the group was already in turmoil. A council tax rise of 39%, blamed on the previous Conservative administration leaving the finances in disarray, was capped by the national Government in 2004. Hugely unpopular public toilet closures, intended to save the district money, kept the pressure on and group began to split. Leader Linda Cufley resigned in 2004, and after an interlude current leader Lynne Beaumont took the position in December 2005.

In the national election the Conservative vote held strong against Liberal Democrat Peter Carroll and problems continued. Former Parliamentary Prospective Candidate (PPC) Toby Philpott resigned in May 2007 amid claims of plots and backstabbing. His replacement, Neil Matthews stepped down in October 2009 citing personal reasons. Throughout this time councillors continued to trickle away from the group, and currently there are only six Liberal Democrats on Shepway District Council.

The local group must be hoping for some stability. As PPC, Ms Beaumont has so far played an extremely active role, tweeting, writing and campaigning on a variety of issues. She called for the local party to ‘run the campaign of our lives’ and is leading by example – recently she scored headlines over the issue of waste at Dungeness. The Liberal Democrat tourist-centred vision for the Marsh seems to be flying in the face of popular opinion, but it is a bold move and the Lib Dems and Ms Beaumont are promoting it heavily. Whether any of this pays off in the national vote remains to be seen, especially with Conservative PPC Damian Collins looking almost certain to get the seat.

Ms Beaumont kindly agreed to meet for an interview, and was extremely generous with her time, speaking passionately about local issues and not ducking questions about the group’s much discussed dynamics and changes.

Note - Due to the extreme length I have edited some of the responses. To the best of my ability I have not altered any of the sentiments in any of the answers.

Do you believe the Liberal Democrats could win?

The most important thing is that people must vote. In my view voting should be compulsory and every vote counts. The main problem with politics is the apathy. Nick Clegg has a spark. He absolutely believes in the policies he is standing for and he is not afraid to say precisely what he is standing for. We have said we will cut student fees, and we will. We will phase this in, starting with final year students, but we will do this.

Nick Clegg is largely anonymous – if I showed a picture on the street, would many people recognise him?

I have met all three leaders. Gordon Brown has a charisma and a warmth around him that fills the room. His problem is that this doesn’t come across on TV, he has an incompetent team around him. He shouldn’t get the blame for the recession – thank God Gordon Brown was in power and not David Cameron. David Cameron is not real. He appears airbrushed in posters and the public are sick of it.

Just to expand issue of appearance. The photo you have used to announce your selection is an extremely nice photo – was it professionally done? Why not use a photo from the selection night?

[Laughs] That was not a professionally done photo! My husband (Peter Carroll) took it. There are hundreds of images I could have chosen. I didn’t use one from the selection night as indoor photos come out terribly.

Do you feel you can win the Folkestone and Hythe seat?

For the first election in a long time there is no such thing as a safe seat. Everything I will do is to win this seat. I represent something different, so people will vote differently. Firstly I’m a woman, which might make a difference. I’m local. I chose to move here. Damian Collins is a wannabe MP who lost in Northampton North. He doesn’t care where he lives. I think MPs should give up outside work.

Do you have a job?

I have been a foster-carer and now I am Leader of the Shepway Liberal Democrats. If I had a job I would certainly give it up, no question. Those days are gone and the position requires absolute commitment.

Your initial announcements and declarations as PPC for Folkestone and Hythe make much of standing up for local people and local issues. What local issues will you campaign about?

Well, there are so many big local issues. My top one would be jobs. We need more work here. The high speed rail link is fantastic, but we need to make sure we make the most of that.

You were the only candidate for the PPC post. Was your selection a stitch up?

Absolutely not! The regional party came to me and asked me to parachute into the seat. I said ‘no way!’ I wanted to go through the selection process. The post was advertised nationally and anyone could apply. 3 selection packs for the were sent out, only one was returned. In the meeting, it is possible for people to vote to Re-Open Nominations. There were only two votes to re-open nominations.

Was the hall full? How many people were there?

Well, it was held in the worst snow ever, and Saltwood is not an easy place to get to. I am pleased to say that 30 members of the party made it to Saltwood to vote. Unfortunately we couldn’t wait for better weather as there is a minimum of three weeks notice and we cannot wait that long.

Folkestone and Hythe has always been Conservative. Why do you feel this is?

We live in a traditional Conservative area. I think generational loyalty here is strong. One constituent I spoke to said she had to vote Conservative as if she didn’t her mother would ‘turn in her grave’. Michael Howard has a large personal vote in this area, but it is time to do things differently. East Folkestone is still one of the most deprived areas in the country, even after 26 years.

In the 2005 campaign Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy visited Folkestone and Hythe in an attempt to unseat Michael Howard, yet his share of the vote increased. Why was this?

Folkestone and Hythe was a target Lib Dem seat, but Michael Howard was the Leader of the Opposition and the Conservative spend on this was around half a million pounds.

Folkestone and Hythe is no longer a target seat for the Liberal Democrats. Why is this?

You have to think of it from the national party’s point of view. The Liberal Democrats controlled the council and we were very strong. We had 29 councillors, but not anymore. Since 2003 the trust between the public and the Liberal Democrats has been destroyed by Linda Cuffley, who I was vocal in getting rid of.

One national Liberal Democrat pledge is for transparent local government and in 2009 the Lib Dems repeatedly complained about non-transparent Shepway District Council. Yet Liberal Democrats on District and Town councils repeatedly vote to exclude press and public. Is this transparent?

Do I support transparency in local government? Yes I do. Everything should be open for the world to see, unless it concerns an individual’s or company’s privacy or finances. It is not fair for that information to be in the public domain if dealing with a council. In that case it is necessary to exclude the press and the public.

Both Conservatives and Labour are for capping immigration. Where do you stand on this issue?

I would not cap immigration. Who decides who comes in and out? We have benefitted from immigration; the skills base immigrants give us is huge. We would not have the NHS without immigrants. No one ever talks about emigration – It’s a two way street. The press do not help matters. Several years ago the most common complaint from people on the Marsh was the number of immigrants. How many immigrants are living on the Marsh? Not many. It is just scaremongering.

Often people say that immigrants should stay in the first safe country they cross. How do migrants often pass through several countries before reaching England?

Think about it. If you were fleeing persecution, wouldn’t you go as far away as possible? People say it is for the benefits, but there are better benefits in other European countries. People always ask why it is young men who come here, but again just think about it – young men are often the first people targeted in wars. If they are killed, then rural villages cannot support themselves.

Moving onto this campaign and local issues, some reports have claimed a loss of members that will make it difficult to fight the campaign. Has member ship gone up or down?

There is plenty of support. People are phoning me up offering support. Last week I recruited 6 new deliverers.

Did any join the party? Has the membership gone up or down?

Three joined the party, and I’m sure next week will see more people join. Membership has suffered over the last few years. It is natural to have a fall in membership after an unsuccessful election campaign, and with the other problems people left the party.

You are against Lydd Airport. Wouldn’t an airport be a way of improving the infrastructure of the area for tourists?

The airport is not sustainable. The figures for jobs are all wrong. It will create around 120 low paid jobs. There is no money set aside for the improvement of infrastructure. The masterplan for the airport has not been published and has been hushed up.

The Lib Dems have made clear their vision for the future of the Marsh. Is there local support for this?

Yes there is. What is the alternative? Dungeness C will not happen but no one is putting forward an alternative. It is our responsibility to get jobs on the Marsh, not the national government’s. Where is plan B? I think people will come round to this idea.

The Marsh has been well known for bird watching for many years. Why isn’t there a tourist industry already?

Good question. The Conservatives slashed the funding set aside for advertising the Marsh. The Marsh is well known, but we need a decent plan. It’s about time someone had a vision for the Marsh.

You have recently announced you are concerned about the waste issues around Dungeness. When did you know of these issues?

I first knew two weeks ago. Councillor Richardson says this information was in documents, but we have been looking and can’t find it. This information is not public. When Meridian came to film, the Magnox South representative did not even come and meet them. They just gave a statement that the journalist could not understand.

The Liberal Democrats were heavily involved in the Leas Lift campaign, but the Leas Lift campaign website expressed dissatisfaction that the Lib Dems were not interested once it stopped generating headlines, and felt the Lib Dems were all spin. Is this a fair comment?

No it is not a fair comment. One of the problems is that all discussions are confidential and no one can say anything. I have spoken with the Radnor estate and they tell me the issue is moving. I can’t say too much due to confidentiality but I can say that I have continued to speak with the Radnor Estate. All I care about is the Leas Lift working. As for the issue of spin, Tim Prater, who runs our website, is one of the nicest people I have ever met. He is so careful to give credit where it’s due and fair reports.

Councillors have been crossing the floor since 2003. Doesn’t this show continued problems?

After the tax and toilets lots of people were furious. Then our PPC Toby Philpott resigned, and lots of people thought here we go again. Lots of people who crossed the floor were Toby Philpott supporters. After this, some have been led by the nose. Others have been lured with false promises. I know some councillors want to come back, but think about how it would look if they crossed the floor again. It isn’t going to happen soon but I don’t think the Conservative group will stay as it is.

Can you regain control of the council on 2011?

I think we can. The Conservatives have wasted a lot of money in this area. Car park charges are going up again – it is a matter of raising money by stealth. People will come to realise this.

With that the interview ends and Ms Beaumont, now late for her next appointment, leaves.

Since this interview she has pressed on with promoting the Lib Dem vision for the Marsh. Ms Beaumont is certainly marking out clear differences between herself and Mr Collins, and is best placed to give him a run for his money. It seems impossible that Ms Beaumont will gain the seat in the national election, but there is no such thing as a safe seat in politics.

A more telling election may come in 2011, with elections to the District Council. The council sways between Lib Dem and Conservative Control - If the Lib Dems can put the past behind them, the resurgence might be on.

Interview with Donald Worsley [conducted Sunday 10 Jan]

This is the first of a series of interviews with the Parliamentary Candidates from the three main parties. Interviews with Lynne Beaumont and Damian Collins will follow.

Being the Labour parliamentary candidate for Folkestone and Hythe must be a thankless task. The seat was created in 1950, and has always returned a Conservative MP. Incumbent Michael Howard has held the seat for over 26 years, and in the last general election Labour were thumped in third place, their share of the vote falling by 7.7% on the previous election down to 12.5%. Labour’s last councillor in Shepway District council seat went in 2005, and after the 2009 county elections only two Labour members sit on Kent County Council.

However, Donald Worsley is prepared to stand and be counted. Without the public profile or exposure of other candidates, he has gained publicity in recent times for criticising his own party over key decisions. Mr Worsley says this is not done to gain headlines, but for the benefit of Shepway residents. As a member of the Labour Party since the 70s his loyalty is not in doubt, rather one gets the feeling that the party he joined has changed almost beyond recognition and Mr Worsley, an extremely principled man, has not changed in the same way.

Holding forth on a wide range of subjects and possessing a dry sense of humour, Mr Worsley is engaging company. Generously giving up his free time, FUTS met Mr Worsley and talked at length about issues concerning the Labour Party both nationally and locally.

Will Labour win the next election?

I think we will come close, if not winning it outright. It comes to the difference between the party which brought us out of the economic crisis rather than taking the easy decision. Voters don’t want soundbites.

Surely Tony Blair and Alistair Campbell were the masters of soundbites?

The Tony Blair leadership was of its time. The problem was they didn’t deliver on sound policies. They gave the electorate the wrong impression inviting glitterati to number 10 when they would have done better to invite out of work miners and nurses.

Expanding on this, these mistakes were compounded by taking us to war in Iraq, and made worse by going to war in Afghanistan. The billions spent fighting terrorism would have been better spent on home security, protecting people on our own streets. I hope we are out by the end of the year, far too many are being killed unnecessarily.

The July bombings in London were ‘home-grown’. Is it possible to stop this entirely?

We should be more concerned with who we let in. We must not allow people in who preach hatred.

If we can move onto domestic issues, The Labour government is considering a ‘firesale’ of certain national assets, including the Channel Tunnel. Isn’t this harmful in the long run?

If it helps to cut the national debt then it is necessary. I would rather see spending on infrastructure, but we need cuts. We should cut the number of government quangos. We should be addressing the issue of money going abroad. We have been trying to attract investors, but in my opinion we should be investing in industry.

On Eurotunnel specifically, I would like to see the monopoly of the operators taken away. This has been abused, with high ticket prices the result. Why does it take the best part of a day to get a train out of a tunnel? Eurotunnel’s criticism of Kent Police was scandalous. We should be taking back the railways; privatisation was the last act of a desperate Tory government.

Isn’t there a problem for Labour in that Gordon Brown’s ‘light touch’ policies were the reason for the crisis?

The economic crisis was caused by massive bank frauds in the USA and subprime mortgage defaults. Gordon Brown responded to the crisis and saved our banking system here in the UK from total collapse. With hindsight we should have stopped RBS and Northern Rock from putting billions at risk. The Bank of England let us all down in that respect and must share the greatest burden of the blame for failing to put a stop soon enough to the banks cavalier approach to risk. Personally I was then of the opinion that with the near meltdown of Northern Rock the Governor should have been sacked at the time.

Where do you stand on immigration? When Nick Griffin was on question time, Jack Straw struggled to answer a question about the problems of immigration.

We can’t have a population of 70 million if we need to build cities and the infrastructure that goes with it. It just isn’t possible. We should quadruple our efforts to remove those here illegally, even if we depart from the European Convention of Human Rights. The United Nations should be helping to solve the problem. The UN can’t ask for 0.7% of our GDP and not tackle the problem. The problem started under Mr Howard as Home Secretary and has continued to this day.

But surely given that we are now in the European Union, and the majority of immigrants are from these countries, talk of tackling immigration is just sloganeering?

Immigration from within the EU is a tolerable price we have to pay for economic prosperity and lasting peace in Europe and for some their Spanish villas or stag nights in Prague or Dublin.

Tackling illegal immigration with an iron fist is not sloganeering: it's a strong belief I hold to. We can't allow illegal care home workers, waiters, cabbage pickers and others to slip under the radar. Likewise we should not stand by and let Asylum Seekers tie up our courts and politicians in Political Correctness gone mad.

People who have travelled thousands of miles to get to the UK to seek Asylum and travelled through numerous other countries to get here are really the problem of the United Nations not the UK. The UN should resolve the issues of Asylum and people trafficking and in the continents and countries where it originates from not on the doorstep where it ends up. Exporting aid and importing Asylum seekers is not an equation that holds good.

What is your opinion of the Conservative and Lib Dem policies in the run-up to the election?

The Tories have to answer – ‘What will they do?’ Ken Clarke is criticising his own party while David Cameron does not say in any detail what they will cut. The most insidious cuts are decisions not to raise public sector salaries, and to cut benefits. This benefits only the rich.

I am not sure what the Lib Dems stand for. Nick Clegg wants savage cuts while Vincent Cable wants a tax on mansions. These are not serious policies.

Michael Howard has been re-elected for the last 26 years. Why is this? What credit would you give him?

I haven’t stood against him before. Personal loyalty follows a hard-working MP. I’m not saying he isn’t hardworking, I disagree with his policies. The last year for him has been very bad. Had he not been standing down I would have been calling for this. I think all MPs have a lot to answer for over expenses. MPs have long been misappropriating the public purse, and the issues over second homes have been inexcusable. I wonder if the next Folkestone and Hythe MP will commute from the area - I would.

But the voters must agree with the Conservative policies?

I don’t believe they have had a credible alternative. It is up to me to put forward a different view and a clear distinction between the Conservatives and Labour.

Let’s move to Labour in Shepway. You regularly have letters printed in the Herald, but where is Labour in Shepway? There are no local councillors and it doesn’t seem possible that Labour will win the Folkestone and Hythe seat.

There is not enough national input into Kent, and certainly none in Shepway. There isn’t enough money in Shepway to compete with the other parties. But it is important to stand. Never criticise if you are not prepared to stand up and be counted. Of course, I think a Labour MP would be better for the area.

How do you campaign in the local area?

We will have devised a campaign by the end of the month. The campaign will be to show that nationally Labour is delivering benefits for Shepway that the local authorities, (Kent County Council and Shepway) are not. There are 4 key points.

1. The high speed rail link.
2. The Little Cheyenne wind farm.
3. The academy schools.
4. We will show respect to the Gurkhas by giving them pensions.

The local authorities have avoided making a decision on Lydd airport for far too long. They have also not tackled a second rate, two-tier education system which has allowed low pass rates to continue in some schools. In addition to this, a Tory government will inevitably lead to a local lorry park between Sellindge and Aldington.

Why are there no Labour councillors?

The County Council elections were a disaster, coming in the middle of the financial crisis. We didn’t put our message across loud and often enough. Now it is difficult as you have to be in opposition to have opportunities. I recall that the Shepway Lib Dems had the chance to make changes, but then lost this over the ‘tax and toilets’ fiasco.

On the Labour Party website there isn’t a page for Folkestone and Hythe or Shepway Labour group. Why not?

We don’t have the resources. Without a regional MP here Shepway will be forever ignored. The website takes time and costs money. The local party couldn’t afford it.

Surely it can’t cost too much to maintain a website? There are free alternatives. Doesn’t this show there is no will in the party?

At the moment we don’t have the ability to attract new members with larger pockets and people are disillusioned with the way the party is run from the centre. Labour Party members are not wealthy people, and as we don’t have a sitting MP we do not see much of our membership subscription returning to this area. We get a pittance back from central office.

But there doesn’t seem to be a Labour presence in the District. Will we see more Labour councillors standing? Will you be in opposition at District level?

We have an aspiration to. That’s one of the reasons I am standing at the moment. I don’t think socialists have fought hard enough to challenge the local status quo. I do my bit. It’s a start and with lots of local issues such as Lydd I think we can make a change.

Do you support the plans for Lydd airport expansion?

I support the plans as a hub for jobs for the local community, for development and engineering apprenticeships. There will not be ½ million passengers, but there must be improvements to infrastructure. You can’t expand Lydd airport without expanding the road and rail links.

But why aren’t there any votes for Labour here? People know the party exists, and there are some Labour candidates, so why aren’t the voters choosing Labour?

Elections are won by people on the ground, delivering a message and showing people the difference it can make. I think for too long people have stressed soundbites, media releases and television appearances as a way of winning elections. There is no substitute for foot slogging.

So does this mean you have lost members? Can Labour fight a campaign here?

Our membership has suffered. I think there is a forgotten part of the Labour party philosophy where the party listens to its members and is open to ideas. The 2008 Party Conference was more like a presentation, and this has been bad for membership. People want honest answers, not bland platitudes.

Will politics return to how it was before the age of presentations?

I think it will. That is the way I shall be addressing the campaign, with real policies no matter how radical.

It has been noted before that you are willing to criticise the national Labour Party and some of its decisions, most notably Dungeness and the failure to hold a referendum on the EU. Can we expect more of this?

I don’t go out of my way to speak out of line, but neither will I always follow what is coming from Party HQ. My criticism is always for the benefit of Shepway.

With that the interview ends, we finish our drinks and go our separate ways. It seems impossible that Mr Worsley will be off to Westminster, and unlikely that we will see a Labour presence in the District council anytime soon. Given the scandals that have marred the perception and engagement with politics nationally and locally, that may be Shepway’s loss.

Mr Worsley's latest blog, 'Heroes in the Snow', is up on Romney Marsh Times here.