The Social Democratic Party announce candidate

I am pleased to announce my selection as a parliamentary candidate for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for what is currently the Torridge and West Devon Constituency.

My family moved to West Devon when I was two years old, where I grew up and went to state primary and secondary schools. After graduating from University in Bristol, I worked for a short while in London, before deciding to return to what I have always considered to be my home, Tavistock, where I have worked for different businesses and even had the honour of serving as a town councillor. I currently work for an NHS Trust based in Plymouth and am a director of the estate management company for the estate in which I live.

The SDP is a political party not ashamed to be patriotic. We are economically left-leaning and culturally traditional. The SDP was formed in the 1980s when it had a major impact on British politics and, despite the first past the post system, it is now enjoying a resurgence and growing success at the local level.

One of our core policies is to establish a British Housing Corporation to oversee and fund the construction of 100,000 social homes per year. At a local level this will enable our vulnerable and young local people to find a home through either new build social housing or increased housing stock, slowing house price rises. Another core SDP policy is to nationalise the railways. For me, this would help us locally to get on with building the proposed railway line between Plymouth and Tavistock and to further connect this with Okehampton. This would vastly increase opportunities for all local people in finding jobs and building businesses, as well as tourism and leisure activities.

I would like to strongly encourage readers of this paper to visit sdp.org.uk to see what other policies the SDP supports for the family, community and nation.

Kareem Chaudhry, Chair SDP Southwest said: “The SDP is proud to have such a high-calibre candidate as Philip representing us in West Devon and Torridge. As a local man brought up in the area, Philip will represent his constituents first who have, for too long, been ignored by party machines more focused on national interests than the importance of improving the lives of local residents.”