Renew Party announce their Parliamentary candidate for Mid Beds

Alan Victor will stand for Renew, which is described as “a vehicle for radical reform for people from outside politics.” The party opposes the government’s handling of Brexit and has campaigned for a People’s Vote to settle the issue.

He told the Times & Citizen: “I only got involved in politics because of Brexit, and how the whole debacle showed that the people in parliament aren’t as competent as I’d always thought.

“They don’t know how to implement a massive change programme, which is something I have done on a number of occasions during my career.

“When you make a huge change you need to be clear on what you want to achieve, and how you’ll achieve it - instead the goal and the plan has moved time and time again until you have no idea how it reflects what the original plan or vision was.”

Mr Victor first moved to Mid Bedfordshire in 1991, and has lived in Clapham since 2005.

A retired corporate executive, he is now a director trustee of Families First Bedfordshire, a charity which provides support for parents and children through nurseries, children’s centres and specialist services to help families through adverse domestic experiences. He is also a trustee of the Nissan Pension Plan.

Mr Victor previously stood for Renew at this year’s Central Bedfordshire Council elections.

And having lived locally for so long, he was unimpressed at the current MP, Conservative Nadine Dorries.

Mr Victor said: “I’m sure she’s very good at getting books published, but whenever I’ve seen her I can’t see any understanding between what the Conservative Party stands for and how she hopes to deliver that.

“She just seems to regurgitate what Boris Johnson or Michael Gove say, but doesn’t understand that terms like ‘Leaving on World Trade Organisation terms’ don’t mean anything.”

Looking to local issues, Mr Victor said: “I will ensure that we lead responsibly to provide great schools, employment opportunities, a better NHS, sustainable farming and integrated housing, infrastructure and services throughout Mid Bedfordshire, while protecting families from bad environmental decisions.”

Nadine Dorries is widely expected to stand again for Mid Bedfordshire, which she has represented since 2005. She has been a Conservative throughout that time, with the exception of six months as an Independent after having the party whip withdrawn when she went to appear on the reality television show I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here.

Ian Loughborough has been chosen as the Brexit Party candidate.