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The following letter was published in the Darlington and Stockton Times on 1st November 2024

Aspirations

I grew up like many in our constituency – in council housing, with Christmas stockings mostly filed with tangerines and only recall one childhood family holiday, to Wales.

However, my parents installed in me the values of hard work and responsibility.

I studied hard, earned top grades, and built a successful career in international business.

Today, I run my own management consultancy.

Starting with nothing I chose to save and invest rather than spend frivolously, hoping to give my children a better start.

Yet recent statements from the Prime Minister suggest he opposes people like me – those who’ve worked hard to build assets.

Claiming that asset owners aren’t “real” workers undermines the incentive of hard work.

I now feel targeted by Sir Keir Starmer, yet my working-class background is a testament toto what hard work can achieve.  If Labour no longer represents people like me and the Conservatives cater only to their own, then voices like mine are silenced in today’s political landscape.

Fortunately, I’ve found a new political home in Reform UK, the fastest-growing party in British history, with over 92.000 members.

In a village hall in Appleton Wiske on October 21, a group of 62 local members, including business owners, farmers, veterans, engineers, doctors and carers, elected our first Richmond and Northallerton committee members, launching our pilot branch for the constituency.

As Interim Chairman, I would like your readers to know that Reform UK is very much here and not going away and is the only party that will rigorously defend the aspirations of both workers and entrepreneurs.

Matthew Cooke
Interim Chairman, Reform UK Pilot Branch
Richmond and Northallerton

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