General Election FAQ

Normally there is a meeting every 2nd Wednesday of the month. Do check their web site though https://greenham.gov.uk

You can get that detail from the West Berkshire council site here https://www.westberks.gov.uk/article/35776/Find-Your-Next-Collection-Day

I have now helped create, and have joined, the West Berkshire Residents Party. We are an independent, non‑political organisation representing the people of West Berkshire. I am currently serving as our elected member on West Berkshire Council. We have no outside ties, no hidden agenda — just your community, working for you.”

Career

• Started at GEC industrial controls (robotics)
• Senior Engineer at Apricot Computers (created the world's first i486 server with colleague Paul Whatcot)
• Running EMEA for Chips and Technologies (silicon industry) Founder of the PC on as chip
• Intel reporting to Earl Whetstone (who ran Europe) and responsible for the integration of C&T EMEA whilst helping search for technical distribution channels across EMEA (Middle East experience)
• Running EMEA for Silicon Image and helping them IPO after establishing a sales network and helping establish the DVI standard which became HDMI
• Switched to software with KickFire – the world's first communication collaboration platform that was SAAS at the time and established sales and pipeline for them in European Marketing circles
• After the DotCom bubble the first time around I decided to set up my own company up
• TEEC operates in the IT Space and has the world's first platform for Voice competitions

Greenham Parish Council - I was chairman of planning

West Berkshire Council - I was

• Chairman of Western Area Planning
• Portfolio holder for the Environment and EV Strategy
  
• Opposition Spokesperson for the Environment
  
• Member of Licensing
  
• Member of Governance and Ethics
  
• Member of Scrutiny
  

West Berkshire Council - As an independent I am now a member of the Western Area Planning Committee

• A move away from faux democracy to democracy both locally and nationally. Where every vote counts
• A system which fosters cooperation not opposition. I would remove the word opposition from political vocabulary. Maybe replace it with minority
• I would like to see some connection between cabinet or portfolio position and expertise.

Yes — although I initially intended to run as an independent candidate when I decided to become a District Councillor in January 2019, a friend who had previously been a councillor explained how difficult it is for an unknown independent to reach enough people and win. My ward has around 7,000 residents. Since I hold centrist views and several Parish councillors I knew were Liberal Democrats, I was encouraged to join them. I read their constitution and reviewed their aims. As I was broadly aligned — around 95% — it made sense to join. I did, and I was first elected in May 2019.

• My primary aims in becoming a district councillor were:

• To address the football fiasco at Faraday Road in Newbury.

• To ensure proper due diligence on the major Sandleford development proposal.

• To work on environmental issues across the district (I became the opposition environment spokesperson, and in May 2023, when the Lib Dems took control of West Berkshire Council, I became the Executive Portfolio Holder).

• To serve on the planning committee and ensure robust scrutiny. I joined WAP in 2019 and became its chairman in May 2023. I was removed from that role by the Lib Dems after I resigned from the party in November 2023.

Having achieved my objectives at West Berkshire Council — and increasingly disillusioned with what was happening in Westminster — I put my name forward to run as a Lib Dem parliamentary candidate at the next general election. I took part in the selection process in August 2023. The Lib Dem members of Reading West and Mid Berkshire selected me as their candidate. Despite winning, Lib Dem HQ found a way to exclude me and instead claimed Helen Belcher was the winner. I appealed and challenged the invalid reasons used to remove me (they alleged I used endorsements; I did not — I used references, as you would for any job). It became clear that some senior figures at HQ were unwilling to follow their own rules, leaving me no choice but to resign from the party.

I remain deeply concerned about the current political situation in Westminster. I have always believed we need more local, non‑career politicians who are committed to representing community values. After discussing this with friends, family, and people across the constituency, I decided to run as an independent candidate. I have the time, energy, and commitment to serve — and I’m ready to make a positive impact in our community.

Like most people it’s been a dinner conversation thing for maybe 25 years plus. Although I became a Greenham Parish Cllr in 2018, I really don’t think of that as politics. I was independent and other Cllrs never made of thing about being a member of a party.

When I told my colleagues in late 2018 that having enjoyed doing some good at the Parish level I was going to take a stab at getting elected to West Berkshire Council.  It was pointed out to me just how difficult that would be without a support network. The people persuading me happened to be Lib Dems. There were two major issues driving me to stand. Sandleford and the Football ground at Faraday Road. Having looked at the Lib Dems and what they were trying to do locally I found myself 90% aligned so joined as a member. This was my first and only political membership. I was what is called a floating voter before then.

I have returned to being an Independent which is proving very interesting and I really believe Independent councillors can work with whoever is in charge instead of just opposing. The public that I speak to seems to echo this especially when Resident Associations are formed.

An independent Councillor can change things by:

• Ensuring they work locally and run surgeries across the area

• Not being bound by a party and whip

• Propose or amend motions as well ask ask questions of the administration

• Join committees to shape policy – Planning especially because of AONB and infrastructure

• Representing local interests first above party.

I would exert influence by focusing on specific issues, potentially swaying key votes and debates in council.

Integrity for me is saying what you mean and doing what you say. It also means being willing to change your mind should new data leads you that way. It's not about dogma but it is about truth.

West Berkshire is a great place to live, but that doesn’t mean we can’t strive for it to be even better. I want to work with business and the community to build for the future. We can do this by

• Moving to community-led building
  1. Working in planning to change the narrative towards what communities need not what developers want..
• Securing our local energy where we can
  1. Although much of the needed effort is in parliament, we do have the opportunity locally as micro hydro, solar and ground wind solutions open new options for us.
• Supporting schools, further education and skills development
  1. Striving for a fair start and quality education for all.
• Supporting the rural economy
  1. Working with residents to determine what your village needs in order to keep schools, shops, pubs and local businesses open, making plans accordingly in collaboration with residents.
  2. Supporting communities in developing their own Neighbourhood Development Plans.
  3. Supporting local farmers to get produce into local markets.

• I believe that we need community-led homes, for those that need them, where we need them.
• By enabling councils to build homes again.
• By tackling land value reform.
• By fixing the major issues associated with senior living developments i.e. the leasehold and maintenance traps set by developers.

• I have lived and worked locally for 25 years.
• I am MD of a local business that provides services worldwide.
• My formal education finished as I graduated with a 2:1 honours degree in Applied Physics.
• My career has covered small startups as well as large corporates like Intel.
• The same career has seen me work around the world including USA, Middle East, Europe and ASIA.
• I have two world firsts associated with my name.
• The world's first .486 server that Paul Whatcott and myself did when I was a senior engineer at Apricot computers.
• The world's first voice assistant campaign platform that my team and I created called Brandigniter
• Check out my career history on LinkedIn

As one of the Wash Common Ward District Councillors use adrian.abbs1@westberks.gov.uk

As a Greenham Parish Councillor use adrian.abbs@greenham.gov.uk

You can also call me on 07796 476979

There are 3 Wash Common Ward Councillors

Myself - Adrian Abbs - West Berkshire Residents ( Independent) but part of the Minority group

David Marsh - From the Green Party

Patrick Clark - From The Liberal Democrats

Please see the relevant part of the Greenham Parish Website for a full list of current Greenham Parish Councillors

https://greenham.gov.uk/councillors-officers

• Being available across the constituency.
• Provide a voice in Parliament for things of importance to the constituency.
• Work with whoever is in charge to do what's best for the nation - not just a party.
• Scrutinise legislation that is being created for a positive output not just to score points.
• Work with Local councils as their voice in parliament to ensure we address local issues.

Most people when they speak about roads are referring to potholes. It’s a bit wider than that though with smart motorways and utility company access.

Potholes are under the responsibilities of Councils, so for Reading West and Mid Berkshire that Is Reading Council and West Berkshire Council.

Funding however comes from Westminster. Whilst it would be nice to just say “give more money to councils” the reality is that money is in short supply. I have suggested to Reading councillors and West Berkshire council direct that we need to change process and allow ourselves to get ahead of the problem. The start for that is simple devices attached to the front of all council vehicles (especially waste lorries) so that we auto-detect the vast majority of issues as they begin. With a little machine learning those devices can cut out the requirement of council officers going out to confirm the problem is real (saving time and money). Next rather than have traditional teams go out and repair it, which is multiple people, we embrace some of the new single operator products coming out of JCB and Italy. That again allows for greater efficiency which again is time and money.

The net result is, auto-detection, faster fixing and the same money going further allowing us to get ahead of the problem.

Smart motorways have been shown to be more dangerous. We need to at least get them going as originally designed. That’s faster detection of problems and sufficient laybyes.

Utility companies have cart blanche to just dig up any road based on saying it's an emergency. So, anything else scheduled through councils then makes less sense. It's why we can see a brand-new road dug up days later. Some of the issue is that once they are digging up they extend the works to not just fix the issue but often carry out the laying of upgraded pipes. This extends the work significantly. Forcing utility companies to better coordinate with councils would help the overall problem.

• Ensure our energy security.
• Focus our energy production on solutions that cannot be influenced by outside bodies. i.e. Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Hydro/Micro Hydro and fusion energy.
• Make sure we emphasise consumer-side energy production as well as centralised production.

• Without energy independence, we can be held hostage by third powers or other nations.
• We have more Tidal, Hydro, Wind, Solar and Geothermal energy around, through, over, on and under the UK than we could ever imagine needing.
• Once built, none of the above alt energy can be easily interfered with from outside the UK.
• Most of the energy solutions above are on par or lower cost than say Nuclear Fission reactors.
• Most of the energy solutions above are faster to build than Nuclear Fission reactors.
• Creating independent, green, cheap limitless energy means we can solve many of the issues in the UK today.
• Energy costs are one of the key issues with our cost-of-living crisis.
• Our farmers and food sector can produce more from less space.
• Our heavy industries get a major cost removed making them competitive again.
• It provides energy supplies that allow for Green Hydrogen production in large quantities. This in turn can decarbonise transport and heating of homes without trying to move everything to electric and batteries.
• Cleaner AIR and comfortable heating and cooling in homes will lead to much better health outcomes.

Here are some of my beliefs

• I do not believe in the extremes of politics, be that ultra-right or left. If I had to use a single word it would be to say I am a "centrist". That means I can support some of what socialism stands for as well as capitalism.
• I believe in people being given an opportunity, but that it is also incumbent on those that can, to give back.
• I do not believe in barriers for people, but also that once a barrier is removed, it should be the best person for the role.
• I bridge the political divide because I have direct experience of being poor as well as what it takes to create jobs and run a business.

1. Because it’s a new constituency comprising 30% of voters from 3 Reading West wards and 70% of Voters from 12 more rural West Berkshire wards.
2. Because there is no clear majority for any political and a lot of dissatisfaction with existing party politics, leaving space for a "None of the above" vote. 
3. Because when I ran a survey people said they wanted someone like me as their first preference. i.e. an independent local person with a career first before politics.

• I recently went to the Tom Hanks Moonwalkers show at the Lightroom near St Pancras. (Wow by the way). In it was a snippet of the speech by John F. Kennedy. The one where he says “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organise and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept”. So, my answer is simple. I bother because if someone does not then nothing changes. I would like to be the candidate that makes change happen.

• My first jobs were shovelling peas off lorries, bar work and piece work. I know what it took to get out of poverty and so can empathise with people struggling for a fair deal.

• During my time as a Councillor, I've demonstrated how we can do positive things for the environment which also saves money. I use STEAM (Saving Money And The Environment) or SMATE (Saving Money And The Environment) as acronyms often because there are still many things we can do which have all the benefits without the negatives. Choosing cheaper alt energy solutions is the obvious example)
• Whilst I often agree with the Greens on what needs to be tackled, I found the solutions are often too extreme to get adopted. I am more a carrot-before-the-stick type of person.
• In the current world climate, the commitment of the Greens to just get rid of Nuclear is not something I can support. Ukraine giving up theirs (even when the West said ” Don't worry, we will take care of you”) just shows how states like Russia then feel free to threaten and invade.

• I am the only candidate currently engaging with parish and town councils to ensure the next MP delivers what local residents need in areas an MP can influence.
• By running as an independent I can fight directly for the constituency and what it needs rather than being tied to only what the party wants.
• As things stand, I believe it would be better to find ways to work much closer with the EU (something the Lib Dems are frightened of saying for some reason).
• During the Lib Dem PPC selection process, members selected me. Only when a spurious reason was created was I excluded and Helen announced instead. The English party chair failed to investigate, as did Lib Dem HQ. Therefore I stand in part to be able to represent those Lib Dems who voted for me.
• I better represent true Lib Dem values than the official candidate and happen to be local - which is why people voted for me in the first place.

• It is tough to reward and trust the current version of the Conservative party given its significant mistakes and instability.
• FUD - Using Fear Uncertainty and Doubt as the bedrock of why the Conservatives should be re-elected is just reusing old key on new locks - We all know that does not work.
• I can ensure your vote is not wasted, and should I win, you can see from my background, that I can help steer the constituency and nation to a better future. I believe I am a safe pair of hands.

As an MP I could assist local businesses in a variety of ways. I can make private enquiries on behalf of my constituents, raise matters publicly in the House of Commons, speak at events concerning the issue, pledge my support to a campaign or write to the local media on behalf of these constituents.

MPs are not islands and tend to have a constituency office with staff. This can provide advice on business-related matters and even help point business towards government grants.

I’ve often found, in my own work life, that networking solutions together can pay dividends. Therefore, as businesses across the Constituency and nearby get to know me, I’ll be able to connect them together where it makes sense.

As an MP I cannot be financially involved directly though.

Since being established on July 5, 1948, the NHS has undergone several changes to adapt to the changing needs of the population.

It is suggested, and I agree, that having doctors and nurses in charge of designing the change process would be a good thing.

The NHS is already making use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies to help clinicians interpret scans and improve healthcare outcomes. The NHS AI Lab is working in partnership with several government and NHS partners to create an environment for collaboration and co-creation by bringing together programmes that address the barriers to developing and deploying AI systems in health care. Once done, I see this adding positively to the answers we need to the challenges faced by the NHS today.

No one should be enslaved by Poverty, Ignorance or Conformity. i.e. there should be equal opportunity for all without barriers because of wealth, race etc. But once the barriers are removed, then we need the best person to do the best job possible. I came from what many consider a poor background. The grant system allowed me to get the education I needed.  I want to fight to fix those issues as a priority whilst ensuring barriers do not exist.

I would be a champion and deliver two things that would benefit our constituency. 

1. I would be lobbying to have a greater range of services available at the relatively new community hospital that was built on the border of Newbury and Thatcham. 
2. I would also be a big supporter of building a new hospital to replace the ageing Royal Berkshire one. Looking at its capture area, I would also be suggesting a move out of central Reading but close to one of the M4 junctions to improve the speed of access Junctions 11/12 and 13 being the obvious choices.

Before we look at the above, we need to keep a couple of things in mind. 1 The birth rate in the UK. 2 How the UK is setup in terms of the number of people it needs to remain in what we think of as a prosperous nation. The reality is that the UK birth rate is falling, and a work force is needed to pay for everything that makes us prosperous.

With that said, what gets little to no coverage is emigration from the UK. The latest ONS numbers, June 2023, say 93000 British citizens left the UK. An AXA PPP International report says the main drivers behind British emigration was Poor work / life balance and poor pay and benefits.

First that’s around 3 times the number of people that arrive by small boats according to a Dec 15^th Article on the BBC website. In the same story 89000 sought Asylum in the UK in 2022 (Still less).

What’s not said, and what’s hard to find is the socio-economic breakdown in those numbers.

Let’s face it, if we are losing the mid to high earners and only replace with low earners then it’s not a matter of just measuring in and out, it’s a matter of value (or tax revenue if you like). For example. If I lose a Dr. whose average pay is £76K (net £54K) and replace with someone working in retail where the average salary is £23.3K (net 20K) then I’m at least 3 times worse off as the government. But it’s even worse than that, because a single parent earing £23.3K with 2 school age kids living in Berkshire would be entitled to £329.44 per week of benefits, according to money saving experts web site. That’s another £17130 per annum we need to find. FYI the Dr. gets just child benefits at 39.90 per week or 2074.80 per annum.

The extra cost of the 3.3 people on benefits compared to the 1 Dr. is £56.5K. That’s over twice the tax revenue from the Dr.

A GMC report said that 4843 Drs left the UK in the year May 2021 to 2022

Given the above. I’m going to say the emigration part of net migration is something we need to focus on as a high priority. i.e. retain our talent.

It is impossible to have missed the evolving situation in the USA, with a real possibility that Donald Trump might get re-elected. However, even without that, we hear about President Joe Biden’s thoughts on the UK and Ireland. He’s not that positive about us apparently. Or at least that’s what gets reported.

So, I do find myself asking “Would the USA really come to our aid? Would they stay involved long enough to make the difference? Can we take the risk?” Whereas 20 years ago I would never have doubted, today I’m less sure.

Add to this what we see reported from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran means we face the real possibility of our way of life being changed significantly by direct aggression, or by weaponizing capitalism (which the Chinese state has done very successfully). FYI. I try and stay in touch by watching a range of news channels from the BBC through ITV, GB News, Al Jazeera and Sky. Just so I can get different perspectives on things.

The conflation of all this news is that we live in ever more dangerous times. It's why one of the things I’m keen to see is the UK get to energy independence. I.e. Energy security. I have written previously about ways we can do this in an environmentally positive way, but once we have abundant cheap energy security, we can make positive moves to improve food security, we also get positive outcomes for health and industry and importantly cost of living.

But even if we manage to reverse the trends and make the UK independent in the basics of life, we still won’t be secure given the growing aggression in the world.

That's why I support a strong military, not for global dominance, but to safeguard our interests and respond effectively when necessary. Collaborating with neighbouring countries, who share cultural similarities to form a robust alliance—whether within or outside NATO— can deter potential aggressors.

It’s one of the main reasons why staying close to our European neighbours is a good thing. We need to get passed painting the EU as the devil. It’s a long way from perfect but our cultures are closer than many seem to realise.

As a potential independent MP, I would consider evidence and vote in the best interests of the nation, recognizing that decisions in this area span multiple decades and should be independent of party politics.

My position is quite straightforward really.

As a nation, it is impossible to sustain an immigration rate of 700K plus per annum

• We need to be able to choose who comes and stays
• My first concern is to split out genuine asylum seekers and economic migrants
• Economic migrants need to arrive by safe legal routes. They should apply before they set off on the journey to the UK. They need to be filling a role that cannot be filled by someone already living here.
• Economic migration needs to be ruled based and fulfil only those things we cannot train for locally.
• I am just as concerned about emigration.

Are we losing skilled people and replacing them with non-skilled? I did a letter to the press on this - see here

https://adrianabbs.uk/Contents/ContentItems/48gx8qefbem1ptvxz620rzaawh

For me, it starts further back and comes down to the economy we are building. Build the right type of economy and emigration of skilled labour falls

It's a tough nut to crack but the speed of processing applications is one key. Being willing to say "No thanks, we don't need your specific skill set" must be something we can do as a nation.

When I moved back from working in Germany my home was at RG30 3UN which is in the East of the constituency. Both my children went to school in Reading.

I currently live on the border of Newbury / Thatcham. The boundary for the new constituency runs all the way to Thatcham. So, I am very close.

The constituency is made up from Rural (West) and Urban (East). As I have lived at both ends, I believe I will bring an understanding to what is needed locally for the Constituency. I also run a business (In Newbury) that employs people who live in places like Aldermaston.

Before standing I contacted several of the current District councillors to see if they would be running. None were who represented a centralist and internationalist perspective. That meant no candidate close to my own principles was standing.

Now that all the main candidates have announced, it seems to remain clear that I can offer a viable alternative to party politics and am someone who has a strong connection to the constituency.

Some of the work I have done as a District Councillor is based in Mid Berkshire (Things like the Grazely solar farm and energy generation at Padworth recycling centre). I also met with people in Beenham when they had a particularly contentious planning app – In an advisor role.

David Tully from Rochdale showed that an Independent can do very well in an election for Parliament. He got 21% of the vote. He was just a local businessman who wanted to do something for his community. Same as me.

Given the Conservative vote is mainly in Mid Berkshire historically and the Labour Vote is strongest in Reading West, we already have a split. Now add in that the Conservative vote splits again because of Reform. The Labour Vote also splits because Tilehurst has historically voted Lib Dem (at least during council elections). This means we have no party with more than ¼ of the votes. Turn outs at General elections are averaging 65%. So around 16 to 17% each

An independent has a chance because. 1) the 35% of people who don’t normally vote now have a viable choice. 2) Many softer Conservative voters are so angry with their own party they are actively considering voting for change or staying at home. They don’t really want to vote Labour and the Lib Dems just don’t have enough people to do the whole area. They have only around 140 members and far less activists (maybe 5-10) across the area I believe. 3) Although the Green candidate is someone I respect, the Green vote is just not a tactical vote this time around in this location.

If we believe in democracy, then we need a solution when electing MPs that represents what voters believe in. 1^st past the post has led to some very odd election results with huge majorities that do not reflect the majority. Its very hard indeed to find any example of a single party commanding more than 50% of the publics vote.

Now add in stability. Having been running my own business’s for over 20 years I can say the number 1 thing that benefits growth is stability. Be that inflation or the rules under which business must run.

So, I have come to believe we should adopt a form of PR that still ensures I can elect a person, rather than a party, but then also reflects what voters want. It does mean we will get representatives from the extremes, but we should also get better cooperation and stability.

I do not hold any strong opinion on this bill other than to acknowledge the costs of supporting people's choices. If we have a known product that directly hurts people's health then encouraging them to change the habit would be my go to start position. Taxing those products to ensure the necessary health support later on has to happen otherwise a persons choice falls on other shoulders.

This goes to my belief that people should be able to choose. My only concern is ensuring it really is their choice.

I do not believe in the breakup of the UK.  So devolving power to allow each part to decide if they wanted to join the EU (or even could) is not something I see as helpful at this time.

The concept of devolved power, in theory, allows a more specific focus by those elected to these parliaments.

The problem is that it costs quite a lot. As the world shrinks, the differences economically also shrinks.

I struggle to see how splitting tax, health etc into smaller parts makes for greater efficiency.

My mind is open but as a businessman, I would want to see the business case and advantages economically of doing it.

I do not have access to enough information to know if this is even affordable. So sorry I am unable to answer this question at this time.

Genocide is defined in the English dictionary as “the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group:”

By this definition, both the Israeli State and Hamas terror group seem to be guilty of it. They both aim to destroy each other.

The sad bit is that we live in a world where killing is done all the time. Everything says to me that the only practical solution is to have two states that live in peace. I am happy to voice my thoughts on this but I'm afraid I don't think either party is listening so people suffer.

Paying the going rate for something is the shortest way to ensure availability. The issue is the cost to the state when the state has run out of money.

Healthy teeth are often linked to healthy choices in food. The only way to make this all affordable would be to reduce the level of need by focusing on the young and ensuring less pressure in the first place.

Almost everything that is a problem in the UK comes back to money. As a society, even if we tax more there are limits because we work on a global stage. Without fixing UK competitiveness on the world stage we won't be able to afford to pay the going rate for services people want.

In my leaflet here https://adrianabbs.uk/media/ppc/Leaflet-A3.pdf I lay out a long-term plan to revitalise the UK economy so we can also afford and fix our services

I am looking at placing the Constituency office in Theale initially. This is central as much as is possible.

I have been asked to expand a little on how Land Value Reform might help with not just house building but the cost of homes.

This type of reform works by councils and ideally other community groups, being able to purchase land for building where it's needed. The price would reflect the current use. So it would be a lot cheaper than what it costs after planning permission is granted.

That removes one of the huge costs associated with building and should lead to a stabalising and possible drop in the cost of homes. It also means councils can provide housing for the needs we have.

There are other parts of the concept to do with controlling costs on the build and ensuring they are net zero after the build. Net zero means saving money as the cost of running them are also very low.

Well, we are in a state for sure. There are lots of labels that use the word "phobia" and most have become overused and now cause confusion. My own opinion is that people are individuals, and as such, in a free society, have the ability to be what they want to be. There is at least one exception to this for me and that is Paedophilia there is no possible excuse. On trans people in general, then as long as barriers do not exist, people should have the ability to be what they want to be.

If I'm ever asked about a specific case, then the balance would fall on whether what was being asked for causes harm to other groups in some way. One group's rights cannot trump another.

I’m a scientist at heart, so from what I understand, conversion therapy is cruel and not proven to be successful.

I have an e-bike and use it to commute to my office when it's not raining. By .2026 we should see the introduction of driverless vehicles. Within just a few years I assume e-pods will dominate the market. So yes updated legislation for e-anything is needed. Whatever the law, the police have the power to enforce it and should. Those modifying e-anything to break the law should have the relevant fine or confiscation applied. 

Myself, I'd like to link legislation to mass. i.e. the heavier and faster the e-anything the more rules apply as the greater the chance of serious injury the heavier it is and the faster it goes.

We must find safe ways to embrace alternatives to the standard commute to benefit everyone.

Covid was real and the ONS number showed a massive increase on the 5-year rolling averages for deaths. Although that dipped a couple of times the extras far outweighed these small dips.

In February 2020 I was at a council meeting and was asking why we did not have hand gel in the foyer. We already had stories of how bad it was in China and Italy.

I run an SME and had already ordered masks for every employee by this stage, because why not take care when so much was still unknown? They were already in short supply.

The government then proceeded to make a series of mistakes. The ones I worried about were speed and science.

They spoke about face masks, just bits of cloth to cover your face which did nothing to protect you as a person. What was needed was FFP2/3 masks which offered the wearer protection and others nearby. I tried to get this message out as a Cllr via West Berks but it was somewhat ignored.

I don’t say this using hindsight (that would be easy) I say it from the information available to me at the time (an ordinary West Berkshire councillor).

Why was speed important? Simply because it would have reduced the peaks, associated deaths and the time scales we were in lockdown.

The mistakes not only had a massive effect on the number of people who died, but also the economy. We will be paying that back for decades to come.

Schooling from home would have been shorter as well. This means the attainment gap that came about would have been less.

The Science has to lead when looking at long covid. I don’t have enough data personally to say if it's all real or not.

Yes - As a way of improving participation and efficiency it's the obvious thing to do. I believe allowing Hybrid meetings is the first step as there are still things that need a physical signature. It makes it much more possible for Cllrs (who are volunteers) from all walks of life to take part.

It needs a fix. The obvious answer is to require a builder to begin work once they have detailed planning permission within say 12 months, or maybe 24 months in exceptional circumstances. If they can't or won't, then the local authority could step in and take over the development. If they can't, then it goes to a rapid bid process (max 6 months) and in turn if there are no bids then the planning permission is removed.

There is much more than can be done around building which focuses on having suitable developments brought forward when a council sets land aside in their local plan. Given this process is developer-led at the moment then some form of outlined planning permission must be gained within a decade of the land being allocated.

I would not be by myself. As with other MPs there is a constituency office with staff. This would be made up of paid staff from allowances as well as interns looking to understand how legislation is created and how MPs work.

I’ve come to believe that what the country needs more than anything is long-term vision and stability. These are things that come about when the rules stay the same for a long period of time and when parliament is focused on multi-term outcomes, not just the next election. The hundreds of years by which we’ve had first passed the post seem to have proven that the one thing that’s not delivered is stability. Therefore, I have come to believe in PR as the way forward to solving the U K’s fundamental problems.

Yes, I believe there is a whole rack of laws that could do with some reform. It would be about making existing legislation fit for the current century.

Freedom of speech is an obvious example, being responsible for what you say is not enshrined when we look at social media. So I would want to help modernise and reform the existing laws of the land rather than creating even more. One-in-one-out should be the minimum to aim for.

I often use the terms steam or SMATE. Steam stands for “save the environment and money”, whilst SMATE stands for “saving money and the environment”. Either way there is the reality that money is involved.

I also believe that we must focus on influencing outside of the UK to have any real effect. It's why I introduced a label concept that would allow the UK to set a standard by which anything sold here clearly displays its environmental impact. This label was about giving people the choice and encouraging producers to change through buyer’s pressure.

I stand for practicable change "at pace" that tackles what we can do rather than what we can’t. I do believe in areas such as green energy that we can produce solutions that could then be sold worldwide. An Industrial Revolution version 2 if you will.

I see ways we can individually make a difference but through standards that we can influence others.

Many grants that a Parish council might access have two main issues. There is not enough time to create a bid by the Parish to access the grant. The grant must be spent too quickly to allow for the best value to be obtained. As MP I will be happy to try and help address this situation and so ensure the Parish can get access to the grants but also to ensure the nation gets the best value from it. This is about our civil servant's unstanding of the timeframes associated with the conditions they apply to grants applied for by District councils.

This is similar to the question posed by East Isley which was about Hybrid meetings. The removal of laws stopping hybrid meetings would directly aid and support diversity and accessibility at the parish level. I would be very keen to have this change made by parliment.

Probably the number one complaint when there is any kind of significant housing built is infrastructure. It’s never enough and it’s not quick enough. Although it is a tough area to deal with some fundamental changes could be made.

First, moving infrastructure delivery to the early part of the development rather than waiting until the end. How that is funded needs resolving but impacting existing infrastructure for years before the new is delivered is not acceptable.

Second, Ensuring that the NPPF reflects local infrastructure needs so that an existing local plan or neighbourhood plan carries equal weight and so ensures community-led development becomes practical.

Third, Where large developments are proposed (Say > 250 homes). The associated impact on GP surgeries, schools, roads, sewage, drainage etc are not allowed to be compromised. Communities need teath in the process to ensure the community remains intact.

Three things I will fight for.

1. Remove the water company's exceptions to Riprion weights
2. Ensure they invest and move towards new technologies that increase capacity using less energy and remove PFAS from the treated water.
3. Look at a major program to match the current population to our water and sewage networks. We still rely in large areas on Victorian infrastructure designed for a population of less than half what it is today. This will be my 2nd priority after showing ways to fix our energy security with local, clean cheap energy.

This is where local community input via Parish Councils can have a real effect. 

Giving sufficient weight to the local community in planning terms means blanket bans on needed infrastructure could be better weighed against local needs.

Understanding what is needed in our villages to keep them vibrant can then be more easily balanced against the preservation of our AONB.

I have already committed to holding regular surgeries around the constituency. I believe that this is what an MP must do to represent the whole constituency. 

One of the advantages of not being a member of a party is all the time it saves. That will instead be spent talking to local councillors who can keep the local issues at the forefront of the MPs mind.

Based on a belief in democracy i.e. that if the majority wants something then unless there is a legal reason why it can't be done it should.

I absolutely believe that local people know what is best for their village etc. So if the majority of that location are saying we have a problem can you support us? Essentially I would. However, speed limits are a devolved power to district councils so it would be a matter of writing a letter of support to the relevant council.

I should be clear that all these types of decisions should be based on a majority wanting it and the data supporting the identified issue.

The MP can support residents when they have identified issues where in this case West Berkshire Council highways officer say there should be signage. The MP can write letters and look to ensure correct funding is in place for councils to carry out this work.

When it rains it shows us all the issues, we face with existing infrastructure that has become overloaded from when it was designed and built. It also brings into perspective how important infrastructure is when planning of any type is being considered. It is something I would be keen to lobby on in Parliament because this is where it needs to be resolved. The costly but needed investment has to come from a central resource.

We can do something about sewage as I've outlined here. However, with the predicted growth of the UK population, ensuring planning has teeth to ensure infrastructure is delivered with housing is a must.

For me, it’s not just a matter of providing what we think we need for a specific development, but rather how we deliver that plus a sizable extra margin to take account of future needs. If we did more future proofing then the roads won’t need to be dug up so often.

I’ve been a resident of this Berkshire area for more than 25 years. My journey began in Pingewood, Reading, within the RG30 postcode, after returning from my work in Germany. Over time, I’ve moved through Thatcham, and now I reside on the border between Newbury and Thatcham (RG14). As someone deeply connected to this locality, having both lived here and built my businesses, I have a keen understanding of the diverse elements that constitute the currently divided urban and rural constituency.

One of the great things about being an Independent MP is being there for constituents as a first priority. Too often MPs shy away from planning or other issues because of the party they belong to. Whether it is as obvious as donations from builders to campaigns or more subtle donations that influence the priorities of parties. It is really bad when the party is the ruling party.

I want to bring my  5 years of district planning experience to my role as MP with a focus on community-led development.

The second part of being a good constituency MP will be having surgeries in the community, not asking the community to just one location. This an a strong belief that the MP should be talking to the Parish, Town and district councillors should ensure when something local of importance comes up it gets noticed and addressed.

The parish council expressed there concern on this subject. I was left with the impression that MPs should ensure relevant planning can be enforced where the DEPZ is relevant. It seems far to often that planning goes ahead where it should not.

This one is straightforward. The beauty of being independent is that you can choose to support matters of concern to the constituency. If we have a hung parliament (a possible outcome from the next general election) then those who don't have a party motive can work with whoever is working in the best interests of his constituency or the nation.

This is an opportunity to break away from the politics we wee in Westminster and bring some business acumen to politics.

There is a lot more about this on my being independent page https://adrianabbs.uk/being-independent

The parish council expressed their concern on this subject. It has similarities to other areas such as Membury where industrial is built in the countryside and all the associated commercial traffic that is associated with it.  This comes down to having relevant local planning that fits the needs of the landscape. Community-led development with teeth supplied to local planners would go a long way to resolving or mitigating some of the extremes.

The parish council was clear about issues with the relationship with West Berkshire Council (WBC). Somthing  and MP could lobby for if they were focused on local issues.

I would want to use the experience built over the past 4-5 years of being on Western Area Planning for West Berkshire Council, as well as a short period as Chairman to bring the weight of an MP to local planning issues. To often for me they shy away from commenting.

I would be different because of this and the fact that I have seen first-hand what poor planning can do to a community.

Simply yes. This is why I am putting the answers given at various meetings in writing so everything is clear and recorded.

Not every answer will be popular but it will be based on the principles of openness, fairness and transparency.

I was asked the question "If you had not been replaced as the Lib Dem candidate, would you have been standing in front of us tonight as a Lib Dem?" during the meeting. 

My answer is most likely. I became a Lib Dem originally because they were the closest fit to my own beliefs as a centralist. FYI I do not like the extremes of politics and at a local level being a Lib Dem delivers councillors who work hard in and for their communities.

The reason I say "most likely" is that lately, some Lib Dem policy is becoming more extreme. That's the 5 to10% that did not align with my own beliefs. 

Now, as an Independent, party politics has been brought into focus. Something that our new constituency does not need. So I am actually relieved to have returned to being an Independent . This should allow me to put the constituency above anything else. Here you can see the 7 things that being independent can do for the constituency.

Unfortunately, West Ilsley Parish Council responded to my note about this survey with the following, I have followed up with them reconfirming that this is information to be collated for whoever is the next MP me or anyone else.

"Dear Adrian,

West Ilsley Parish Council asks that you not attend the meeting on 20th February because it does not feel it is appropriate for a parish council meeting.

Kind regards,"

This was received from their clerk to the council whose details are available if needed on their website..

I've mentioned this elsewhere in the FAQ and written articles on the issue. It comes down to shifting the variable costs associated with providing care to Westminster so that Local councils are not forced to cut other services when fulfilling this requirement. Central governments are the only ones with enough flexibility in funding to accommodate the unknowns of social care throughout the year. We also need to focus on taking advantage of bulk buying etc, which again central government should be better placed to do. Local teams employed by the local councils can deliver the needed services.

After sending a request to all councillors who represent the Norcot ward I received 1 reply from Cllr Jo Lovelock - See below

"Hello Adrian

I have already given my support to Liv Bailey who is both local and was an excellent candidate in 2017.

Best wishes

Jo Lovelock"

I did follow up with her explaining this was to go to whoever wins the next election, but I think this unfortunately shows party politics in action. Not good for the new constituency.

Each ward that makes up the new constituency has its own “biggest issue”. I would want the campaign messages to reflect both local and national issues. I would produce messages for each ward by working with residents and Cllrs. My literature would have a clear message saying “Visit our FAQ to see what your Independent MP will do for your ward”

Lib Dems are known for their support of minorities. Whilst I 100% agree with that, they too often find themselves trapped into talking on these issues only. They let the media control their narrative. I want to focus more on the issues of the majority like the NHS, Education, Energy etc.

A woman’s perception of the issue is what guides my view. Given the numbers are very small, it must be possible to offer women a space that fits their needs during their most vulnerable time. The same is true of transgender women.

Riparian wrights provide protection under the law for waterways from pollution. Sewage treatment companies have licences that override this. I would first work in Parliament to remove all such exceptions. There are new technology solutions that essentially eliminate the need to dump in our rivers, So, helping Thames water down this path would be my first move.

Having people in charge that understand the whole patient journey is essential to solving the problem. Drs and Nurses are best placed to do that. I would have management reflect this. I would also properly fund adult social care to ensure Councils can receive patients back into the community. Design the journey, Fix the bottlenecks, fund it properly and solve the problem.

Yes, the way it was done, and the growing effect means Brexit is a disaster. From increased red tape, lack of job flexibility, security concerns and huge chunks of industry starting to move into Europe are just some of the obvious effects. I therefore support finding a path to return to better relations with the EU.

It really made me laugh when asked. My answer is, “As fish and chips”. It is a traditional British dish that most people like, is good value and is present in most communities. That sums me up well

• Immediately it is the Cost of Living Crisis

• Long term it is the growing debt mountain

The answer is different for each socioeconomic group

• Focusing on those with the most need, then all forms of social care and simply being able to keep their head above water

· My whole manifesto is built around showing how we can have a sustainable future that does not cost but rather saves money and provides other benefits.

The question was are you running because of what the Lib Dems did during the selection process? The answer is an emphatic no. I am running having returned to my previous state of being an independent and because party politics is broken. Businessmen like myself and other people who have had different careers and so different expertise need to become MPs – Not career politicians

1^st talk to the candidate, listen to what they say at hustings and write it down. Follow up with any answers and get it in writing. Ask under what conditions something in a manifesto might not be delivered. I.e. grill the candidates on how they will deliver what they have said or what their party has said it will do. Get beyond "Political Promises"

• 1^st and most important is making sure we have an emergency plan for the mass production of Masks (FFP2/3) - Masks of the correct type protect - face coverings do not
• That we have a relevant stock for emergency services so we don't lose those key workers
• Be prepared to move on scientific advice faster. Covid issues were a lot bigger because of the speed of response.

• Riparian rights licences should all be removed so that any water company can be fined according to what they do.
• If they go bust then they come back to public ownership
• They must be forced to use new methods for managing sewage (Like Hydrothermal Carbonisation). Change the game so that sewage becomes part of sustainable food production
• Start to limit water taken from rivers after farming has had a chance to adopt how it farms for lower water use
• finish implementing the Water Neutrality Act and in fact go further by having a schedule for reduction not just neutrality

Somewhere over the Rainbow - IZ Kamakawiwo'ole

Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

It became apparent to me, as I spent more time as a Cllr, and went through the positions of opposition spokesperson to being on the executive and now being an independent, that many of the issues we face locally can only really be solved by Westminster. The most obvious example is social care (I wrote a letter about this previously)

This, plus seeing how Westminster party politics works and how many MPs simply go for the opposite of whatever the administration says. i.e. They just oppose. No one I speak to likes the shouting they see in Westminster.

I try to scrutinise what is being said, but also try and give solutions via amendments and motions. I also seed ideas which is how I believe an MP should act. MPs should work for the best outcome of the people of their constituency and for the nation.

I am married, have 2 children and 3 grand . My wife and I have always supported each other in things we think are important. My family is concerned about the level of abuse that is levelled at MPs and worried how this might impact them. Our conclusion is that if people don’t step forward then nothing will change.

For different reasons, those that don’t think any party actually represents them, which is the majority of people I speak with saying things like “I really want an alternative”

Another set is those that have stopped voting because to quote a few of them “All politicians are the same” It's only when they see a viable independent that they go “Oh I’ll read that, thanks for standing”. There are also quite a lot of people who want an MP who has run a business and who will bring that way of thinking to Parliament. Finally, there are those that have seen me as a Cllr, watched me stand up for local issues, and see that I care about them and the environment. If I do as well as David Tully did in Rochdale (21%) of the vote then it's likely I would win the seat. FYI David was simply a local businessman who wanted to help his constituency. The reason 21% would win is that the rest of the vote is being split between, Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems, Reform and Greens. Just the odd person is saying they are voting a specific way so far.

The number one thing is that they don’t trust the current MPs and specifically the current government. After that it has been a lot about immigration, housing, the NHS and access to GPs. Many business people have mentioned red tape and how councils are impacting the high street by raising parking charges.

I am representing voters and local business. Not any party. That means

1. All Views

From the Reading West wards of Tilehurst, Norcott and Kentwood, to our 15 rural locations, residents come from all walks of life. As an independent MP, I will make sure that every type of voice is represented in Parliament.

2. Breaking Free from Party Whips

Party loyalty constrains MPs. It forces them to vote for the party line even when it is against local interests. As an independent MP, I’m not constrained by these handcuffs. My allegiance lies 100% with you.

3. Tailoring Solutions to Local Challenges

With its urban and rural mix, Reading West and Mid Berkshire faces unique challenges. Affordable housing, transportation, environmental sustainability, and healthcare access, to name a few. As an independent MP, I will work tirelessly with you, creating solutions to improve our lives.

4. Building Cross-Party Alliances

Independence isn’t isolation. It means I can be nimble and collaborate across party lines. A golden opportunity for me to champion legislation to benefit you all.

5. Upholding Accountability and Transparency

As an independent MP one of my top priorities is to earn your trust. I promise to work in a transparent and accountable manner, responsible to my constituents. My life experience and direction from the community will drive my decisions. Constituents’ needs will come before mine.

6. Working in parliament and the constituency

Imagine an MP who hosts meetings across the constituency, listens intently to local concerns, and actively involves constituents in decision-making. I’m committing to do this as my aspirations are to be a great constituency MP. For me, as an independent, I want to reinvigorate civic engagement, encouraging residents to participate in shaping their own destiny by working closely with me.

7. Integrity

Trust in politicians has declined. To change this, my commitment is to principles, not party politics. My belief is that this will inspire confidence that I’m public, and not self-serving.

Normally there is a meeting every 2nd Wednesday of the month. Do check their web site though https://greenham.gov.uk

You can get that detail from the West Berkshire council site here https://www.westberks.gov.uk/article/35776/Find-Your-Next-Collection-Day

I have now helped create, and have joined, the West Berkshire Residents Party. We are an independent, non‑political organisation representing the people of West Berkshire. I am currently serving as our elected member on West Berkshire Council. We have no outside ties, no hidden agenda — just your community, working for you.”

Career

• Started at GEC industrial controls (robotics)
• Senior Engineer at Apricot Computers (created the world's first i486 server with colleague Paul Whatcot)
• Running EMEA for Chips and Technologies (silicon industry) Founder of the PC on as chip
• Intel reporting to Earl Whetstone (who ran Europe) and responsible for the integration of C&T EMEA whilst helping search for technical distribution channels across EMEA (Middle East experience)
• Running EMEA for Silicon Image and helping them IPO after establishing a sales network and helping establish the DVI standard which became HDMI
• Switched to software with KickFire – the world's first communication collaboration platform that was SAAS at the time and established sales and pipeline for them in European Marketing circles
• After the DotCom bubble the first time around I decided to set up my own company up
• TEEC operates in the IT Space and has the world's first platform for Voice competitions

Greenham Parish Council - I was chairman of planning

West Berkshire Council - I was

• Chairman of Western Area Planning
• Portfolio holder for the Environment and EV Strategy
  
• Opposition Spokesperson for the Environment
  
• Member of Licensing
  
• Member of Governance and Ethics
  
• Member of Scrutiny
  

West Berkshire Council - As an independent I am now a member of the Western Area Planning Committee

• A move away from faux democracy to democracy both locally and nationally. Where every vote counts
• A system which fosters cooperation not opposition. I would remove the word opposition from political vocabulary. Maybe replace it with minority
• I would like to see some connection between cabinet or portfolio position and expertise.

Yes — although I initially intended to run as an independent candidate when I decided to become a District Councillor in January 2019, a friend who had previously been a councillor explained how difficult it is for an unknown independent to reach enough people and win. My ward has around 7,000 residents. Since I hold centrist views and several Parish councillors I knew were Liberal Democrats, I was encouraged to join them. I read their constitution and reviewed their aims. As I was broadly aligned — around 95% — it made sense to join. I did, and I was first elected in May 2019.

• My primary aims in becoming a district councillor were:

• To address the football fiasco at Faraday Road in Newbury.

• To ensure proper due diligence on the major Sandleford development proposal.

• To work on environmental issues across the district (I became the opposition environment spokesperson, and in May 2023, when the Lib Dems took control of West Berkshire Council, I became the Executive Portfolio Holder).

• To serve on the planning committee and ensure robust scrutiny. I joined WAP in 2019 and became its chairman in May 2023. I was removed from that role by the Lib Dems after I resigned from the party in November 2023.

Having achieved my objectives at West Berkshire Council — and increasingly disillusioned with what was happening in Westminster — I put my name forward to run as a Lib Dem parliamentary candidate at the next general election. I took part in the selection process in August 2023. The Lib Dem members of Reading West and Mid Berkshire selected me as their candidate. Despite winning, Lib Dem HQ found a way to exclude me and instead claimed Helen Belcher was the winner. I appealed and challenged the invalid reasons used to remove me (they alleged I used endorsements; I did not — I used references, as you would for any job). It became clear that some senior figures at HQ were unwilling to follow their own rules, leaving me no choice but to resign from the party.

I remain deeply concerned about the current political situation in Westminster. I have always believed we need more local, non‑career politicians who are committed to representing community values. After discussing this with friends, family, and people across the constituency, I decided to run as an independent candidate. I have the time, energy, and commitment to serve — and I’m ready to make a positive impact in our community.

Like most people it’s been a dinner conversation thing for maybe 25 years plus. Although I became a Greenham Parish Cllr in 2018, I really don’t think of that as politics. I was independent and other Cllrs never made of thing about being a member of a party.

When I told my colleagues in late 2018 that having enjoyed doing some good at the Parish level I was going to take a stab at getting elected to West Berkshire Council.  It was pointed out to me just how difficult that would be without a support network. The people persuading me happened to be Lib Dems. There were two major issues driving me to stand. Sandleford and the Football ground at Faraday Road. Having looked at the Lib Dems and what they were trying to do locally I found myself 90% aligned so joined as a member. This was my first and only political membership. I was what is called a floating voter before then.

I have returned to being an Independent which is proving very interesting and I really believe Independent councillors can work with whoever is in charge instead of just opposing. The public that I speak to seems to echo this especially when Resident Associations are formed.

An independent Councillor can change things by:

• Ensuring they work locally and run surgeries across the area

• Not being bound by a party and whip

• Propose or amend motions as well ask ask questions of the administration

• Join committees to shape policy – Planning especially because of AONB and infrastructure

• Representing local interests first above party.

I would exert influence by focusing on specific issues, potentially swaying key votes and debates in council.

Integrity for me is saying what you mean and doing what you say. It also means being willing to change your mind should new data leads you that way. It's not about dogma but it is about truth.

West Berkshire is a great place to live, but that doesn’t mean we can’t strive for it to be even better. I want to work with business and the community to build for the future. We can do this by

• Moving to community-led building
  1. Working in planning to change the narrative towards what communities need not what developers want..
• Securing our local energy where we can
  1. Although much of the needed effort is in parliament, we do have the opportunity locally as micro hydro, solar and ground wind solutions open new options for us.
• Supporting schools, further education and skills development
  1. Striving for a fair start and quality education for all.
• Supporting the rural economy
  1. Working with residents to determine what your village needs in order to keep schools, shops, pubs and local businesses open, making plans accordingly in collaboration with residents.
  2. Supporting communities in developing their own Neighbourhood Development Plans.
  3. Supporting local farmers to get produce into local markets.

• I believe that we need community-led homes, for those that need them, where we need them.
• By enabling councils to build homes again.
• By tackling land value reform.
• By fixing the major issues associated with senior living developments i.e. the leasehold and maintenance traps set by developers.

• I have lived and worked locally for 25 years.
• I am MD of a local business that provides services worldwide.
• My formal education finished as I graduated with a 2:1 honours degree in Applied Physics.
• My career has covered small startups as well as large corporates like Intel.
• The same career has seen me work around the world including USA, Middle East, Europe and ASIA.
• I have two world firsts associated with my name.
• The world's first .486 server that Paul Whatcott and myself did when I was a senior engineer at Apricot computers.
• The world's first voice assistant campaign platform that my team and I created called Brandigniter
• Check out my career history on LinkedIn

As one of the Wash Common Ward District Councillors use adrian.abbs1@westberks.gov.uk

As a Greenham Parish Councillor use adrian.abbs@greenham.gov.uk

You can also call me on 07796 476979

There are 3 Wash Common Ward Councillors

Myself - Adrian Abbs - West Berkshire Residents ( Independent) but part of the Minority group

David Marsh - From the Green Party

Patrick Clark - From The Liberal Democrats

Please see the relevant part of the Greenham Parish Website for a full list of current Greenham Parish Councillors

https://greenham.gov.uk/councillors-officers

• Being available across the constituency.
• Provide a voice in Parliament for things of importance to the constituency.
• Work with whoever is in charge to do what's best for the nation - not just a party.
• Scrutinise legislation that is being created for a positive output not just to score points.
• Work with Local councils as their voice in parliament to ensure we address local issues.

Most people when they speak about roads are referring to potholes. It’s a bit wider than that though with smart motorways and utility company access.

Potholes are under the responsibilities of Councils, so for Reading West and Mid Berkshire that Is Reading Council and West Berkshire Council.

Funding however comes from Westminster. Whilst it would be nice to just say “give more money to councils” the reality is that money is in short supply. I have suggested to Reading councillors and West Berkshire council direct that we need to change process and allow ourselves to get ahead of the problem. The start for that is simple devices attached to the front of all council vehicles (especially waste lorries) so that we auto-detect the vast majority of issues as they begin. With a little machine learning those devices can cut out the requirement of council officers going out to confirm the problem is real (saving time and money). Next rather than have traditional teams go out and repair it, which is multiple people, we embrace some of the new single operator products coming out of JCB and Italy. That again allows for greater efficiency which again is time and money.

The net result is, auto-detection, faster fixing and the same money going further allowing us to get ahead of the problem.

Smart motorways have been shown to be more dangerous. We need to at least get them going as originally designed. That’s faster detection of problems and sufficient laybyes.

Utility companies have cart blanche to just dig up any road based on saying it's an emergency. So, anything else scheduled through councils then makes less sense. It's why we can see a brand-new road dug up days later. Some of the issue is that once they are digging up they extend the works to not just fix the issue but often carry out the laying of upgraded pipes. This extends the work significantly. Forcing utility companies to better coordinate with councils would help the overall problem.

• Ensure our energy security.
• Focus our energy production on solutions that cannot be influenced by outside bodies. i.e. Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Hydro/Micro Hydro and fusion energy.
• Make sure we emphasise consumer-side energy production as well as centralised production.

• Without energy independence, we can be held hostage by third powers or other nations.
• We have more Tidal, Hydro, Wind, Solar and Geothermal energy around, through, over, on and under the UK than we could ever imagine needing.
• Once built, none of the above alt energy can be easily interfered with from outside the UK.
• Most of the energy solutions above are on par or lower cost than say Nuclear Fission reactors.
• Most of the energy solutions above are faster to build than Nuclear Fission reactors.
• Creating independent, green, cheap limitless energy means we can solve many of the issues in the UK today.
• Energy costs are one of the key issues with our cost-of-living crisis.
• Our farmers and food sector can produce more from less space.
• Our heavy industries get a major cost removed making them competitive again.
• It provides energy supplies that allow for Green Hydrogen production in large quantities. This in turn can decarbonise transport and heating of homes without trying to move everything to electric and batteries.
• Cleaner AIR and comfortable heating and cooling in homes will lead to much better health outcomes.

Here are some of my beliefs

• I do not believe in the extremes of politics, be that ultra-right or left. If I had to use a single word it would be to say I am a "centrist". That means I can support some of what socialism stands for as well as capitalism.
• I believe in people being given an opportunity, but that it is also incumbent on those that can, to give back.
• I do not believe in barriers for people, but also that once a barrier is removed, it should be the best person for the role.
• I bridge the political divide because I have direct experience of being poor as well as what it takes to create jobs and run a business.

1. Because it’s a new constituency comprising 30% of voters from 3 Reading West wards and 70% of Voters from 12 more rural West Berkshire wards.
2. Because there is no clear majority for any political and a lot of dissatisfaction with existing party politics, leaving space for a "None of the above" vote. 
3. Because when I ran a survey people said they wanted someone like me as their first preference. i.e. an independent local person with a career first before politics.

• I recently went to the Tom Hanks Moonwalkers show at the Lightroom near St Pancras. (Wow by the way). In it was a snippet of the speech by John F. Kennedy. The one where he says “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organise and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept”. So, my answer is simple. I bother because if someone does not then nothing changes. I would like to be the candidate that makes change happen.

• My first jobs were shovelling peas off lorries, bar work and piece work. I know what it took to get out of poverty and so can empathise with people struggling for a fair deal.

• During my time as a Councillor, I've demonstrated how we can do positive things for the environment which also saves money. I use STEAM (Saving Money And The Environment) or SMATE (Saving Money And The Environment) as acronyms often because there are still many things we can do which have all the benefits without the negatives. Choosing cheaper alt energy solutions is the obvious example)
• Whilst I often agree with the Greens on what needs to be tackled, I found the solutions are often too extreme to get adopted. I am more a carrot-before-the-stick type of person.
• In the current world climate, the commitment of the Greens to just get rid of Nuclear is not something I can support. Ukraine giving up theirs (even when the West said ” Don't worry, we will take care of you”) just shows how states like Russia then feel free to threaten and invade.

• I am the only candidate currently engaging with parish and town councils to ensure the next MP delivers what local residents need in areas an MP can influence.
• By running as an independent I can fight directly for the constituency and what it needs rather than being tied to only what the party wants.
• As things stand, I believe it would be better to find ways to work much closer with the EU (something the Lib Dems are frightened of saying for some reason).
• During the Lib Dem PPC selection process, members selected me. Only when a spurious reason was created was I excluded and Helen announced instead. The English party chair failed to investigate, as did Lib Dem HQ. Therefore I stand in part to be able to represent those Lib Dems who voted for me.
• I better represent true Lib Dem values than the official candidate and happen to be local - which is why people voted for me in the first place.

• It is tough to reward and trust the current version of the Conservative party given its significant mistakes and instability.
• FUD - Using Fear Uncertainty and Doubt as the bedrock of why the Conservatives should be re-elected is just reusing old key on new locks - We all know that does not work.
• I can ensure your vote is not wasted, and should I win, you can see from my background, that I can help steer the constituency and nation to a better future. I believe I am a safe pair of hands.

As an MP I could assist local businesses in a variety of ways. I can make private enquiries on behalf of my constituents, raise matters publicly in the House of Commons, speak at events concerning the issue, pledge my support to a campaign or write to the local media on behalf of these constituents.

MPs are not islands and tend to have a constituency office with staff. This can provide advice on business-related matters and even help point business towards government grants.

I’ve often found, in my own work life, that networking solutions together can pay dividends. Therefore, as businesses across the Constituency and nearby get to know me, I’ll be able to connect them together where it makes sense.

As an MP I cannot be financially involved directly though.

Since being established on July 5, 1948, the NHS has undergone several changes to adapt to the changing needs of the population.

It is suggested, and I agree, that having doctors and nurses in charge of designing the change process would be a good thing.

The NHS is already making use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies to help clinicians interpret scans and improve healthcare outcomes. The NHS AI Lab is working in partnership with several government and NHS partners to create an environment for collaboration and co-creation by bringing together programmes that address the barriers to developing and deploying AI systems in health care. Once done, I see this adding positively to the answers we need to the challenges faced by the NHS today.

No one should be enslaved by Poverty, Ignorance or Conformity. i.e. there should be equal opportunity for all without barriers because of wealth, race etc. But once the barriers are removed, then we need the best person to do the best job possible. I came from what many consider a poor background. The grant system allowed me to get the education I needed.  I want to fight to fix those issues as a priority whilst ensuring barriers do not exist.

I would be a champion and deliver two things that would benefit our constituency. 

1. I would be lobbying to have a greater range of services available at the relatively new community hospital that was built on the border of Newbury and Thatcham. 
2. I would also be a big supporter of building a new hospital to replace the ageing Royal Berkshire one. Looking at its capture area, I would also be suggesting a move out of central Reading but close to one of the M4 junctions to improve the speed of access Junctions 11/12 and 13 being the obvious choices.

Before we look at the above, we need to keep a couple of things in mind. 1 The birth rate in the UK. 2 How the UK is setup in terms of the number of people it needs to remain in what we think of as a prosperous nation. The reality is that the UK birth rate is falling, and a work force is needed to pay for everything that makes us prosperous.

With that said, what gets little to no coverage is emigration from the UK. The latest ONS numbers, June 2023, say 93000 British citizens left the UK. An AXA PPP International report says the main drivers behind British emigration was Poor work / life balance and poor pay and benefits.

First that’s around 3 times the number of people that arrive by small boats according to a Dec 15^th Article on the BBC website. In the same story 89000 sought Asylum in the UK in 2022 (Still less).

What’s not said, and what’s hard to find is the socio-economic breakdown in those numbers.

Let’s face it, if we are losing the mid to high earners and only replace with low earners then it’s not a matter of just measuring in and out, it’s a matter of value (or tax revenue if you like). For example. If I lose a Dr. whose average pay is £76K (net £54K) and replace with someone working in retail where the average salary is £23.3K (net 20K) then I’m at least 3 times worse off as the government. But it’s even worse than that, because a single parent earing £23.3K with 2 school age kids living in Berkshire would be entitled to £329.44 per week of benefits, according to money saving experts web site. That’s another £17130 per annum we need to find. FYI the Dr. gets just child benefits at 39.90 per week or 2074.80 per annum.

The extra cost of the 3.3 people on benefits compared to the 1 Dr. is £56.5K. That’s over twice the tax revenue from the Dr.

A GMC report said that 4843 Drs left the UK in the year May 2021 to 2022

Given the above. I’m going to say the emigration part of net migration is something we need to focus on as a high priority. i.e. retain our talent.

It is impossible to have missed the evolving situation in the USA, with a real possibility that Donald Trump might get re-elected. However, even without that, we hear about President Joe Biden’s thoughts on the UK and Ireland. He’s not that positive about us apparently. Or at least that’s what gets reported.

So, I do find myself asking “Would the USA really come to our aid? Would they stay involved long enough to make the difference? Can we take the risk?” Whereas 20 years ago I would never have doubted, today I’m less sure.

Add to this what we see reported from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran means we face the real possibility of our way of life being changed significantly by direct aggression, or by weaponizing capitalism (which the Chinese state has done very successfully). FYI. I try and stay in touch by watching a range of news channels from the BBC through ITV, GB News, Al Jazeera and Sky. Just so I can get different perspectives on things.

The conflation of all this news is that we live in ever more dangerous times. It's why one of the things I’m keen to see is the UK get to energy independence. I.e. Energy security. I have written previously about ways we can do this in an environmentally positive way, but once we have abundant cheap energy security, we can make positive moves to improve food security, we also get positive outcomes for health and industry and importantly cost of living.

But even if we manage to reverse the trends and make the UK independent in the basics of life, we still won’t be secure given the growing aggression in the world.

That's why I support a strong military, not for global dominance, but to safeguard our interests and respond effectively when necessary. Collaborating with neighbouring countries, who share cultural similarities to form a robust alliance—whether within or outside NATO— can deter potential aggressors.

It’s one of the main reasons why staying close to our European neighbours is a good thing. We need to get passed painting the EU as the devil. It’s a long way from perfect but our cultures are closer than many seem to realise.

As a potential independent MP, I would consider evidence and vote in the best interests of the nation, recognizing that decisions in this area span multiple decades and should be independent of party politics.

My position is quite straightforward really.

As a nation, it is impossible to sustain an immigration rate of 700K plus per annum

• We need to be able to choose who comes and stays
• My first concern is to split out genuine asylum seekers and economic migrants
• Economic migrants need to arrive by safe legal routes. They should apply before they set off on the journey to the UK. They need to be filling a role that cannot be filled by someone already living here.
• Economic migration needs to be ruled based and fulfil only those things we cannot train for locally.
• I am just as concerned about emigration.

Are we losing skilled people and replacing them with non-skilled? I did a letter to the press on this - see here

https://adrianabbs.uk/Contents/ContentItems/48gx8qefbem1ptvxz620rzaawh

For me, it starts further back and comes down to the economy we are building. Build the right type of economy and emigration of skilled labour falls

It's a tough nut to crack but the speed of processing applications is one key. Being willing to say "No thanks, we don't need your specific skill set" must be something we can do as a nation.

When I moved back from working in Germany my home was at RG30 3UN which is in the East of the constituency. Both my children went to school in Reading.

I currently live on the border of Newbury / Thatcham. The boundary for the new constituency runs all the way to Thatcham. So, I am very close.

The constituency is made up from Rural (West) and Urban (East). As I have lived at both ends, I believe I will bring an understanding to what is needed locally for the Constituency. I also run a business (In Newbury) that employs people who live in places like Aldermaston.

Before standing I contacted several of the current District councillors to see if they would be running. None were who represented a centralist and internationalist perspective. That meant no candidate close to my own principles was standing.

Now that all the main candidates have announced, it seems to remain clear that I can offer a viable alternative to party politics and am someone who has a strong connection to the constituency.

Some of the work I have done as a District Councillor is based in Mid Berkshire (Things like the Grazely solar farm and energy generation at Padworth recycling centre). I also met with people in Beenham when they had a particularly contentious planning app – In an advisor role.

David Tully from Rochdale showed that an Independent can do very well in an election for Parliament. He got 21% of the vote. He was just a local businessman who wanted to do something for his community. Same as me.

Given the Conservative vote is mainly in Mid Berkshire historically and the Labour Vote is strongest in Reading West, we already have a split. Now add in that the Conservative vote splits again because of Reform. The Labour Vote also splits because Tilehurst has historically voted Lib Dem (at least during council elections). This means we have no party with more than ¼ of the votes. Turn outs at General elections are averaging 65%. So around 16 to 17% each

An independent has a chance because. 1) the 35% of people who don’t normally vote now have a viable choice. 2) Many softer Conservative voters are so angry with their own party they are actively considering voting for change or staying at home. They don’t really want to vote Labour and the Lib Dems just don’t have enough people to do the whole area. They have only around 140 members and far less activists (maybe 5-10) across the area I believe. 3) Although the Green candidate is someone I respect, the Green vote is just not a tactical vote this time around in this location.

If we believe in democracy, then we need a solution when electing MPs that represents what voters believe in. 1^st past the post has led to some very odd election results with huge majorities that do not reflect the majority. Its very hard indeed to find any example of a single party commanding more than 50% of the publics vote.

Now add in stability. Having been running my own business’s for over 20 years I can say the number 1 thing that benefits growth is stability. Be that inflation or the rules under which business must run.

So, I have come to believe we should adopt a form of PR that still ensures I can elect a person, rather than a party, but then also reflects what voters want. It does mean we will get representatives from the extremes, but we should also get better cooperation and stability.

I do not hold any strong opinion on this bill other than to acknowledge the costs of supporting people's choices. If we have a known product that directly hurts people's health then encouraging them to change the habit would be my go to start position. Taxing those products to ensure the necessary health support later on has to happen otherwise a persons choice falls on other shoulders.

This goes to my belief that people should be able to choose. My only concern is ensuring it really is their choice.

I do not believe in the breakup of the UK.  So devolving power to allow each part to decide if they wanted to join the EU (or even could) is not something I see as helpful at this time.

The concept of devolved power, in theory, allows a more specific focus by those elected to these parliaments.

The problem is that it costs quite a lot. As the world shrinks, the differences economically also shrinks.

I struggle to see how splitting tax, health etc into smaller parts makes for greater efficiency.

My mind is open but as a businessman, I would want to see the business case and advantages economically of doing it.

I do not have access to enough information to know if this is even affordable. So sorry I am unable to answer this question at this time.

Genocide is defined in the English dictionary as “the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group:”

By this definition, both the Israeli State and Hamas terror group seem to be guilty of it. They both aim to destroy each other.

The sad bit is that we live in a world where killing is done all the time. Everything says to me that the only practical solution is to have two states that live in peace. I am happy to voice my thoughts on this but I'm afraid I don't think either party is listening so people suffer.

Paying the going rate for something is the shortest way to ensure availability. The issue is the cost to the state when the state has run out of money.

Healthy teeth are often linked to healthy choices in food. The only way to make this all affordable would be to reduce the level of need by focusing on the young and ensuring less pressure in the first place.

Almost everything that is a problem in the UK comes back to money. As a society, even if we tax more there are limits because we work on a global stage. Without fixing UK competitiveness on the world stage we won't be able to afford to pay the going rate for services people want.

In my leaflet here https://adrianabbs.uk/media/ppc/Leaflet-A3.pdf I lay out a long-term plan to revitalise the UK economy so we can also afford and fix our services

I am looking at placing the Constituency office in Theale initially. This is central as much as is possible.

I have been asked to expand a little on how Land Value Reform might help with not just house building but the cost of homes.

This type of reform works by councils and ideally other community groups, being able to purchase land for building where it's needed. The price would reflect the current use. So it would be a lot cheaper than what it costs after planning permission is granted.

That removes one of the huge costs associated with building and should lead to a stabalising and possible drop in the cost of homes. It also means councils can provide housing for the needs we have.

There are other parts of the concept to do with controlling costs on the build and ensuring they are net zero after the build. Net zero means saving money as the cost of running them are also very low.

Well, we are in a state for sure. There are lots of labels that use the word "phobia" and most have become overused and now cause confusion. My own opinion is that people are individuals, and as such, in a free society, have the ability to be what they want to be. There is at least one exception to this for me and that is Paedophilia there is no possible excuse. On trans people in general, then as long as barriers do not exist, people should have the ability to be what they want to be.

If I'm ever asked about a specific case, then the balance would fall on whether what was being asked for causes harm to other groups in some way. One group's rights cannot trump another.

I’m a scientist at heart, so from what I understand, conversion therapy is cruel and not proven to be successful.

I have an e-bike and use it to commute to my office when it's not raining. By .2026 we should see the introduction of driverless vehicles. Within just a few years I assume e-pods will dominate the market. So yes updated legislation for e-anything is needed. Whatever the law, the police have the power to enforce it and should. Those modifying e-anything to break the law should have the relevant fine or confiscation applied. 

Myself, I'd like to link legislation to mass. i.e. the heavier and faster the e-anything the more rules apply as the greater the chance of serious injury the heavier it is and the faster it goes.

We must find safe ways to embrace alternatives to the standard commute to benefit everyone.

Covid was real and the ONS number showed a massive increase on the 5-year rolling averages for deaths. Although that dipped a couple of times the extras far outweighed these small dips.

In February 2020 I was at a council meeting and was asking why we did not have hand gel in the foyer. We already had stories of how bad it was in China and Italy.

I run an SME and had already ordered masks for every employee by this stage, because why not take care when so much was still unknown? They were already in short supply.

The government then proceeded to make a series of mistakes. The ones I worried about were speed and science.

They spoke about face masks, just bits of cloth to cover your face which did nothing to protect you as a person. What was needed was FFP2/3 masks which offered the wearer protection and others nearby. I tried to get this message out as a Cllr via West Berks but it was somewhat ignored.

I don’t say this using hindsight (that would be easy) I say it from the information available to me at the time (an ordinary West Berkshire councillor).

Why was speed important? Simply because it would have reduced the peaks, associated deaths and the time scales we were in lockdown.

The mistakes not only had a massive effect on the number of people who died, but also the economy. We will be paying that back for decades to come.

Schooling from home would have been shorter as well. This means the attainment gap that came about would have been less.

The Science has to lead when looking at long covid. I don’t have enough data personally to say if it's all real or not.

Yes - As a way of improving participation and efficiency it's the obvious thing to do. I believe allowing Hybrid meetings is the first step as there are still things that need a physical signature. It makes it much more possible for Cllrs (who are volunteers) from all walks of life to take part.

It needs a fix. The obvious answer is to require a builder to begin work once they have detailed planning permission within say 12 months, or maybe 24 months in exceptional circumstances. If they can't or won't, then the local authority could step in and take over the development. If they can't, then it goes to a rapid bid process (max 6 months) and in turn if there are no bids then the planning permission is removed.

There is much more than can be done around building which focuses on having suitable developments brought forward when a council sets land aside in their local plan. Given this process is developer-led at the moment then some form of outlined planning permission must be gained within a decade of the land being allocated.

I would not be by myself. As with other MPs there is a constituency office with staff. This would be made up of paid staff from allowances as well as interns looking to understand how legislation is created and how MPs work.

I’ve come to believe that what the country needs more than anything is long-term vision and stability. These are things that come about when the rules stay the same for a long period of time and when parliament is focused on multi-term outcomes, not just the next election. The hundreds of years by which we’ve had first passed the post seem to have proven that the one thing that’s not delivered is stability. Therefore, I have come to believe in PR as the way forward to solving the U K’s fundamental problems.

Yes, I believe there is a whole rack of laws that could do with some reform. It would be about making existing legislation fit for the current century.

Freedom of speech is an obvious example, being responsible for what you say is not enshrined when we look at social media. So I would want to help modernise and reform the existing laws of the land rather than creating even more. One-in-one-out should be the minimum to aim for.

I often use the terms steam or SMATE. Steam stands for “save the environment and money”, whilst SMATE stands for “saving money and the environment”. Either way there is the reality that money is involved.

I also believe that we must focus on influencing outside of the UK to have any real effect. It's why I introduced a label concept that would allow the UK to set a standard by which anything sold here clearly displays its environmental impact. This label was about giving people the choice and encouraging producers to change through buyer’s pressure.

I stand for practicable change "at pace" that tackles what we can do rather than what we can’t. I do believe in areas such as green energy that we can produce solutions that could then be sold worldwide. An Industrial Revolution version 2 if you will.

I see ways we can individually make a difference but through standards that we can influence others.

Many grants that a Parish council might access have two main issues. There is not enough time to create a bid by the Parish to access the grant. The grant must be spent too quickly to allow for the best value to be obtained. As MP I will be happy to try and help address this situation and so ensure the Parish can get access to the grants but also to ensure the nation gets the best value from it. This is about our civil servant's unstanding of the timeframes associated with the conditions they apply to grants applied for by District councils.

This is similar to the question posed by East Isley which was about Hybrid meetings. The removal of laws stopping hybrid meetings would directly aid and support diversity and accessibility at the parish level. I would be very keen to have this change made by parliment.

Probably the number one complaint when there is any kind of significant housing built is infrastructure. It’s never enough and it’s not quick enough. Although it is a tough area to deal with some fundamental changes could be made.

First, moving infrastructure delivery to the early part of the development rather than waiting until the end. How that is funded needs resolving but impacting existing infrastructure for years before the new is delivered is not acceptable.

Second, Ensuring that the NPPF reflects local infrastructure needs so that an existing local plan or neighbourhood plan carries equal weight and so ensures community-led development becomes practical.

Third, Where large developments are proposed (Say > 250 homes). The associated impact on GP surgeries, schools, roads, sewage, drainage etc are not allowed to be compromised. Communities need teath in the process to ensure the community remains intact.

Three things I will fight for.

1. Remove the water company's exceptions to Riprion weights
2. Ensure they invest and move towards new technologies that increase capacity using less energy and remove PFAS from the treated water.
3. Look at a major program to match the current population to our water and sewage networks. We still rely in large areas on Victorian infrastructure designed for a population of less than half what it is today. This will be my 2nd priority after showing ways to fix our energy security with local, clean cheap energy.

This is where local community input via Parish Councils can have a real effect. 

Giving sufficient weight to the local community in planning terms means blanket bans on needed infrastructure could be better weighed against local needs.

Understanding what is needed in our villages to keep them vibrant can then be more easily balanced against the preservation of our AONB.

I have already committed to holding regular surgeries around the constituency. I believe that this is what an MP must do to represent the whole constituency. 

One of the advantages of not being a member of a party is all the time it saves. That will instead be spent talking to local councillors who can keep the local issues at the forefront of the MPs mind.

Based on a belief in democracy i.e. that if the majority wants something then unless there is a legal reason why it can't be done it should.

I absolutely believe that local people know what is best for their village etc. So if the majority of that location are saying we have a problem can you support us? Essentially I would. However, speed limits are a devolved power to district councils so it would be a matter of writing a letter of support to the relevant council.

I should be clear that all these types of decisions should be based on a majority wanting it and the data supporting the identified issue.

The MP can support residents when they have identified issues where in this case West Berkshire Council highways officer say there should be signage. The MP can write letters and look to ensure correct funding is in place for councils to carry out this work.

When it rains it shows us all the issues, we face with existing infrastructure that has become overloaded from when it was designed and built. It also brings into perspective how important infrastructure is when planning of any type is being considered. It is something I would be keen to lobby on in Parliament because this is where it needs to be resolved. The costly but needed investment has to come from a central resource.

We can do something about sewage as I've outlined here. However, with the predicted growth of the UK population, ensuring planning has teeth to ensure infrastructure is delivered with housing is a must.

For me, it’s not just a matter of providing what we think we need for a specific development, but rather how we deliver that plus a sizable extra margin to take account of future needs. If we did more future proofing then the roads won’t need to be dug up so often.

I’ve been a resident of this Berkshire area for more than 25 years. My journey began in Pingewood, Reading, within the RG30 postcode, after returning from my work in Germany. Over time, I’ve moved through Thatcham, and now I reside on the border between Newbury and Thatcham (RG14). As someone deeply connected to this locality, having both lived here and built my businesses, I have a keen understanding of the diverse elements that constitute the currently divided urban and rural constituency.

One of the great things about being an Independent MP is being there for constituents as a first priority. Too often MPs shy away from planning or other issues because of the party they belong to. Whether it is as obvious as donations from builders to campaigns or more subtle donations that influence the priorities of parties. It is really bad when the party is the ruling party.

I want to bring my  5 years of district planning experience to my role as MP with a focus on community-led development.

The second part of being a good constituency MP will be having surgeries in the community, not asking the community to just one location. This an a strong belief that the MP should be talking to the Parish, Town and district councillors should ensure when something local of importance comes up it gets noticed and addressed.

The parish council expressed there concern on this subject. I was left with the impression that MPs should ensure relevant planning can be enforced where the DEPZ is relevant. It seems far to often that planning goes ahead where it should not.

This one is straightforward. The beauty of being independent is that you can choose to support matters of concern to the constituency. If we have a hung parliament (a possible outcome from the next general election) then those who don't have a party motive can work with whoever is working in the best interests of his constituency or the nation.

This is an opportunity to break away from the politics we wee in Westminster and bring some business acumen to politics.

There is a lot more about this on my being independent page https://adrianabbs.uk/being-independent

The parish council expressed their concern on this subject. It has similarities to other areas such as Membury where industrial is built in the countryside and all the associated commercial traffic that is associated with it.  This comes down to having relevant local planning that fits the needs of the landscape. Community-led development with teeth supplied to local planners would go a long way to resolving or mitigating some of the extremes.

The parish council was clear about issues with the relationship with West Berkshire Council (WBC). Somthing  and MP could lobby for if they were focused on local issues.

I would want to use the experience built over the past 4-5 years of being on Western Area Planning for West Berkshire Council, as well as a short period as Chairman to bring the weight of an MP to local planning issues. To often for me they shy away from commenting.

I would be different because of this and the fact that I have seen first-hand what poor planning can do to a community.

Simply yes. This is why I am putting the answers given at various meetings in writing so everything is clear and recorded.

Not every answer will be popular but it will be based on the principles of openness, fairness and transparency.

I was asked the question "If you had not been replaced as the Lib Dem candidate, would you have been standing in front of us tonight as a Lib Dem?" during the meeting. 

My answer is most likely. I became a Lib Dem originally because they were the closest fit to my own beliefs as a centralist. FYI I do not like the extremes of politics and at a local level being a Lib Dem delivers councillors who work hard in and for their communities.

The reason I say "most likely" is that lately, some Lib Dem policy is becoming more extreme. That's the 5 to10% that did not align with my own beliefs. 

Now, as an Independent, party politics has been brought into focus. Something that our new constituency does not need. So I am actually relieved to have returned to being an Independent . This should allow me to put the constituency above anything else. Here you can see the 7 things that being independent can do for the constituency.

Unfortunately, West Ilsley Parish Council responded to my note about this survey with the following, I have followed up with them reconfirming that this is information to be collated for whoever is the next MP me or anyone else.

"Dear Adrian,

West Ilsley Parish Council asks that you not attend the meeting on 20th February because it does not feel it is appropriate for a parish council meeting.

Kind regards,"

This was received from their clerk to the council whose details are available if needed on their website..

I've mentioned this elsewhere in the FAQ and written articles on the issue. It comes down to shifting the variable costs associated with providing care to Westminster so that Local councils are not forced to cut other services when fulfilling this requirement. Central governments are the only ones with enough flexibility in funding to accommodate the unknowns of social care throughout the year. We also need to focus on taking advantage of bulk buying etc, which again central government should be better placed to do. Local teams employed by the local councils can deliver the needed services.

After sending a request to all councillors who represent the Norcot ward I received 1 reply from Cllr Jo Lovelock - See below

"Hello Adrian

I have already given my support to Liv Bailey who is both local and was an excellent candidate in 2017.

Best wishes

Jo Lovelock"

I did follow up with her explaining this was to go to whoever wins the next election, but I think this unfortunately shows party politics in action. Not good for the new constituency.

Each ward that makes up the new constituency has its own “biggest issue”. I would want the campaign messages to reflect both local and national issues. I would produce messages for each ward by working with residents and Cllrs. My literature would have a clear message saying “Visit our FAQ to see what your Independent MP will do for your ward”

Lib Dems are known for their support of minorities. Whilst I 100% agree with that, they too often find themselves trapped into talking on these issues only. They let the media control their narrative. I want to focus more on the issues of the majority like the NHS, Education, Energy etc.

A woman’s perception of the issue is what guides my view. Given the numbers are very small, it must be possible to offer women a space that fits their needs during their most vulnerable time. The same is true of transgender women.

Riparian wrights provide protection under the law for waterways from pollution. Sewage treatment companies have licences that override this. I would first work in Parliament to remove all such exceptions. There are new technology solutions that essentially eliminate the need to dump in our rivers, So, helping Thames water down this path would be my first move.

Having people in charge that understand the whole patient journey is essential to solving the problem. Drs and Nurses are best placed to do that. I would have management reflect this. I would also properly fund adult social care to ensure Councils can receive patients back into the community. Design the journey, Fix the bottlenecks, fund it properly and solve the problem.

Yes, the way it was done, and the growing effect means Brexit is a disaster. From increased red tape, lack of job flexibility, security concerns and huge chunks of industry starting to move into Europe are just some of the obvious effects. I therefore support finding a path to return to better relations with the EU.

It really made me laugh when asked. My answer is, “As fish and chips”. It is a traditional British dish that most people like, is good value and is present in most communities. That sums me up well

• Immediately it is the Cost of Living Crisis

• Long term it is the growing debt mountain

The answer is different for each socioeconomic group

• Focusing on those with the most need, then all forms of social care and simply being able to keep their head above water

· My whole manifesto is built around showing how we can have a sustainable future that does not cost but rather saves money and provides other benefits.

The question was are you running because of what the Lib Dems did during the selection process? The answer is an emphatic no. I am running having returned to my previous state of being an independent and because party politics is broken. Businessmen like myself and other people who have had different careers and so different expertise need to become MPs – Not career politicians

1^st talk to the candidate, listen to what they say at hustings and write it down. Follow up with any answers and get it in writing. Ask under what conditions something in a manifesto might not be delivered. I.e. grill the candidates on how they will deliver what they have said or what their party has said it will do. Get beyond "Political Promises"

• 1^st and most important is making sure we have an emergency plan for the mass production of Masks (FFP2/3) - Masks of the correct type protect - face coverings do not
• That we have a relevant stock for emergency services so we don't lose those key workers
• Be prepared to move on scientific advice faster. Covid issues were a lot bigger because of the speed of response.

• Riparian rights licences should all be removed so that any water company can be fined according to what they do.
• If they go bust then they come back to public ownership
• They must be forced to use new methods for managing sewage (Like Hydrothermal Carbonisation). Change the game so that sewage becomes part of sustainable food production
• Start to limit water taken from rivers after farming has had a chance to adopt how it farms for lower water use
• finish implementing the Water Neutrality Act and in fact go further by having a schedule for reduction not just neutrality

Somewhere over the Rainbow - IZ Kamakawiwo'ole

Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

It became apparent to me, as I spent more time as a Cllr, and went through the positions of opposition spokesperson to being on the executive and now being an independent, that many of the issues we face locally can only really be solved by Westminster. The most obvious example is social care (I wrote a letter about this previously)

This, plus seeing how Westminster party politics works and how many MPs simply go for the opposite of whatever the administration says. i.e. They just oppose. No one I speak to likes the shouting they see in Westminster.

I try to scrutinise what is being said, but also try and give solutions via amendments and motions. I also seed ideas which is how I believe an MP should act. MPs should work for the best outcome of the people of their constituency and for the nation.

I am married, have 2 children and 3 grand . My wife and I have always supported each other in things we think are important. My family is concerned about the level of abuse that is levelled at MPs and worried how this might impact them. Our conclusion is that if people don’t step forward then nothing will change.

For different reasons, those that don’t think any party actually represents them, which is the majority of people I speak with saying things like “I really want an alternative”

Another set is those that have stopped voting because to quote a few of them “All politicians are the same” It's only when they see a viable independent that they go “Oh I’ll read that, thanks for standing”. There are also quite a lot of people who want an MP who has run a business and who will bring that way of thinking to Parliament. Finally, there are those that have seen me as a Cllr, watched me stand up for local issues, and see that I care about them and the environment. If I do as well as David Tully did in Rochdale (21%) of the vote then it's likely I would win the seat. FYI David was simply a local businessman who wanted to help his constituency. The reason 21% would win is that the rest of the vote is being split between, Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems, Reform and Greens. Just the odd person is saying they are voting a specific way so far.

The number one thing is that they don’t trust the current MPs and specifically the current government. After that it has been a lot about immigration, housing, the NHS and access to GPs. Many business people have mentioned red tape and how councils are impacting the high street by raising parking charges.

I am representing voters and local business. Not any party. That means

1. All Views

From the Reading West wards of Tilehurst, Norcott and Kentwood, to our 15 rural locations, residents come from all walks of life. As an independent MP, I will make sure that every type of voice is represented in Parliament.

2. Breaking Free from Party Whips

Party loyalty constrains MPs. It forces them to vote for the party line even when it is against local interests. As an independent MP, I’m not constrained by these handcuffs. My allegiance lies 100% with you.

3. Tailoring Solutions to Local Challenges

With its urban and rural mix, Reading West and Mid Berkshire faces unique challenges. Affordable housing, transportation, environmental sustainability, and healthcare access, to name a few. As an independent MP, I will work tirelessly with you, creating solutions to improve our lives.

4. Building Cross-Party Alliances

Independence isn’t isolation. It means I can be nimble and collaborate across party lines. A golden opportunity for me to champion legislation to benefit you all.

5. Upholding Accountability and Transparency

As an independent MP one of my top priorities is to earn your trust. I promise to work in a transparent and accountable manner, responsible to my constituents. My life experience and direction from the community will drive my decisions. Constituents’ needs will come before mine.

6. Working in parliament and the constituency

Imagine an MP who hosts meetings across the constituency, listens intently to local concerns, and actively involves constituents in decision-making. I’m committing to do this as my aspirations are to be a great constituency MP. For me, as an independent, I want to reinvigorate civic engagement, encouraging residents to participate in shaping their own destiny by working closely with me.

7. Integrity

Trust in politicians has declined. To change this, my commitment is to principles, not party politics. My belief is that this will inspire confidence that I’m public, and not self-serving.

Normally there is a meeting every 2nd Wednesday of the month. Do check their web site though https://greenham.gov.uk

You can get that detail from the West Berkshire council site here https://www.westberks.gov.uk/article/35776/Find-Your-Next-Collection-Day

I have now helped create, and have joined, the West Berkshire Residents Party. We are an independent, non‑political organisation representing the people of West Berkshire. I am currently serving as our elected member on West Berkshire Council. We have no outside ties, no hidden agenda — just your community, working for you.”

Career

• Started at GEC industrial controls (robotics)
• Senior Engineer at Apricot Computers (created the world's first i486 server with colleague Paul Whatcot)
• Running EMEA for Chips and Technologies (silicon industry) Founder of the PC on as chip
• Intel reporting to Earl Whetstone (who ran Europe) and responsible for the integration of C&T EMEA whilst helping search for technical distribution channels across EMEA (Middle East experience)
• Running EMEA for Silicon Image and helping them IPO after establishing a sales network and helping establish the DVI standard which became HDMI
• Switched to software with KickFire – the world's first communication collaboration platform that was SAAS at the time and established sales and pipeline for them in European Marketing circles
• After the DotCom bubble the first time around I decided to set up my own company up
• TEEC operates in the IT Space and has the world's first platform for Voice competitions

Greenham Parish Council - I was chairman of planning

West Berkshire Council - I was

• Chairman of Western Area Planning
• Portfolio holder for the Environment and EV Strategy
  
• Opposition Spokesperson for the Environment
  
• Member of Licensing
  
• Member of Governance and Ethics
  
• Member of Scrutiny
  

West Berkshire Council - As an independent I am now a member of the Western Area Planning Committee

• A move away from faux democracy to democracy both locally and nationally. Where every vote counts
• A system which fosters cooperation not opposition. I would remove the word opposition from political vocabulary. Maybe replace it with minority
• I would like to see some connection between cabinet or portfolio position and expertise.

Yes — although I initially intended to run as an independent candidate when I decided to become a District Councillor in January 2019, a friend who had previously been a councillor explained how difficult it is for an unknown independent to reach enough people and win. My ward has around 7,000 residents. Since I hold centrist views and several Parish councillors I knew were Liberal Democrats, I was encouraged to join them. I read their constitution and reviewed their aims. As I was broadly aligned — around 95% — it made sense to join. I did, and I was first elected in May 2019.

• My primary aims in becoming a district councillor were:

• To address the football fiasco at Faraday Road in Newbury.

• To ensure proper due diligence on the major Sandleford development proposal.

• To work on environmental issues across the district (I became the opposition environment spokesperson, and in May 2023, when the Lib Dems took control of West Berkshire Council, I became the Executive Portfolio Holder).

• To serve on the planning committee and ensure robust scrutiny. I joined WAP in 2019 and became its chairman in May 2023. I was removed from that role by the Lib Dems after I resigned from the party in November 2023.

Having achieved my objectives at West Berkshire Council — and increasingly disillusioned with what was happening in Westminster — I put my name forward to run as a Lib Dem parliamentary candidate at the next general election. I took part in the selection process in August 2023. The Lib Dem members of Reading West and Mid Berkshire selected me as their candidate. Despite winning, Lib Dem HQ found a way to exclude me and instead claimed Helen Belcher was the winner. I appealed and challenged the invalid reasons used to remove me (they alleged I used endorsements; I did not — I used references, as you would for any job). It became clear that some senior figures at HQ were unwilling to follow their own rules, leaving me no choice but to resign from the party.

I remain deeply concerned about the current political situation in Westminster. I have always believed we need more local, non‑career politicians who are committed to representing community values. After discussing this with friends, family, and people across the constituency, I decided to run as an independent candidate. I have the time, energy, and commitment to serve — and I’m ready to make a positive impact in our community.

Like most people it’s been a dinner conversation thing for maybe 25 years plus. Although I became a Greenham Parish Cllr in 2018, I really don’t think of that as politics. I was independent and other Cllrs never made of thing about being a member of a party.

When I told my colleagues in late 2018 that having enjoyed doing some good at the Parish level I was going to take a stab at getting elected to West Berkshire Council.  It was pointed out to me just how difficult that would be without a support network. The people persuading me happened to be Lib Dems. There were two major issues driving me to stand. Sandleford and the Football ground at Faraday Road. Having looked at the Lib Dems and what they were trying to do locally I found myself 90% aligned so joined as a member. This was my first and only political membership. I was what is called a floating voter before then.

I have returned to being an Independent which is proving very interesting and I really believe Independent councillors can work with whoever is in charge instead of just opposing. The public that I speak to seems to echo this especially when Resident Associations are formed.

An independent Councillor can change things by:

• Ensuring they work locally and run surgeries across the area

• Not being bound by a party and whip

• Propose or amend motions as well ask ask questions of the administration

• Join committees to shape policy – Planning especially because of AONB and infrastructure

• Representing local interests first above party.

I would exert influence by focusing on specific issues, potentially swaying key votes and debates in council.

Integrity for me is saying what you mean and doing what you say. It also means being willing to change your mind should new data leads you that way. It's not about dogma but it is about truth.

West Berkshire is a great place to live, but that doesn’t mean we can’t strive for it to be even better. I want to work with business and the community to build for the future. We can do this by

• Moving to community-led building
  1. Working in planning to change the narrative towards what communities need not what developers want..
• Securing our local energy where we can
  1. Although much of the needed effort is in parliament, we do have the opportunity locally as micro hydro, solar and ground wind solutions open new options for us.
• Supporting schools, further education and skills development
  1. Striving for a fair start and quality education for all.
• Supporting the rural economy
  1. Working with residents to determine what your village needs in order to keep schools, shops, pubs and local businesses open, making plans accordingly in collaboration with residents.
  2. Supporting communities in developing their own Neighbourhood Development Plans.
  3. Supporting local farmers to get produce into local markets.

• I believe that we need community-led homes, for those that need them, where we need them.
• By enabling councils to build homes again.
• By tackling land value reform.
• By fixing the major issues associated with senior living developments i.e. the leasehold and maintenance traps set by developers.

• I have lived and worked locally for 25 years.
• I am MD of a local business that provides services worldwide.
• My formal education finished as I graduated with a 2:1 honours degree in Applied Physics.
• My career has covered small startups as well as large corporates like Intel.
• The same career has seen me work around the world including USA, Middle East, Europe and ASIA.
• I have two world firsts associated with my name.
• The world's first .486 server that Paul Whatcott and myself did when I was a senior engineer at Apricot computers.
• The world's first voice assistant campaign platform that my team and I created called Brandigniter
• Check out my career history on LinkedIn

As one of the Wash Common Ward District Councillors use adrian.abbs1@westberks.gov.uk

As a Greenham Parish Councillor use adrian.abbs@greenham.gov.uk

You can also call me on 07796 476979

There are 3 Wash Common Ward Councillors

Myself - Adrian Abbs - West Berkshire Residents ( Independent) but part of the Minority group

David Marsh - From the Green Party

Patrick Clark - From The Liberal Democrats

Please see the relevant part of the Greenham Parish Website for a full list of current Greenham Parish Councillors

https://greenham.gov.uk/councillors-officers

• Being available across the constituency.
• Provide a voice in Parliament for things of importance to the constituency.
• Work with whoever is in charge to do what's best for the nation - not just a party.
• Scrutinise legislation that is being created for a positive output not just to score points.
• Work with Local councils as their voice in parliament to ensure we address local issues.

Most people when they speak about roads are referring to potholes. It’s a bit wider than that though with smart motorways and utility company access.

Potholes are under the responsibilities of Councils, so for Reading West and Mid Berkshire that Is Reading Council and West Berkshire Council.

Funding however comes from Westminster. Whilst it would be nice to just say “give more money to councils” the reality is that money is in short supply. I have suggested to Reading councillors and West Berkshire council direct that we need to change process and allow ourselves to get ahead of the problem. The start for that is simple devices attached to the front of all council vehicles (especially waste lorries) so that we auto-detect the vast majority of issues as they begin. With a little machine learning those devices can cut out the requirement of council officers going out to confirm the problem is real (saving time and money). Next rather than have traditional teams go out and repair it, which is multiple people, we embrace some of the new single operator products coming out of JCB and Italy. That again allows for greater efficiency which again is time and money.

The net result is, auto-detection, faster fixing and the same money going further allowing us to get ahead of the problem.

Smart motorways have been shown to be more dangerous. We need to at least get them going as originally designed. That’s faster detection of problems and sufficient laybyes.

Utility companies have cart blanche to just dig up any road based on saying it's an emergency. So, anything else scheduled through councils then makes less sense. It's why we can see a brand-new road dug up days later. Some of the issue is that once they are digging up they extend the works to not just fix the issue but often carry out the laying of upgraded pipes. This extends the work significantly. Forcing utility companies to better coordinate with councils would help the overall problem.

• Ensure our energy security.
• Focus our energy production on solutions that cannot be influenced by outside bodies. i.e. Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Hydro/Micro Hydro and fusion energy.
• Make sure we emphasise consumer-side energy production as well as centralised production.

• Without energy independence, we can be held hostage by third powers or other nations.
• We have more Tidal, Hydro, Wind, Solar and Geothermal energy around, through, over, on and under the UK than we could ever imagine needing.
• Once built, none of the above alt energy can be easily interfered with from outside the UK.
• Most of the energy solutions above are on par or lower cost than say Nuclear Fission reactors.
• Most of the energy solutions above are faster to build than Nuclear Fission reactors.
• Creating independent, green, cheap limitless energy means we can solve many of the issues in the UK today.
• Energy costs are one of the key issues with our cost-of-living crisis.
• Our farmers and food sector can produce more from less space.
• Our heavy industries get a major cost removed making them competitive again.
• It provides energy supplies that allow for Green Hydrogen production in large quantities. This in turn can decarbonise transport and heating of homes without trying to move everything to electric and batteries.
• Cleaner AIR and comfortable heating and cooling in homes will lead to much better health outcomes.

Here are some of my beliefs

• I do not believe in the extremes of politics, be that ultra-right or left. If I had to use a single word it would be to say I am a "centrist". That means I can support some of what socialism stands for as well as capitalism.
• I believe in people being given an opportunity, but that it is also incumbent on those that can, to give back.
• I do not believe in barriers for people, but also that once a barrier is removed, it should be the best person for the role.
• I bridge the political divide because I have direct experience of being poor as well as what it takes to create jobs and run a business.

1. Because it’s a new constituency comprising 30% of voters from 3 Reading West wards and 70% of Voters from 12 more rural West Berkshire wards.
2. Because there is no clear majority for any political and a lot of dissatisfaction with existing party politics, leaving space for a "None of the above" vote. 
3. Because when I ran a survey people said they wanted someone like me as their first preference. i.e. an independent local person with a career first before politics.

• I recently went to the Tom Hanks Moonwalkers show at the Lightroom near St Pancras. (Wow by the way). In it was a snippet of the speech by John F. Kennedy. The one where he says “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organise and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept”. So, my answer is simple. I bother because if someone does not then nothing changes. I would like to be the candidate that makes change happen.

• My first jobs were shovelling peas off lorries, bar work and piece work. I know what it took to get out of poverty and so can empathise with people struggling for a fair deal.

• During my time as a Councillor, I've demonstrated how we can do positive things for the environment which also saves money. I use STEAM (Saving Money And The Environment) or SMATE (Saving Money And The Environment) as acronyms often because there are still many things we can do which have all the benefits without the negatives. Choosing cheaper alt energy solutions is the obvious example)
• Whilst I often agree with the Greens on what needs to be tackled, I found the solutions are often too extreme to get adopted. I am more a carrot-before-the-stick type of person.
• In the current world climate, the commitment of the Greens to just get rid of Nuclear is not something I can support. Ukraine giving up theirs (even when the West said ” Don't worry, we will take care of you”) just shows how states like Russia then feel free to threaten and invade.

• I am the only candidate currently engaging with parish and town councils to ensure the next MP delivers what local residents need in areas an MP can influence.
• By running as an independent I can fight directly for the constituency and what it needs rather than being tied to only what the party wants.
• As things stand, I believe it would be better to find ways to work much closer with the EU (something the Lib Dems are frightened of saying for some reason).
• During the Lib Dem PPC selection process, members selected me. Only when a spurious reason was created was I excluded and Helen announced instead. The English party chair failed to investigate, as did Lib Dem HQ. Therefore I stand in part to be able to represent those Lib Dems who voted for me.
• I better represent true Lib Dem values than the official candidate and happen to be local - which is why people voted for me in the first place.

• It is tough to reward and trust the current version of the Conservative party given its significant mistakes and instability.
• FUD - Using Fear Uncertainty and Doubt as the bedrock of why the Conservatives should be re-elected is just reusing old key on new locks - We all know that does not work.
• I can ensure your vote is not wasted, and should I win, you can see from my background, that I can help steer the constituency and nation to a better future. I believe I am a safe pair of hands.

As an MP I could assist local businesses in a variety of ways. I can make private enquiries on behalf of my constituents, raise matters publicly in the House of Commons, speak at events concerning the issue, pledge my support to a campaign or write to the local media on behalf of these constituents.

MPs are not islands and tend to have a constituency office with staff. This can provide advice on business-related matters and even help point business towards government grants.

I’ve often found, in my own work life, that networking solutions together can pay dividends. Therefore, as businesses across the Constituency and nearby get to know me, I’ll be able to connect them together where it makes sense.

As an MP I cannot be financially involved directly though.

Since being established on July 5, 1948, the NHS has undergone several changes to adapt to the changing needs of the population.

It is suggested, and I agree, that having doctors and nurses in charge of designing the change process would be a good thing.

The NHS is already making use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies to help clinicians interpret scans and improve healthcare outcomes. The NHS AI Lab is working in partnership with several government and NHS partners to create an environment for collaboration and co-creation by bringing together programmes that address the barriers to developing and deploying AI systems in health care. Once done, I see this adding positively to the answers we need to the challenges faced by the NHS today.

No one should be enslaved by Poverty, Ignorance or Conformity. i.e. there should be equal opportunity for all without barriers because of wealth, race etc. But once the barriers are removed, then we need the best person to do the best job possible. I came from what many consider a poor background. The grant system allowed me to get the education I needed.  I want to fight to fix those issues as a priority whilst ensuring barriers do not exist.

I would be a champion and deliver two things that would benefit our constituency. 

1. I would be lobbying to have a greater range of services available at the relatively new community hospital that was built on the border of Newbury and Thatcham. 
2. I would also be a big supporter of building a new hospital to replace the ageing Royal Berkshire one. Looking at its capture area, I would also be suggesting a move out of central Reading but close to one of the M4 junctions to improve the speed of access Junctions 11/12 and 13 being the obvious choices.

Before we look at the above, we need to keep a couple of things in mind. 1 The birth rate in the UK. 2 How the UK is setup in terms of the number of people it needs to remain in what we think of as a prosperous nation. The reality is that the UK birth rate is falling, and a work force is needed to pay for everything that makes us prosperous.

With that said, what gets little to no coverage is emigration from the UK. The latest ONS numbers, June 2023, say 93000 British citizens left the UK. An AXA PPP International report says the main drivers behind British emigration was Poor work / life balance and poor pay and benefits.

First that’s around 3 times the number of people that arrive by small boats according to a Dec 15^th Article on the BBC website. In the same story 89000 sought Asylum in the UK in 2022 (Still less).

What’s not said, and what’s hard to find is the socio-economic breakdown in those numbers.

Let’s face it, if we are losing the mid to high earners and only replace with low earners then it’s not a matter of just measuring in and out, it’s a matter of value (or tax revenue if you like). For example. If I lose a Dr. whose average pay is £76K (net £54K) and replace with someone working in retail where the average salary is £23.3K (net 20K) then I’m at least 3 times worse off as the government. But it’s even worse than that, because a single parent earing £23.3K with 2 school age kids living in Berkshire would be entitled to £329.44 per week of benefits, according to money saving experts web site. That’s another £17130 per annum we need to find. FYI the Dr. gets just child benefits at 39.90 per week or 2074.80 per annum.

The extra cost of the 3.3 people on benefits compared to the 1 Dr. is £56.5K. That’s over twice the tax revenue from the Dr.

A GMC report said that 4843 Drs left the UK in the year May 2021 to 2022

Given the above. I’m going to say the emigration part of net migration is something we need to focus on as a high priority. i.e. retain our talent.

It is impossible to have missed the evolving situation in the USA, with a real possibility that Donald Trump might get re-elected. However, even without that, we hear about President Joe Biden’s thoughts on the UK and Ireland. He’s not that positive about us apparently. Or at least that’s what gets reported.

So, I do find myself asking “Would the USA really come to our aid? Would they stay involved long enough to make the difference? Can we take the risk?” Whereas 20 years ago I would never have doubted, today I’m less sure.

Add to this what we see reported from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran means we face the real possibility of our way of life being changed significantly by direct aggression, or by weaponizing capitalism (which the Chinese state has done very successfully). FYI. I try and stay in touch by watching a range of news channels from the BBC through ITV, GB News, Al Jazeera and Sky. Just so I can get different perspectives on things.

The conflation of all this news is that we live in ever more dangerous times. It's why one of the things I’m keen to see is the UK get to energy independence. I.e. Energy security. I have written previously about ways we can do this in an environmentally positive way, but once we have abundant cheap energy security, we can make positive moves to improve food security, we also get positive outcomes for health and industry and importantly cost of living.

But even if we manage to reverse the trends and make the UK independent in the basics of life, we still won’t be secure given the growing aggression in the world.

That's why I support a strong military, not for global dominance, but to safeguard our interests and respond effectively when necessary. Collaborating with neighbouring countries, who share cultural similarities to form a robust alliance—whether within or outside NATO— can deter potential aggressors.

It’s one of the main reasons why staying close to our European neighbours is a good thing. We need to get passed painting the EU as the devil. It’s a long way from perfect but our cultures are closer than many seem to realise.

As a potential independent MP, I would consider evidence and vote in the best interests of the nation, recognizing that decisions in this area span multiple decades and should be independent of party politics.

My position is quite straightforward really.

As a nation, it is impossible to sustain an immigration rate of 700K plus per annum

• We need to be able to choose who comes and stays
• My first concern is to split out genuine asylum seekers and economic migrants
• Economic migrants need to arrive by safe legal routes. They should apply before they set off on the journey to the UK. They need to be filling a role that cannot be filled by someone already living here.
• Economic migration needs to be ruled based and fulfil only those things we cannot train for locally.
• I am just as concerned about emigration.

Are we losing skilled people and replacing them with non-skilled? I did a letter to the press on this - see here

https://adrianabbs.uk/Contents/ContentItems/48gx8qefbem1ptvxz620rzaawh

For me, it starts further back and comes down to the economy we are building. Build the right type of economy and emigration of skilled labour falls

It's a tough nut to crack but the speed of processing applications is one key. Being willing to say "No thanks, we don't need your specific skill set" must be something we can do as a nation.

When I moved back from working in Germany my home was at RG30 3UN which is in the East of the constituency. Both my children went to school in Reading.

I currently live on the border of Newbury / Thatcham. The boundary for the new constituency runs all the way to Thatcham. So, I am very close.

The constituency is made up from Rural (West) and Urban (East). As I have lived at both ends, I believe I will bring an understanding to what is needed locally for the Constituency. I also run a business (In Newbury) that employs people who live in places like Aldermaston.

Before standing I contacted several of the current District councillors to see if they would be running. None were who represented a centralist and internationalist perspective. That meant no candidate close to my own principles was standing.

Now that all the main candidates have announced, it seems to remain clear that I can offer a viable alternative to party politics and am someone who has a strong connection to the constituency.

Some of the work I have done as a District Councillor is based in Mid Berkshire (Things like the Grazely solar farm and energy generation at Padworth recycling centre). I also met with people in Beenham when they had a particularly contentious planning app – In an advisor role.

David Tully from Rochdale showed that an Independent can do very well in an election for Parliament. He got 21% of the vote. He was just a local businessman who wanted to do something for his community. Same as me.

Given the Conservative vote is mainly in Mid Berkshire historically and the Labour Vote is strongest in Reading West, we already have a split. Now add in that the Conservative vote splits again because of Reform. The Labour Vote also splits because Tilehurst has historically voted Lib Dem (at least during council elections). This means we have no party with more than ¼ of the votes. Turn outs at General elections are averaging 65%. So around 16 to 17% each

An independent has a chance because. 1) the 35% of people who don’t normally vote now have a viable choice. 2) Many softer Conservative voters are so angry with their own party they are actively considering voting for change or staying at home. They don’t really want to vote Labour and the Lib Dems just don’t have enough people to do the whole area. They have only around 140 members and far less activists (maybe 5-10) across the area I believe. 3) Although the Green candidate is someone I respect, the Green vote is just not a tactical vote this time around in this location.

If we believe in democracy, then we need a solution when electing MPs that represents what voters believe in. 1^st past the post has led to some very odd election results with huge majorities that do not reflect the majority. Its very hard indeed to find any example of a single party commanding more than 50% of the publics vote.

Now add in stability. Having been running my own business’s for over 20 years I can say the number 1 thing that benefits growth is stability. Be that inflation or the rules under which business must run.

So, I have come to believe we should adopt a form of PR that still ensures I can elect a person, rather than a party, but then also reflects what voters want. It does mean we will get representatives from the extremes, but we should also get better cooperation and stability.

I do not hold any strong opinion on this bill other than to acknowledge the costs of supporting people's choices. If we have a known product that directly hurts people's health then encouraging them to change the habit would be my go to start position. Taxing those products to ensure the necessary health support later on has to happen otherwise a persons choice falls on other shoulders.

This goes to my belief that people should be able to choose. My only concern is ensuring it really is their choice.

I do not believe in the breakup of the UK.  So devolving power to allow each part to decide if they wanted to join the EU (or even could) is not something I see as helpful at this time.

The concept of devolved power, in theory, allows a more specific focus by those elected to these parliaments.

The problem is that it costs quite a lot. As the world shrinks, the differences economically also shrinks.

I struggle to see how splitting tax, health etc into smaller parts makes for greater efficiency.

My mind is open but as a businessman, I would want to see the business case and advantages economically of doing it.

I do not have access to enough information to know if this is even affordable. So sorry I am unable to answer this question at this time.

Genocide is defined in the English dictionary as “the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group:”

By this definition, both the Israeli State and Hamas terror group seem to be guilty of it. They both aim to destroy each other.

The sad bit is that we live in a world where killing is done all the time. Everything says to me that the only practical solution is to have two states that live in peace. I am happy to voice my thoughts on this but I'm afraid I don't think either party is listening so people suffer.

Paying the going rate for something is the shortest way to ensure availability. The issue is the cost to the state when the state has run out of money.

Healthy teeth are often linked to healthy choices in food. The only way to make this all affordable would be to reduce the level of need by focusing on the young and ensuring less pressure in the first place.

Almost everything that is a problem in the UK comes back to money. As a society, even if we tax more there are limits because we work on a global stage. Without fixing UK competitiveness on the world stage we won't be able to afford to pay the going rate for services people want.

In my leaflet here https://adrianabbs.uk/media/ppc/Leaflet-A3.pdf I lay out a long-term plan to revitalise the UK economy so we can also afford and fix our services

I am looking at placing the Constituency office in Theale initially. This is central as much as is possible.

I have been asked to expand a little on how Land Value Reform might help with not just house building but the cost of homes.

This type of reform works by councils and ideally other community groups, being able to purchase land for building where it's needed. The price would reflect the current use. So it would be a lot cheaper than what it costs after planning permission is granted.

That removes one of the huge costs associated with building and should lead to a stabalising and possible drop in the cost of homes. It also means councils can provide housing for the needs we have.

There are other parts of the concept to do with controlling costs on the build and ensuring they are net zero after the build. Net zero means saving money as the cost of running them are also very low.

Well, we are in a state for sure. There are lots of labels that use the word "phobia" and most have become overused and now cause confusion. My own opinion is that people are individuals, and as such, in a free society, have the ability to be what they want to be. There is at least one exception to this for me and that is Paedophilia there is no possible excuse. On trans people in general, then as long as barriers do not exist, people should have the ability to be what they want to be.

If I'm ever asked about a specific case, then the balance would fall on whether what was being asked for causes harm to other groups in some way. One group's rights cannot trump another.

I’m a scientist at heart, so from what I understand, conversion therapy is cruel and not proven to be successful.

I have an e-bike and use it to commute to my office when it's not raining. By .2026 we should see the introduction of driverless vehicles. Within just a few years I assume e-pods will dominate the market. So yes updated legislation for e-anything is needed. Whatever the law, the police have the power to enforce it and should. Those modifying e-anything to break the law should have the relevant fine or confiscation applied. 

Myself, I'd like to link legislation to mass. i.e. the heavier and faster the e-anything the more rules apply as the greater the chance of serious injury the heavier it is and the faster it goes.

We must find safe ways to embrace alternatives to the standard commute to benefit everyone.

Covid was real and the ONS number showed a massive increase on the 5-year rolling averages for deaths. Although that dipped a couple of times the extras far outweighed these small dips.

In February 2020 I was at a council meeting and was asking why we did not have hand gel in the foyer. We already had stories of how bad it was in China and Italy.

I run an SME and had already ordered masks for every employee by this stage, because why not take care when so much was still unknown? They were already in short supply.

The government then proceeded to make a series of mistakes. The ones I worried about were speed and science.

They spoke about face masks, just bits of cloth to cover your face which did nothing to protect you as a person. What was needed was FFP2/3 masks which offered the wearer protection and others nearby. I tried to get this message out as a Cllr via West Berks but it was somewhat ignored.

I don’t say this using hindsight (that would be easy) I say it from the information available to me at the time (an ordinary West Berkshire councillor).

Why was speed important? Simply because it would have reduced the peaks, associated deaths and the time scales we were in lockdown.

The mistakes not only had a massive effect on the number of people who died, but also the economy. We will be paying that back for decades to come.

Schooling from home would have been shorter as well. This means the attainment gap that came about would have been less.

The Science has to lead when looking at long covid. I don’t have enough data personally to say if it's all real or not.

Yes - As a way of improving participation and efficiency it's the obvious thing to do. I believe allowing Hybrid meetings is the first step as there are still things that need a physical signature. It makes it much more possible for Cllrs (who are volunteers) from all walks of life to take part.

It needs a fix. The obvious answer is to require a builder to begin work once they have detailed planning permission within say 12 months, or maybe 24 months in exceptional circumstances. If they can't or won't, then the local authority could step in and take over the development. If they can't, then it goes to a rapid bid process (max 6 months) and in turn if there are no bids then the planning permission is removed.

There is much more than can be done around building which focuses on having suitable developments brought forward when a council sets land aside in their local plan. Given this process is developer-led at the moment then some form of outlined planning permission must be gained within a decade of the land being allocated.

I would not be by myself. As with other MPs there is a constituency office with staff. This would be made up of paid staff from allowances as well as interns looking to understand how legislation is created and how MPs work.

I’ve come to believe that what the country needs more than anything is long-term vision and stability. These are things that come about when the rules stay the same for a long period of time and when parliament is focused on multi-term outcomes, not just the next election. The hundreds of years by which we’ve had first passed the post seem to have proven that the one thing that’s not delivered is stability. Therefore, I have come to believe in PR as the way forward to solving the U K’s fundamental problems.

Yes, I believe there is a whole rack of laws that could do with some reform. It would be about making existing legislation fit for the current century.

Freedom of speech is an obvious example, being responsible for what you say is not enshrined when we look at social media. So I would want to help modernise and reform the existing laws of the land rather than creating even more. One-in-one-out should be the minimum to aim for.

I often use the terms steam or SMATE. Steam stands for “save the environment and money”, whilst SMATE stands for “saving money and the environment”. Either way there is the reality that money is involved.

I also believe that we must focus on influencing outside of the UK to have any real effect. It's why I introduced a label concept that would allow the UK to set a standard by which anything sold here clearly displays its environmental impact. This label was about giving people the choice and encouraging producers to change through buyer’s pressure.

I stand for practicable change "at pace" that tackles what we can do rather than what we can’t. I do believe in areas such as green energy that we can produce solutions that could then be sold worldwide. An Industrial Revolution version 2 if you will.

I see ways we can individually make a difference but through standards that we can influence others.

Many grants that a Parish council might access have two main issues. There is not enough time to create a bid by the Parish to access the grant. The grant must be spent too quickly to allow for the best value to be obtained. As MP I will be happy to try and help address this situation and so ensure the Parish can get access to the grants but also to ensure the nation gets the best value from it. This is about our civil servant's unstanding of the timeframes associated with the conditions they apply to grants applied for by District councils.

This is similar to the question posed by East Isley which was about Hybrid meetings. The removal of laws stopping hybrid meetings would directly aid and support diversity and accessibility at the parish level. I would be very keen to have this change made by parliment.

Probably the number one complaint when there is any kind of significant housing built is infrastructure. It’s never enough and it’s not quick enough. Although it is a tough area to deal with some fundamental changes could be made.

First, moving infrastructure delivery to the early part of the development rather than waiting until the end. How that is funded needs resolving but impacting existing infrastructure for years before the new is delivered is not acceptable.

Second, Ensuring that the NPPF reflects local infrastructure needs so that an existing local plan or neighbourhood plan carries equal weight and so ensures community-led development becomes practical.

Third, Where large developments are proposed (Say > 250 homes). The associated impact on GP surgeries, schools, roads, sewage, drainage etc are not allowed to be compromised. Communities need teath in the process to ensure the community remains intact.

Three things I will fight for.

1. Remove the water company's exceptions to Riprion weights
2. Ensure they invest and move towards new technologies that increase capacity using less energy and remove PFAS from the treated water.
3. Look at a major program to match the current population to our water and sewage networks. We still rely in large areas on Victorian infrastructure designed for a population of less than half what it is today. This will be my 2nd priority after showing ways to fix our energy security with local, clean cheap energy.

This is where local community input via Parish Councils can have a real effect. 

Giving sufficient weight to the local community in planning terms means blanket bans on needed infrastructure could be better weighed against local needs.

Understanding what is needed in our villages to keep them vibrant can then be more easily balanced against the preservation of our AONB.

I have already committed to holding regular surgeries around the constituency. I believe that this is what an MP must do to represent the whole constituency. 

One of the advantages of not being a member of a party is all the time it saves. That will instead be spent talking to local councillors who can keep the local issues at the forefront of the MPs mind.

Based on a belief in democracy i.e. that if the majority wants something then unless there is a legal reason why it can't be done it should.

I absolutely believe that local people know what is best for their village etc. So if the majority of that location are saying we have a problem can you support us? Essentially I would. However, speed limits are a devolved power to district councils so it would be a matter of writing a letter of support to the relevant council.

I should be clear that all these types of decisions should be based on a majority wanting it and the data supporting the identified issue.

The MP can support residents when they have identified issues where in this case West Berkshire Council highways officer say there should be signage. The MP can write letters and look to ensure correct funding is in place for councils to carry out this work.

When it rains it shows us all the issues, we face with existing infrastructure that has become overloaded from when it was designed and built. It also brings into perspective how important infrastructure is when planning of any type is being considered. It is something I would be keen to lobby on in Parliament because this is where it needs to be resolved. The costly but needed investment has to come from a central resource.

We can do something about sewage as I've outlined here. However, with the predicted growth of the UK population, ensuring planning has teeth to ensure infrastructure is delivered with housing is a must.

For me, it’s not just a matter of providing what we think we need for a specific development, but rather how we deliver that plus a sizable extra margin to take account of future needs. If we did more future proofing then the roads won’t need to be dug up so often.

I’ve been a resident of this Berkshire area for more than 25 years. My journey began in Pingewood, Reading, within the RG30 postcode, after returning from my work in Germany. Over time, I’ve moved through Thatcham, and now I reside on the border between Newbury and Thatcham (RG14). As someone deeply connected to this locality, having both lived here and built my businesses, I have a keen understanding of the diverse elements that constitute the currently divided urban and rural constituency.

One of the great things about being an Independent MP is being there for constituents as a first priority. Too often MPs shy away from planning or other issues because of the party they belong to. Whether it is as obvious as donations from builders to campaigns or more subtle donations that influence the priorities of parties. It is really bad when the party is the ruling party.

I want to bring my  5 years of district planning experience to my role as MP with a focus on community-led development.

The second part of being a good constituency MP will be having surgeries in the community, not asking the community to just one location. This an a strong belief that the MP should be talking to the Parish, Town and district councillors should ensure when something local of importance comes up it gets noticed and addressed.

The parish council expressed there concern on this subject. I was left with the impression that MPs should ensure relevant planning can be enforced where the DEPZ is relevant. It seems far to often that planning goes ahead where it should not.

This one is straightforward. The beauty of being independent is that you can choose to support matters of concern to the constituency. If we have a hung parliament (a possible outcome from the next general election) then those who don't have a party motive can work with whoever is working in the best interests of his constituency or the nation.

This is an opportunity to break away from the politics we wee in Westminster and bring some business acumen to politics.

There is a lot more about this on my being independent page https://adrianabbs.uk/being-independent

The parish council expressed their concern on this subject. It has similarities to other areas such as Membury where industrial is built in the countryside and all the associated commercial traffic that is associated with it.  This comes down to having relevant local planning that fits the needs of the landscape. Community-led development with teeth supplied to local planners would go a long way to resolving or mitigating some of the extremes.

The parish council was clear about issues with the relationship with West Berkshire Council (WBC). Somthing  and MP could lobby for if they were focused on local issues.

I would want to use the experience built over the past 4-5 years of being on Western Area Planning for West Berkshire Council, as well as a short period as Chairman to bring the weight of an MP to local planning issues. To often for me they shy away from commenting.

I would be different because of this and the fact that I have seen first-hand what poor planning can do to a community.

Simply yes. This is why I am putting the answers given at various meetings in writing so everything is clear and recorded.

Not every answer will be popular but it will be based on the principles of openness, fairness and transparency.

I was asked the question "If you had not been replaced as the Lib Dem candidate, would you have been standing in front of us tonight as a Lib Dem?" during the meeting. 

My answer is most likely. I became a Lib Dem originally because they were the closest fit to my own beliefs as a centralist. FYI I do not like the extremes of politics and at a local level being a Lib Dem delivers councillors who work hard in and for their communities.

The reason I say "most likely" is that lately, some Lib Dem policy is becoming more extreme. That's the 5 to10% that did not align with my own beliefs. 

Now, as an Independent, party politics has been brought into focus. Something that our new constituency does not need. So I am actually relieved to have returned to being an Independent . This should allow me to put the constituency above anything else. Here you can see the 7 things that being independent can do for the constituency.

Unfortunately, West Ilsley Parish Council responded to my note about this survey with the following, I have followed up with them reconfirming that this is information to be collated for whoever is the next MP me or anyone else.

"Dear Adrian,

West Ilsley Parish Council asks that you not attend the meeting on 20th February because it does not feel it is appropriate for a parish council meeting.

Kind regards,"

This was received from their clerk to the council whose details are available if needed on their website..

I've mentioned this elsewhere in the FAQ and written articles on the issue. It comes down to shifting the variable costs associated with providing care to Westminster so that Local councils are not forced to cut other services when fulfilling this requirement. Central governments are the only ones with enough flexibility in funding to accommodate the unknowns of social care throughout the year. We also need to focus on taking advantage of bulk buying etc, which again central government should be better placed to do. Local teams employed by the local councils can deliver the needed services.

After sending a request to all councillors who represent the Norcot ward I received 1 reply from Cllr Jo Lovelock - See below

"Hello Adrian

I have already given my support to Liv Bailey who is both local and was an excellent candidate in 2017.

Best wishes

Jo Lovelock"

I did follow up with her explaining this was to go to whoever wins the next election, but I think this unfortunately shows party politics in action. Not good for the new constituency.

Each ward that makes up the new constituency has its own “biggest issue”. I would want the campaign messages to reflect both local and national issues. I would produce messages for each ward by working with residents and Cllrs. My literature would have a clear message saying “Visit our FAQ to see what your Independent MP will do for your ward”

Lib Dems are known for their support of minorities. Whilst I 100% agree with that, they too often find themselves trapped into talking on these issues only. They let the media control their narrative. I want to focus more on the issues of the majority like the NHS, Education, Energy etc.

A woman’s perception of the issue is what guides my view. Given the numbers are very small, it must be possible to offer women a space that fits their needs during their most vulnerable time. The same is true of transgender women.

Riparian wrights provide protection under the law for waterways from pollution. Sewage treatment companies have licences that override this. I would first work in Parliament to remove all such exceptions. There are new technology solutions that essentially eliminate the need to dump in our rivers, So, helping Thames water down this path would be my first move.

Having people in charge that understand the whole patient journey is essential to solving the problem. Drs and Nurses are best placed to do that. I would have management reflect this. I would also properly fund adult social care to ensure Councils can receive patients back into the community. Design the journey, Fix the bottlenecks, fund it properly and solve the problem.

Yes, the way it was done, and the growing effect means Brexit is a disaster. From increased red tape, lack of job flexibility, security concerns and huge chunks of industry starting to move into Europe are just some of the obvious effects. I therefore support finding a path to return to better relations with the EU.

It really made me laugh when asked. My answer is, “As fish and chips”. It is a traditional British dish that most people like, is good value and is present in most communities. That sums me up well

• Immediately it is the Cost of Living Crisis

• Long term it is the growing debt mountain

The answer is different for each socioeconomic group

• Focusing on those with the most need, then all forms of social care and simply being able to keep their head above water

· My whole manifesto is built around showing how we can have a sustainable future that does not cost but rather saves money and provides other benefits.

The question was are you running because of what the Lib Dems did during the selection process? The answer is an emphatic no. I am running having returned to my previous state of being an independent and because party politics is broken. Businessmen like myself and other people who have had different careers and so different expertise need to become MPs – Not career politicians

1^st talk to the candidate, listen to what they say at hustings and write it down. Follow up with any answers and get it in writing. Ask under what conditions something in a manifesto might not be delivered. I.e. grill the candidates on how they will deliver what they have said or what their party has said it will do. Get beyond "Political Promises"

• 1^st and most important is making sure we have an emergency plan for the mass production of Masks (FFP2/3) - Masks of the correct type protect - face coverings do not
• That we have a relevant stock for emergency services so we don't lose those key workers
• Be prepared to move on scientific advice faster. Covid issues were a lot bigger because of the speed of response.

• Riparian rights licences should all be removed so that any water company can be fined according to what they do.
• If they go bust then they come back to public ownership
• They must be forced to use new methods for managing sewage (Like Hydrothermal Carbonisation). Change the game so that sewage becomes part of sustainable food production
• Start to limit water taken from rivers after farming has had a chance to adopt how it farms for lower water use
• finish implementing the Water Neutrality Act and in fact go further by having a schedule for reduction not just neutrality

Somewhere over the Rainbow - IZ Kamakawiwo'ole

Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

It became apparent to me, as I spent more time as a Cllr, and went through the positions of opposition spokesperson to being on the executive and now being an independent, that many of the issues we face locally can only really be solved by Westminster. The most obvious example is social care (I wrote a letter about this previously)

This, plus seeing how Westminster party politics works and how many MPs simply go for the opposite of whatever the administration says. i.e. They just oppose. No one I speak to likes the shouting they see in Westminster.

I try to scrutinise what is being said, but also try and give solutions via amendments and motions. I also seed ideas which is how I believe an MP should act. MPs should work for the best outcome of the people of their constituency and for the nation.

I am married, have 2 children and 3 grand . My wife and I have always supported each other in things we think are important. My family is concerned about the level of abuse that is levelled at MPs and worried how this might impact them. Our conclusion is that if people don’t step forward then nothing will change.

For different reasons, those that don’t think any party actually represents them, which is the majority of people I speak with saying things like “I really want an alternative”

Another set is those that have stopped voting because to quote a few of them “All politicians are the same” It's only when they see a viable independent that they go “Oh I’ll read that, thanks for standing”. There are also quite a lot of people who want an MP who has run a business and who will bring that way of thinking to Parliament. Finally, there are those that have seen me as a Cllr, watched me stand up for local issues, and see that I care about them and the environment. If I do as well as David Tully did in Rochdale (21%) of the vote then it's likely I would win the seat. FYI David was simply a local businessman who wanted to help his constituency. The reason 21% would win is that the rest of the vote is being split between, Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems, Reform and Greens. Just the odd person is saying they are voting a specific way so far.

The number one thing is that they don’t trust the current MPs and specifically the current government. After that it has been a lot about immigration, housing, the NHS and access to GPs. Many business people have mentioned red tape and how councils are impacting the high street by raising parking charges.

I am representing voters and local business. Not any party. That means

1. All Views

From the Reading West wards of Tilehurst, Norcott and Kentwood, to our 15 rural locations, residents come from all walks of life. As an independent MP, I will make sure that every type of voice is represented in Parliament.

2. Breaking Free from Party Whips

Party loyalty constrains MPs. It forces them to vote for the party line even when it is against local interests. As an independent MP, I’m not constrained by these handcuffs. My allegiance lies 100% with you.

3. Tailoring Solutions to Local Challenges

With its urban and rural mix, Reading West and Mid Berkshire faces unique challenges. Affordable housing, transportation, environmental sustainability, and healthcare access, to name a few. As an independent MP, I will work tirelessly with you, creating solutions to improve our lives.

4. Building Cross-Party Alliances

Independence isn’t isolation. It means I can be nimble and collaborate across party lines. A golden opportunity for me to champion legislation to benefit you all.

5. Upholding Accountability and Transparency

As an independent MP one of my top priorities is to earn your trust. I promise to work in a transparent and accountable manner, responsible to my constituents. My life experience and direction from the community will drive my decisions. Constituents’ needs will come before mine.

6. Working in parliament and the constituency

Imagine an MP who hosts meetings across the constituency, listens intently to local concerns, and actively involves constituents in decision-making. I’m committing to do this as my aspirations are to be a great constituency MP. For me, as an independent, I want to reinvigorate civic engagement, encouraging residents to participate in shaping their own destiny by working closely with me.

7. Integrity

Trust in politicians has declined. To change this, my commitment is to principles, not party politics. My belief is that this will inspire confidence that I’m public, and not self-serving.

Normally there is a meeting every 2nd Wednesday of the month. Do check their web site though https://greenham.gov.uk

You can get that detail from the West Berkshire council site here https://www.westberks.gov.uk/article/35776/Find-Your-Next-Collection-Day

I have now helped create, and have joined, the West Berkshire Residents Party. We are an independent, non‑political organisation representing the people of West Berkshire. I am currently serving as our elected member on West Berkshire Council. We have no outside ties, no hidden agenda — just your community, working for you.”

Career

• Started at GEC industrial controls (robotics)
• Senior Engineer at Apricot Computers (created the world's first i486 server with colleague Paul Whatcot)
• Running EMEA for Chips and Technologies (silicon industry) Founder of the PC on as chip
• Intel reporting to Earl Whetstone (who ran Europe) and responsible for the integration of C&T EMEA whilst helping search for technical distribution channels across EMEA (Middle East experience)
• Running EMEA for Silicon Image and helping them IPO after establishing a sales network and helping establish the DVI standard which became HDMI
• Switched to software with KickFire – the world's first communication collaboration platform that was SAAS at the time and established sales and pipeline for them in European Marketing circles
• After the DotCom bubble the first time around I decided to set up my own company up
• TEEC operates in the IT Space and has the world's first platform for Voice competitions

Greenham Parish Council - I was chairman of planning

West Berkshire Council - I was

• Chairman of Western Area Planning
• Portfolio holder for the Environment and EV Strategy
  
• Opposition Spokesperson for the Environment
  
• Member of Licensing
  
• Member of Governance and Ethics
  
• Member of Scrutiny
  

West Berkshire Council - As an independent I am now a member of the Western Area Planning Committee

• A move away from faux democracy to democracy both locally and nationally. Where every vote counts
• A system which fosters cooperation not opposition. I would remove the word opposition from political vocabulary. Maybe replace it with minority
• I would like to see some connection between cabinet or portfolio position and expertise.

Yes — although I initially intended to run as an independent candidate when I decided to become a District Councillor in January 2019, a friend who had previously been a councillor explained how difficult it is for an unknown independent to reach enough people and win. My ward has around 7,000 residents. Since I hold centrist views and several Parish councillors I knew were Liberal Democrats, I was encouraged to join them. I read their constitution and reviewed their aims. As I was broadly aligned — around 95% — it made sense to join. I did, and I was first elected in May 2019.

• My primary aims in becoming a district councillor were:

• To address the football fiasco at Faraday Road in Newbury.

• To ensure proper due diligence on the major Sandleford development proposal.

• To work on environmental issues across the district (I became the opposition environment spokesperson, and in May 2023, when the Lib Dems took control of West Berkshire Council, I became the Executive Portfolio Holder).

• To serve on the planning committee and ensure robust scrutiny. I joined WAP in 2019 and became its chairman in May 2023. I was removed from that role by the Lib Dems after I resigned from the party in November 2023.

Having achieved my objectives at West Berkshire Council — and increasingly disillusioned with what was happening in Westminster — I put my name forward to run as a Lib Dem parliamentary candidate at the next general election. I took part in the selection process in August 2023. The Lib Dem members of Reading West and Mid Berkshire selected me as their candidate. Despite winning, Lib Dem HQ found a way to exclude me and instead claimed Helen Belcher was the winner. I appealed and challenged the invalid reasons used to remove me (they alleged I used endorsements; I did not — I used references, as you would for any job). It became clear that some senior figures at HQ were unwilling to follow their own rules, leaving me no choice but to resign from the party.

I remain deeply concerned about the current political situation in Westminster. I have always believed we need more local, non‑career politicians who are committed to representing community values. After discussing this with friends, family, and people across the constituency, I decided to run as an independent candidate. I have the time, energy, and commitment to serve — and I’m ready to make a positive impact in our community.

Like most people it’s been a dinner conversation thing for maybe 25 years plus. Although I became a Greenham Parish Cllr in 2018, I really don’t think of that as politics. I was independent and other Cllrs never made of thing about being a member of a party.

When I told my colleagues in late 2018 that having enjoyed doing some good at the Parish level I was going to take a stab at getting elected to West Berkshire Council.  It was pointed out to me just how difficult that would be without a support network. The people persuading me happened to be Lib Dems. There were two major issues driving me to stand. Sandleford and the Football ground at Faraday Road. Having looked at the Lib Dems and what they were trying to do locally I found myself 90% aligned so joined as a member. This was my first and only political membership. I was what is called a floating voter before then.

I have returned to being an Independent which is proving very interesting and I really believe Independent councillors can work with whoever is in charge instead of just opposing. The public that I speak to seems to echo this especially when Resident Associations are formed.

An independent Councillor can change things by:

• Ensuring they work locally and run surgeries across the area

• Not being bound by a party and whip

• Propose or amend motions as well ask ask questions of the administration

• Join committees to shape policy – Planning especially because of AONB and infrastructure

• Representing local interests first above party.

I would exert influence by focusing on specific issues, potentially swaying key votes and debates in council.

Integrity for me is saying what you mean and doing what you say. It also means being willing to change your mind should new data leads you that way. It's not about dogma but it is about truth.

West Berkshire is a great place to live, but that doesn’t mean we can’t strive for it to be even better. I want to work with business and the community to build for the future. We can do this by

• Moving to community-led building
  1. Working in planning to change the narrative towards what communities need not what developers want..
• Securing our local energy where we can
  1. Although much of the needed effort is in parliament, we do have the opportunity locally as micro hydro, solar and ground wind solutions open new options for us.
• Supporting schools, further education and skills development
  1. Striving for a fair start and quality education for all.
• Supporting the rural economy
  1. Working with residents to determine what your village needs in order to keep schools, shops, pubs and local businesses open, making plans accordingly in collaboration with residents.
  2. Supporting communities in developing their own Neighbourhood Development Plans.
  3. Supporting local farmers to get produce into local markets.

• I believe that we need community-led homes, for those that need them, where we need them.
• By enabling councils to build homes again.
• By tackling land value reform.
• By fixing the major issues associated with senior living developments i.e. the leasehold and maintenance traps set by developers.

• I have lived and worked locally for 25 years.
• I am MD of a local business that provides services worldwide.
• My formal education finished as I graduated with a 2:1 honours degree in Applied Physics.
• My career has covered small startups as well as large corporates like Intel.
• The same career has seen me work around the world including USA, Middle East, Europe and ASIA.
• I have two world firsts associated with my name.
• The world's first .486 server that Paul Whatcott and myself did when I was a senior engineer at Apricot computers.
• The world's first voice assistant campaign platform that my team and I created called Brandigniter
• Check out my career history on LinkedIn

As one of the Wash Common Ward District Councillors use adrian.abbs1@westberks.gov.uk

As a Greenham Parish Councillor use adrian.abbs@greenham.gov.uk

You can also call me on 07796 476979

There are 3 Wash Common Ward Councillors

Myself - Adrian Abbs - West Berkshire Residents ( Independent) but part of the Minority group

David Marsh - From the Green Party

Patrick Clark - From The Liberal Democrats

Please see the relevant part of the Greenham Parish Website for a full list of current Greenham Parish Councillors

https://greenham.gov.uk/councillors-officers

• Being available across the constituency.
• Provide a voice in Parliament for things of importance to the constituency.
• Work with whoever is in charge to do what's best for the nation - not just a party.
• Scrutinise legislation that is being created for a positive output not just to score points.
• Work with Local councils as their voice in parliament to ensure we address local issues.

Most people when they speak about roads are referring to potholes. It’s a bit wider than that though with smart motorways and utility company access.

Potholes are under the responsibilities of Councils, so for Reading West and Mid Berkshire that Is Reading Council and West Berkshire Council.

Funding however comes from Westminster. Whilst it would be nice to just say “give more money to councils” the reality is that money is in short supply. I have suggested to Reading councillors and West Berkshire council direct that we need to change process and allow ourselves to get ahead of the problem. The start for that is simple devices attached to the front of all council vehicles (especially waste lorries) so that we auto-detect the vast majority of issues as they begin. With a little machine learning those devices can cut out the requirement of council officers going out to confirm the problem is real (saving time and money). Next rather than have traditional teams go out and repair it, which is multiple people, we embrace some of the new single operator products coming out of JCB and Italy. That again allows for greater efficiency which again is time and money.

The net result is, auto-detection, faster fixing and the same money going further allowing us to get ahead of the problem.

Smart motorways have been shown to be more dangerous. We need to at least get them going as originally designed. That’s faster detection of problems and sufficient laybyes.

Utility companies have cart blanche to just dig up any road based on saying it's an emergency. So, anything else scheduled through councils then makes less sense. It's why we can see a brand-new road dug up days later. Some of the issue is that once they are digging up they extend the works to not just fix the issue but often carry out the laying of upgraded pipes. This extends the work significantly. Forcing utility companies to better coordinate with councils would help the overall problem.

• Ensure our energy security.
• Focus our energy production on solutions that cannot be influenced by outside bodies. i.e. Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Hydro/Micro Hydro and fusion energy.
• Make sure we emphasise consumer-side energy production as well as centralised production.

• Without energy independence, we can be held hostage by third powers or other nations.
• We have more Tidal, Hydro, Wind, Solar and Geothermal energy around, through, over, on and under the UK than we could ever imagine needing.
• Once built, none of the above alt energy can be easily interfered with from outside the UK.
• Most of the energy solutions above are on par or lower cost than say Nuclear Fission reactors.
• Most of the energy solutions above are faster to build than Nuclear Fission reactors.
• Creating independent, green, cheap limitless energy means we can solve many of the issues in the UK today.
• Energy costs are one of the key issues with our cost-of-living crisis.
• Our farmers and food sector can produce more from less space.
• Our heavy industries get a major cost removed making them competitive again.
• It provides energy supplies that allow for Green Hydrogen production in large quantities. This in turn can decarbonise transport and heating of homes without trying to move everything to electric and batteries.
• Cleaner AIR and comfortable heating and cooling in homes will lead to much better health outcomes.

Here are some of my beliefs

• I do not believe in the extremes of politics, be that ultra-right or left. If I had to use a single word it would be to say I am a "centrist". That means I can support some of what socialism stands for as well as capitalism.
• I believe in people being given an opportunity, but that it is also incumbent on those that can, to give back.
• I do not believe in barriers for people, but also that once a barrier is removed, it should be the best person for the role.
• I bridge the political divide because I have direct experience of being poor as well as what it takes to create jobs and run a business.

1. Because it’s a new constituency comprising 30% of voters from 3 Reading West wards and 70% of Voters from 12 more rural West Berkshire wards.
2. Because there is no clear majority for any political and a lot of dissatisfaction with existing party politics, leaving space for a "None of the above" vote. 
3. Because when I ran a survey people said they wanted someone like me as their first preference. i.e. an independent local person with a career first before politics.

• I recently went to the Tom Hanks Moonwalkers show at the Lightroom near St Pancras. (Wow by the way). In it was a snippet of the speech by John F. Kennedy. The one where he says “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organise and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept”. So, my answer is simple. I bother because if someone does not then nothing changes. I would like to be the candidate that makes change happen.

• My first jobs were shovelling peas off lorries, bar work and piece work. I know what it took to get out of poverty and so can empathise with people struggling for a fair deal.

• During my time as a Councillor, I've demonstrated how we can do positive things for the environment which also saves money. I use STEAM (Saving Money And The Environment) or SMATE (Saving Money And The Environment) as acronyms often because there are still many things we can do which have all the benefits without the negatives. Choosing cheaper alt energy solutions is the obvious example)
• Whilst I often agree with the Greens on what needs to be tackled, I found the solutions are often too extreme to get adopted. I am more a carrot-before-the-stick type of person.
• In the current world climate, the commitment of the Greens to just get rid of Nuclear is not something I can support. Ukraine giving up theirs (even when the West said ” Don't worry, we will take care of you”) just shows how states like Russia then feel free to threaten and invade.

• I am the only candidate currently engaging with parish and town councils to ensure the next MP delivers what local residents need in areas an MP can influence.
• By running as an independent I can fight directly for the constituency and what it needs rather than being tied to only what the party wants.
• As things stand, I believe it would be better to find ways to work much closer with the EU (something the Lib Dems are frightened of saying for some reason).
• During the Lib Dem PPC selection process, members selected me. Only when a spurious reason was created was I excluded and Helen announced instead. The English party chair failed to investigate, as did Lib Dem HQ. Therefore I stand in part to be able to represent those Lib Dems who voted for me.
• I better represent true Lib Dem values than the official candidate and happen to be local - which is why people voted for me in the first place.

• It is tough to reward and trust the current version of the Conservative party given its significant mistakes and instability.
• FUD - Using Fear Uncertainty and Doubt as the bedrock of why the Conservatives should be re-elected is just reusing old key on new locks - We all know that does not work.
• I can ensure your vote is not wasted, and should I win, you can see from my background, that I can help steer the constituency and nation to a better future. I believe I am a safe pair of hands.

As an MP I could assist local businesses in a variety of ways. I can make private enquiries on behalf of my constituents, raise matters publicly in the House of Commons, speak at events concerning the issue, pledge my support to a campaign or write to the local media on behalf of these constituents.

MPs are not islands and tend to have a constituency office with staff. This can provide advice on business-related matters and even help point business towards government grants.

I’ve often found, in my own work life, that networking solutions together can pay dividends. Therefore, as businesses across the Constituency and nearby get to know me, I’ll be able to connect them together where it makes sense.

As an MP I cannot be financially involved directly though.

Since being established on July 5, 1948, the NHS has undergone several changes to adapt to the changing needs of the population.

It is suggested, and I agree, that having doctors and nurses in charge of designing the change process would be a good thing.

The NHS is already making use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies to help clinicians interpret scans and improve healthcare outcomes. The NHS AI Lab is working in partnership with several government and NHS partners to create an environment for collaboration and co-creation by bringing together programmes that address the barriers to developing and deploying AI systems in health care. Once done, I see this adding positively to the answers we need to the challenges faced by the NHS today.

No one should be enslaved by Poverty, Ignorance or Conformity. i.e. there should be equal opportunity for all without barriers because of wealth, race etc. But once the barriers are removed, then we need the best person to do the best job possible. I came from what many consider a poor background. The grant system allowed me to get the education I needed.  I want to fight to fix those issues as a priority whilst ensuring barriers do not exist.

I would be a champion and deliver two things that would benefit our constituency. 

1. I would be lobbying to have a greater range of services available at the relatively new community hospital that was built on the border of Newbury and Thatcham. 
2. I would also be a big supporter of building a new hospital to replace the ageing Royal Berkshire one. Looking at its capture area, I would also be suggesting a move out of central Reading but close to one of the M4 junctions to improve the speed of access Junctions 11/12 and 13 being the obvious choices.

Before we look at the above, we need to keep a couple of things in mind. 1 The birth rate in the UK. 2 How the UK is setup in terms of the number of people it needs to remain in what we think of as a prosperous nation. The reality is that the UK birth rate is falling, and a work force is needed to pay for everything that makes us prosperous.

With that said, what gets little to no coverage is emigration from the UK. The latest ONS numbers, June 2023, say 93000 British citizens left the UK. An AXA PPP International report says the main drivers behind British emigration was Poor work / life balance and poor pay and benefits.

First that’s around 3 times the number of people that arrive by small boats according to a Dec 15^th Article on the BBC website. In the same story 89000 sought Asylum in the UK in 2022 (Still less).

What’s not said, and what’s hard to find is the socio-economic breakdown in those numbers.

Let’s face it, if we are losing the mid to high earners and only replace with low earners then it’s not a matter of just measuring in and out, it’s a matter of value (or tax revenue if you like). For example. If I lose a Dr. whose average pay is £76K (net £54K) and replace with someone working in retail where the average salary is £23.3K (net 20K) then I’m at least 3 times worse off as the government. But it’s even worse than that, because a single parent earing £23.3K with 2 school age kids living in Berkshire would be entitled to £329.44 per week of benefits, according to money saving experts web site. That’s another £17130 per annum we need to find. FYI the Dr. gets just child benefits at 39.90 per week or 2074.80 per annum.

The extra cost of the 3.3 people on benefits compared to the 1 Dr. is £56.5K. That’s over twice the tax revenue from the Dr.

A GMC report said that 4843 Drs left the UK in the year May 2021 to 2022

Given the above. I’m going to say the emigration part of net migration is something we need to focus on as a high priority. i.e. retain our talent.

It is impossible to have missed the evolving situation in the USA, with a real possibility that Donald Trump might get re-elected. However, even without that, we hear about President Joe Biden’s thoughts on the UK and Ireland. He’s not that positive about us apparently. Or at least that’s what gets reported.

So, I do find myself asking “Would the USA really come to our aid? Would they stay involved long enough to make the difference? Can we take the risk?” Whereas 20 years ago I would never have doubted, today I’m less sure.

Add to this what we see reported from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran means we face the real possibility of our way of life being changed significantly by direct aggression, or by weaponizing capitalism (which the Chinese state has done very successfully). FYI. I try and stay in touch by watching a range of news channels from the BBC through ITV, GB News, Al Jazeera and Sky. Just so I can get different perspectives on things.

The conflation of all this news is that we live in ever more dangerous times. It's why one of the things I’m keen to see is the UK get to energy independence. I.e. Energy security. I have written previously about ways we can do this in an environmentally positive way, but once we have abundant cheap energy security, we can make positive moves to improve food security, we also get positive outcomes for health and industry and importantly cost of living.

But even if we manage to reverse the trends and make the UK independent in the basics of life, we still won’t be secure given the growing aggression in the world.

That's why I support a strong military, not for global dominance, but to safeguard our interests and respond effectively when necessary. Collaborating with neighbouring countries, who share cultural similarities to form a robust alliance—whether within or outside NATO— can deter potential aggressors.

It’s one of the main reasons why staying close to our European neighbours is a good thing. We need to get passed painting the EU as the devil. It’s a long way from perfect but our cultures are closer than many seem to realise.

As a potential independent MP, I would consider evidence and vote in the best interests of the nation, recognizing that decisions in this area span multiple decades and should be independent of party politics.

My position is quite straightforward really.

As a nation, it is impossible to sustain an immigration rate of 700K plus per annum

• We need to be able to choose who comes and stays
• My first concern is to split out genuine asylum seekers and economic migrants
• Economic migrants need to arrive by safe legal routes. They should apply before they set off on the journey to the UK. They need to be filling a role that cannot be filled by someone already living here.
• Economic migration needs to be ruled based and fulfil only those things we cannot train for locally.
• I am just as concerned about emigration.

Are we losing skilled people and replacing them with non-skilled? I did a letter to the press on this - see here

https://adrianabbs.uk/Contents/ContentItems/48gx8qefbem1ptvxz620rzaawh

For me, it starts further back and comes down to the economy we are building. Build the right type of economy and emigration of skilled labour falls

It's a tough nut to crack but the speed of processing applications is one key. Being willing to say "No thanks, we don't need your specific skill set" must be something we can do as a nation.

When I moved back from working in Germany my home was at RG30 3UN which is in the East of the constituency. Both my children went to school in Reading.

I currently live on the border of Newbury / Thatcham. The boundary for the new constituency runs all the way to Thatcham. So, I am very close.

The constituency is made up from Rural (West) and Urban (East). As I have lived at both ends, I believe I will bring an understanding to what is needed locally for the Constituency. I also run a business (In Newbury) that employs people who live in places like Aldermaston.

Before standing I contacted several of the current District councillors to see if they would be running. None were who represented a centralist and internationalist perspective. That meant no candidate close to my own principles was standing.

Now that all the main candidates have announced, it seems to remain clear that I can offer a viable alternative to party politics and am someone who has a strong connection to the constituency.

Some of the work I have done as a District Councillor is based in Mid Berkshire (Things like the Grazely solar farm and energy generation at Padworth recycling centre). I also met with people in Beenham when they had a particularly contentious planning app – In an advisor role.

David Tully from Rochdale showed that an Independent can do very well in an election for Parliament. He got 21% of the vote. He was just a local businessman who wanted to do something for his community. Same as me.

Given the Conservative vote is mainly in Mid Berkshire historically and the Labour Vote is strongest in Reading West, we already have a split. Now add in that the Conservative vote splits again because of Reform. The Labour Vote also splits because Tilehurst has historically voted Lib Dem (at least during council elections). This means we have no party with more than ¼ of the votes. Turn outs at General elections are averaging 65%. So around 16 to 17% each

An independent has a chance because. 1) the 35% of people who don’t normally vote now have a viable choice. 2) Many softer Conservative voters are so angry with their own party they are actively considering voting for change or staying at home. They don’t really want to vote Labour and the Lib Dems just don’t have enough people to do the whole area. They have only around 140 members and far less activists (maybe 5-10) across the area I believe. 3) Although the Green candidate is someone I respect, the Green vote is just not a tactical vote this time around in this location.

If we believe in democracy, then we need a solution when electing MPs that represents what voters believe in. 1^st past the post has led to some very odd election results with huge majorities that do not reflect the majority. Its very hard indeed to find any example of a single party commanding more than 50% of the publics vote.

Now add in stability. Having been running my own business’s for over 20 years I can say the number 1 thing that benefits growth is stability. Be that inflation or the rules under which business must run.

So, I have come to believe we should adopt a form of PR that still ensures I can elect a person, rather than a party, but then also reflects what voters want. It does mean we will get representatives from the extremes, but we should also get better cooperation and stability.

I do not hold any strong opinion on this bill other than to acknowledge the costs of supporting people's choices. If we have a known product that directly hurts people's health then encouraging them to change the habit would be my go to start position. Taxing those products to ensure the necessary health support later on has to happen otherwise a persons choice falls on other shoulders.

This goes to my belief that people should be able to choose. My only concern is ensuring it really is their choice.

I do not believe in the breakup of the UK.  So devolving power to allow each part to decide if they wanted to join the EU (or even could) is not something I see as helpful at this time.

The concept of devolved power, in theory, allows a more specific focus by those elected to these parliaments.

The problem is that it costs quite a lot. As the world shrinks, the differences economically also shrinks.

I struggle to see how splitting tax, health etc into smaller parts makes for greater efficiency.

My mind is open but as a businessman, I would want to see the business case and advantages economically of doing it.

I do not have access to enough information to know if this is even affordable. So sorry I am unable to answer this question at this time.

Genocide is defined in the English dictionary as “the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group:”

By this definition, both the Israeli State and Hamas terror group seem to be guilty of it. They both aim to destroy each other.

The sad bit is that we live in a world where killing is done all the time. Everything says to me that the only practical solution is to have two states that live in peace. I am happy to voice my thoughts on this but I'm afraid I don't think either party is listening so people suffer.

Paying the going rate for something is the shortest way to ensure availability. The issue is the cost to the state when the state has run out of money.

Healthy teeth are often linked to healthy choices in food. The only way to make this all affordable would be to reduce the level of need by focusing on the young and ensuring less pressure in the first place.

Almost everything that is a problem in the UK comes back to money. As a society, even if we tax more there are limits because we work on a global stage. Without fixing UK competitiveness on the world stage we won't be able to afford to pay the going rate for services people want.

In my leaflet here https://adrianabbs.uk/media/ppc/Leaflet-A3.pdf I lay out a long-term plan to revitalise the UK economy so we can also afford and fix our services

I am looking at placing the Constituency office in Theale initially. This is central as much as is possible.

I have been asked to expand a little on how Land Value Reform might help with not just house building but the cost of homes.

This type of reform works by councils and ideally other community groups, being able to purchase land for building where it's needed. The price would reflect the current use. So it would be a lot cheaper than what it costs after planning permission is granted.

That removes one of the huge costs associated with building and should lead to a stabalising and possible drop in the cost of homes. It also means councils can provide housing for the needs we have.

There are other parts of the concept to do with controlling costs on the build and ensuring they are net zero after the build. Net zero means saving money as the cost of running them are also very low.

Well, we are in a state for sure. There are lots of labels that use the word "phobia" and most have become overused and now cause confusion. My own opinion is that people are individuals, and as such, in a free society, have the ability to be what they want to be. There is at least one exception to this for me and that is Paedophilia there is no possible excuse. On trans people in general, then as long as barriers do not exist, people should have the ability to be what they want to be.

If I'm ever asked about a specific case, then the balance would fall on whether what was being asked for causes harm to other groups in some way. One group's rights cannot trump another.

I’m a scientist at heart, so from what I understand, conversion therapy is cruel and not proven to be successful.

I have an e-bike and use it to commute to my office when it's not raining. By .2026 we should see the introduction of driverless vehicles. Within just a few years I assume e-pods will dominate the market. So yes updated legislation for e-anything is needed. Whatever the law, the police have the power to enforce it and should. Those modifying e-anything to break the law should have the relevant fine or confiscation applied. 

Myself, I'd like to link legislation to mass. i.e. the heavier and faster the e-anything the more rules apply as the greater the chance of serious injury the heavier it is and the faster it goes.

We must find safe ways to embrace alternatives to the standard commute to benefit everyone.

Covid was real and the ONS number showed a massive increase on the 5-year rolling averages for deaths. Although that dipped a couple of times the extras far outweighed these small dips.

In February 2020 I was at a council meeting and was asking why we did not have hand gel in the foyer. We already had stories of how bad it was in China and Italy.

I run an SME and had already ordered masks for every employee by this stage, because why not take care when so much was still unknown? They were already in short supply.

The government then proceeded to make a series of mistakes. The ones I worried about were speed and science.

They spoke about face masks, just bits of cloth to cover your face which did nothing to protect you as a person. What was needed was FFP2/3 masks which offered the wearer protection and others nearby. I tried to get this message out as a Cllr via West Berks but it was somewhat ignored.

I don’t say this using hindsight (that would be easy) I say it from the information available to me at the time (an ordinary West Berkshire councillor).

Why was speed important? Simply because it would have reduced the peaks, associated deaths and the time scales we were in lockdown.

The mistakes not only had a massive effect on the number of people who died, but also the economy. We will be paying that back for decades to come.

Schooling from home would have been shorter as well. This means the attainment gap that came about would have been less.

The Science has to lead when looking at long covid. I don’t have enough data personally to say if it's all real or not.

Yes - As a way of improving participation and efficiency it's the obvious thing to do. I believe allowing Hybrid meetings is the first step as there are still things that need a physical signature. It makes it much more possible for Cllrs (who are volunteers) from all walks of life to take part.

It needs a fix. The obvious answer is to require a builder to begin work once they have detailed planning permission within say 12 months, or maybe 24 months in exceptional circumstances. If they can't or won't, then the local authority could step in and take over the development. If they can't, then it goes to a rapid bid process (max 6 months) and in turn if there are no bids then the planning permission is removed.

There is much more than can be done around building which focuses on having suitable developments brought forward when a council sets land aside in their local plan. Given this process is developer-led at the moment then some form of outlined planning permission must be gained within a decade of the land being allocated.

I would not be by myself. As with other MPs there is a constituency office with staff. This would be made up of paid staff from allowances as well as interns looking to understand how legislation is created and how MPs work.

I’ve come to believe that what the country needs more than anything is long-term vision and stability. These are things that come about when the rules stay the same for a long period of time and when parliament is focused on multi-term outcomes, not just the next election. The hundreds of years by which we’ve had first passed the post seem to have proven that the one thing that’s not delivered is stability. Therefore, I have come to believe in PR as the way forward to solving the U K’s fundamental problems.

Yes, I believe there is a whole rack of laws that could do with some reform. It would be about making existing legislation fit for the current century.

Freedom of speech is an obvious example, being responsible for what you say is not enshrined when we look at social media. So I would want to help modernise and reform the existing laws of the land rather than creating even more. One-in-one-out should be the minimum to aim for.

I often use the terms steam or SMATE. Steam stands for “save the environment and money”, whilst SMATE stands for “saving money and the environment”. Either way there is the reality that money is involved.

I also believe that we must focus on influencing outside of the UK to have any real effect. It's why I introduced a label concept that would allow the UK to set a standard by which anything sold here clearly displays its environmental impact. This label was about giving people the choice and encouraging producers to change through buyer’s pressure.

I stand for practicable change "at pace" that tackles what we can do rather than what we can’t. I do believe in areas such as green energy that we can produce solutions that could then be sold worldwide. An Industrial Revolution version 2 if you will.

I see ways we can individually make a difference but through standards that we can influence others.

Many grants that a Parish council might access have two main issues. There is not enough time to create a bid by the Parish to access the grant. The grant must be spent too quickly to allow for the best value to be obtained. As MP I will be happy to try and help address this situation and so ensure the Parish can get access to the grants but also to ensure the nation gets the best value from it. This is about our civil servant's unstanding of the timeframes associated with the conditions they apply to grants applied for by District councils.

This is similar to the question posed by East Isley which was about Hybrid meetings. The removal of laws stopping hybrid meetings would directly aid and support diversity and accessibility at the parish level. I would be very keen to have this change made by parliment.

Probably the number one complaint when there is any kind of significant housing built is infrastructure. It’s never enough and it’s not quick enough. Although it is a tough area to deal with some fundamental changes could be made.

First, moving infrastructure delivery to the early part of the development rather than waiting until the end. How that is funded needs resolving but impacting existing infrastructure for years before the new is delivered is not acceptable.

Second, Ensuring that the NPPF reflects local infrastructure needs so that an existing local plan or neighbourhood plan carries equal weight and so ensures community-led development becomes practical.

Third, Where large developments are proposed (Say > 250 homes). The associated impact on GP surgeries, schools, roads, sewage, drainage etc are not allowed to be compromised. Communities need teath in the process to ensure the community remains intact.

Three things I will fight for.

1. Remove the water company's exceptions to Riprion weights
2. Ensure they invest and move towards new technologies that increase capacity using less energy and remove PFAS from the treated water.
3. Look at a major program to match the current population to our water and sewage networks. We still rely in large areas on Victorian infrastructure designed for a population of less than half what it is today. This will be my 2nd priority after showing ways to fix our energy security with local, clean cheap energy.

This is where local community input via Parish Councils can have a real effect. 

Giving sufficient weight to the local community in planning terms means blanket bans on needed infrastructure could be better weighed against local needs.

Understanding what is needed in our villages to keep them vibrant can then be more easily balanced against the preservation of our AONB.

I have already committed to holding regular surgeries around the constituency. I believe that this is what an MP must do to represent the whole constituency. 

One of the advantages of not being a member of a party is all the time it saves. That will instead be spent talking to local councillors who can keep the local issues at the forefront of the MPs mind.

Based on a belief in democracy i.e. that if the majority wants something then unless there is a legal reason why it can't be done it should.

I absolutely believe that local people know what is best for their village etc. So if the majority of that location are saying we have a problem can you support us? Essentially I would. However, speed limits are a devolved power to district councils so it would be a matter of writing a letter of support to the relevant council.

I should be clear that all these types of decisions should be based on a majority wanting it and the data supporting the identified issue.

The MP can support residents when they have identified issues where in this case West Berkshire Council highways officer say there should be signage. The MP can write letters and look to ensure correct funding is in place for councils to carry out this work.

When it rains it shows us all the issues, we face with existing infrastructure that has become overloaded from when it was designed and built. It also brings into perspective how important infrastructure is when planning of any type is being considered. It is something I would be keen to lobby on in Parliament because this is where it needs to be resolved. The costly but needed investment has to come from a central resource.

We can do something about sewage as I've outlined here. However, with the predicted growth of the UK population, ensuring planning has teeth to ensure infrastructure is delivered with housing is a must.

For me, it’s not just a matter of providing what we think we need for a specific development, but rather how we deliver that plus a sizable extra margin to take account of future needs. If we did more future proofing then the roads won’t need to be dug up so often.

I’ve been a resident of this Berkshire area for more than 25 years. My journey began in Pingewood, Reading, within the RG30 postcode, after returning from my work in Germany. Over time, I’ve moved through Thatcham, and now I reside on the border between Newbury and Thatcham (RG14). As someone deeply connected to this locality, having both lived here and built my businesses, I have a keen understanding of the diverse elements that constitute the currently divided urban and rural constituency.

One of the great things about being an Independent MP is being there for constituents as a first priority. Too often MPs shy away from planning or other issues because of the party they belong to. Whether it is as obvious as donations from builders to campaigns or more subtle donations that influence the priorities of parties. It is really bad when the party is the ruling party.

I want to bring my  5 years of district planning experience to my role as MP with a focus on community-led development.

The second part of being a good constituency MP will be having surgeries in the community, not asking the community to just one location. This an a strong belief that the MP should be talking to the Parish, Town and district councillors should ensure when something local of importance comes up it gets noticed and addressed.

The parish council expressed there concern on this subject. I was left with the impression that MPs should ensure relevant planning can be enforced where the DEPZ is relevant. It seems far to often that planning goes ahead where it should not.

This one is straightforward. The beauty of being independent is that you can choose to support matters of concern to the constituency. If we have a hung parliament (a possible outcome from the next general election) then those who don't have a party motive can work with whoever is working in the best interests of his constituency or the nation.

This is an opportunity to break away from the politics we wee in Westminster and bring some business acumen to politics.

There is a lot more about this on my being independent page https://adrianabbs.uk/being-independent

The parish council expressed their concern on this subject. It has similarities to other areas such as Membury where industrial is built in the countryside and all the associated commercial traffic that is associated with it.  This comes down to having relevant local planning that fits the needs of the landscape. Community-led development with teeth supplied to local planners would go a long way to resolving or mitigating some of the extremes.

The parish council was clear about issues with the relationship with West Berkshire Council (WBC). Somthing  and MP could lobby for if they were focused on local issues.

I would want to use the experience built over the past 4-5 years of being on Western Area Planning for West Berkshire Council, as well as a short period as Chairman to bring the weight of an MP to local planning issues. To often for me they shy away from commenting.

I would be different because of this and the fact that I have seen first-hand what poor planning can do to a community.

Simply yes. This is why I am putting the answers given at various meetings in writing so everything is clear and recorded.

Not every answer will be popular but it will be based on the principles of openness, fairness and transparency.

I was asked the question "If you had not been replaced as the Lib Dem candidate, would you have been standing in front of us tonight as a Lib Dem?" during the meeting. 

My answer is most likely. I became a Lib Dem originally because they were the closest fit to my own beliefs as a centralist. FYI I do not like the extremes of politics and at a local level being a Lib Dem delivers councillors who work hard in and for their communities.

The reason I say "most likely" is that lately, some Lib Dem policy is becoming more extreme. That's the 5 to10% that did not align with my own beliefs. 

Now, as an Independent, party politics has been brought into focus. Something that our new constituency does not need. So I am actually relieved to have returned to being an Independent . This should allow me to put the constituency above anything else. Here you can see the 7 things that being independent can do for the constituency.

Unfortunately, West Ilsley Parish Council responded to my note about this survey with the following, I have followed up with them reconfirming that this is information to be collated for whoever is the next MP me or anyone else.

"Dear Adrian,

West Ilsley Parish Council asks that you not attend the meeting on 20th February because it does not feel it is appropriate for a parish council meeting.

Kind regards,"

This was received from their clerk to the council whose details are available if needed on their website..

I've mentioned this elsewhere in the FAQ and written articles on the issue. It comes down to shifting the variable costs associated with providing care to Westminster so that Local councils are not forced to cut other services when fulfilling this requirement. Central governments are the only ones with enough flexibility in funding to accommodate the unknowns of social care throughout the year. We also need to focus on taking advantage of bulk buying etc, which again central government should be better placed to do. Local teams employed by the local councils can deliver the needed services.

After sending a request to all councillors who represent the Norcot ward I received 1 reply from Cllr Jo Lovelock - See below

"Hello Adrian

I have already given my support to Liv Bailey who is both local and was an excellent candidate in 2017.

Best wishes

Jo Lovelock"

I did follow up with her explaining this was to go to whoever wins the next election, but I think this unfortunately shows party politics in action. Not good for the new constituency.

Each ward that makes up the new constituency has its own “biggest issue”. I would want the campaign messages to reflect both local and national issues. I would produce messages for each ward by working with residents and Cllrs. My literature would have a clear message saying “Visit our FAQ to see what your Independent MP will do for your ward”

Lib Dems are known for their support of minorities. Whilst I 100% agree with that, they too often find themselves trapped into talking on these issues only. They let the media control their narrative. I want to focus more on the issues of the majority like the NHS, Education, Energy etc.

A woman’s perception of the issue is what guides my view. Given the numbers are very small, it must be possible to offer women a space that fits their needs during their most vulnerable time. The same is true of transgender women.

Riparian wrights provide protection under the law for waterways from pollution. Sewage treatment companies have licences that override this. I would first work in Parliament to remove all such exceptions. There are new technology solutions that essentially eliminate the need to dump in our rivers, So, helping Thames water down this path would be my first move.

Having people in charge that understand the whole patient journey is essential to solving the problem. Drs and Nurses are best placed to do that. I would have management reflect this. I would also properly fund adult social care to ensure Councils can receive patients back into the community. Design the journey, Fix the bottlenecks, fund it properly and solve the problem.

Yes, the way it was done, and the growing effect means Brexit is a disaster. From increased red tape, lack of job flexibility, security concerns and huge chunks of industry starting to move into Europe are just some of the obvious effects. I therefore support finding a path to return to better relations with the EU.

It really made me laugh when asked. My answer is, “As fish and chips”. It is a traditional British dish that most people like, is good value and is present in most communities. That sums me up well

• Immediately it is the Cost of Living Crisis

• Long term it is the growing debt mountain

The answer is different for each socioeconomic group

• Focusing on those with the most need, then all forms of social care and simply being able to keep their head above water

· My whole manifesto is built around showing how we can have a sustainable future that does not cost but rather saves money and provides other benefits.

The question was are you running because of what the Lib Dems did during the selection process? The answer is an emphatic no. I am running having returned to my previous state of being an independent and because party politics is broken. Businessmen like myself and other people who have had different careers and so different expertise need to become MPs – Not career politicians

1^st talk to the candidate, listen to what they say at hustings and write it down. Follow up with any answers and get it in writing. Ask under what conditions something in a manifesto might not be delivered. I.e. grill the candidates on how they will deliver what they have said or what their party has said it will do. Get beyond "Political Promises"

• 1^st and most important is making sure we have an emergency plan for the mass production of Masks (FFP2/3) - Masks of the correct type protect - face coverings do not
• That we have a relevant stock for emergency services so we don't lose those key workers
• Be prepared to move on scientific advice faster. Covid issues were a lot bigger because of the speed of response.

• Riparian rights licences should all be removed so that any water company can be fined according to what they do.
• If they go bust then they come back to public ownership
• They must be forced to use new methods for managing sewage (Like Hydrothermal Carbonisation). Change the game so that sewage becomes part of sustainable food production
• Start to limit water taken from rivers after farming has had a chance to adopt how it farms for lower water use
• finish implementing the Water Neutrality Act and in fact go further by having a schedule for reduction not just neutrality

Somewhere over the Rainbow - IZ Kamakawiwo'ole

Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

It became apparent to me, as I spent more time as a Cllr, and went through the positions of opposition spokesperson to being on the executive and now being an independent, that many of the issues we face locally can only really be solved by Westminster. The most obvious example is social care (I wrote a letter about this previously)

This, plus seeing how Westminster party politics works and how many MPs simply go for the opposite of whatever the administration says. i.e. They just oppose. No one I speak to likes the shouting they see in Westminster.

I try to scrutinise what is being said, but also try and give solutions via amendments and motions. I also seed ideas which is how I believe an MP should act. MPs should work for the best outcome of the people of their constituency and for the nation.

I am married, have 2 children and 3 grand . My wife and I have always supported each other in things we think are important. My family is concerned about the level of abuse that is levelled at MPs and worried how this might impact them. Our conclusion is that if people don’t step forward then nothing will change.

For different reasons, those that don’t think any party actually represents them, which is the majority of people I speak with saying things like “I really want an alternative”

Another set is those that have stopped voting because to quote a few of them “All politicians are the same” It's only when they see a viable independent that they go “Oh I’ll read that, thanks for standing”. There are also quite a lot of people who want an MP who has run a business and who will bring that way of thinking to Parliament. Finally, there are those that have seen me as a Cllr, watched me stand up for local issues, and see that I care about them and the environment. If I do as well as David Tully did in Rochdale (21%) of the vote then it's likely I would win the seat. FYI David was simply a local businessman who wanted to help his constituency. The reason 21% would win is that the rest of the vote is being split between, Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems, Reform and Greens. Just the odd person is saying they are voting a specific way so far.

The number one thing is that they don’t trust the current MPs and specifically the current government. After that it has been a lot about immigration, housing, the NHS and access to GPs. Many business people have mentioned red tape and how councils are impacting the high street by raising parking charges.

I am representing voters and local business. Not any party. That means

1. All Views

From the Reading West wards of Tilehurst, Norcott and Kentwood, to our 15 rural locations, residents come from all walks of life. As an independent MP, I will make sure that every type of voice is represented in Parliament.

2. Breaking Free from Party Whips

Party loyalty constrains MPs. It forces them to vote for the party line even when it is against local interests. As an independent MP, I’m not constrained by these handcuffs. My allegiance lies 100% with you.

3. Tailoring Solutions to Local Challenges

With its urban and rural mix, Reading West and Mid Berkshire faces unique challenges. Affordable housing, transportation, environmental sustainability, and healthcare access, to name a few. As an independent MP, I will work tirelessly with you, creating solutions to improve our lives.

4. Building Cross-Party Alliances

Independence isn’t isolation. It means I can be nimble and collaborate across party lines. A golden opportunity for me to champion legislation to benefit you all.

5. Upholding Accountability and Transparency

As an independent MP one of my top priorities is to earn your trust. I promise to work in a transparent and accountable manner, responsible to my constituents. My life experience and direction from the community will drive my decisions. Constituents’ needs will come before mine.

6. Working in parliament and the constituency

Imagine an MP who hosts meetings across the constituency, listens intently to local concerns, and actively involves constituents in decision-making. I’m committing to do this as my aspirations are to be a great constituency MP. For me, as an independent, I want to reinvigorate civic engagement, encouraging residents to participate in shaping their own destiny by working closely with me.

7. Integrity

Trust in politicians has declined. To change this, my commitment is to principles, not party politics. My belief is that this will inspire confidence that I’m public, and not self-serving.