Former Tory council leader changes party in bid to become MP

THE former Conservative leader of Wokingham Borough Council has switched to the Reform UK party in a bid to become an MP.

John Halsall, who lives in Remenham, used to represent the Remenham, Wargrave and Ruscombe ward but stood down at the local elections earlier this month.

Now he is standing for Reform in the Beaconsfield constituency at the general election due to take place later this year.

He attacked his former party, saying: “I am a Conservative. I believe in small government, enterprise, ambition, the individual, compassion, low taxation, competence, the rule of law, freedom, personal responsibility, free market economics, fiscal responsibility, sovereignty and the Union. Sadly, there is nothing Conservative nor Unionist about the Conservative Party in Westminster nor has there been for some considerable time.

“They are just Liberal Democrats in another guise — big government, loads of intervention on personal freedom, a strongly woke agenda, abandonment of Ulster, Gibraltar, high taxation, partial reversal of Brexit and, worst of all, incompetence. I never left them, they left me.

“The Tories have broken Britain. Labour will bankrupt Britain. A vote for either is a vote for more incompetence, dishonesty and defeat. There is an alternative. The British people have a rational, fresh and untainted choice in Reform UK.

“I am extremely honoured at being born an Englishman with a long, proud history and the values of tolerance, compassion and patience. I am a strong Brexiteer, who campaigned extensively.

“It is a great privilege to be the Reform UK parliamentary candidate for Beaconsfield. If elected, I will help to regain that common sense, good governance and competence for which we used to be renowned throughout the world.

“The current MP, Joy Morrissey, has been a prominent member of the Government since being elected and is therefore culpable.”

Mr Halsall has lived in Remenham for more than 40 years and is married with three children. He has been chairman of the parish council for 25 years. He served as borough councillor for 13 years from 2019 until 2022 when the Conservatives lost control of the council for the first time in 20 years.

During his time as leader of Wokingham council he faced the coronavirus pandemic, Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Wokingham and the completion of major road projects including the North Wokingham Distributor Road and the Shinfield and Arborfield relief roads.

The Beaconsfield constituency covers South Buckinghamshire, including Beaconsfield, Marlow, Slough and Eton.

The Liberal Democrat candidate is Ann Crabtree while Labour has not yet selected a candidate.

Clive Jones, a Lib-Dem who replaced Mr Halsall as leader of the borough council, also stepped down at the local elections in order to run as a MP for Wokingham.

The seat has been held by Conservative John Redwood since 1987.

Beaconsfield Conservatives declined to comment.