At the last election, the Liberal Democrats repeatedly highlighted my past membership of the Labour Party and my time as a Labour councillor on the town council. I want to take this opportunity to clarify that I no longer have any connection to the Labour Party and have no intention of ever rejoining.

I resigned from the party after Sir Keir Starmer became leader. Under his leadership, I saw good candidates denied the opportunity to stand for election and a deliberate effort by the party elite to push out anyone who didn’t toe the party line.

This was no longer the party I had joined, and I felt it no longer represented working people.

As I still wanted to serve the people of Spennymoor, I made the decision to become an Independent. My focus now is entirely on serving the community and addressing local issues in a non-partisan way.

To be absolutely clear to my opponents: I have no association with Labour or any other main party, and I never will.