Reform UK candidate for Mid Bedfordshire says party has a 'common sense' approach to policy

Dave Holland is standing as Reform UK’s Mid Bedfordshire candidate as the party’s message “is his message”.

“I felt politically homeless, I couldn’t find anybody that was aligned with my views that I wanted to vote for or felt passionate about voting for,” he said.

“When I found the Reform Party [sic] I thought I’ll join them and stand for them to get that message out,” he said.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked him what that message was.

“Well, I think there’s so much that doesn’t work in this country at the moment,” he replied.

“A big issue for me is the daily illegal arrivals in the Channel – I think stopping the boats is one of the most important things we can do because that’s just jacking up everybody’s costs and putting more and more pressure on all our services.”

It was put to Mr Holland that the lack of access to services was caused by the government setting housing targets for local authorities without planning for the required increase in infrastructure or funding the NHS to keep up with demand.

He replied: “But the houses are being built because the population is going up, and that population’s being spread around the whole country.

“And so the infrastructure isn’t keeping pace with that house building and the increase in population, which is why you can’t get a doctor’s appointment and why you can’t get a dentist appointment, the two are linked.”

Mr Holland said Reform UK’s target is to achieve net zero migration.

“Then our population would remain relatively stable, and then we can catch up with the services that are lacking and build out the infrastructure that we need for the population,” he said.

Mr Holland also said the party’s economic policy is wrapped up in “common sense”.

“Rather than taxing the hilt out of everybody and then giving back handouts to help people pay their gas bills, if we instead increase the £12,000 tax limit to £20,000 it’ll put £30 a week in the pockets of all of the lowest paid.

“You could then cut back on how many handouts you have to give to help people pay their gas bills – it’s the same money.

“I think it’ll encourage growth if you make that change in tax allowances.

“It will take five million people out of paying tax at all, and they’re the five million people that don’t need to pay tax.

“We need to level up and we’re not, the difference between the haves and have-nots has never been greater in this country,” he said.

If elected, Mr Holland said: “I’ll be representing [constituents’] interests in line with our manifesto, because that’s fundamentally our beliefs.

“As a representative of the people in parliament you need to actually talk to the people, you need to have open access so people can come to you with their problems and you can help them in whatever way you can.

“Fundamentally we’re aiming to put some common sense back into everybody’s lives, so you don’t have to shake your head and wonder why all this nonsense is going on,” he said.