Why you should give David your next vote.

I've been a part of Maidstone since I was a child, and my roots here run deep. As well as running my own labouring business, I have for over two decades served as a public servant, striving to make a difference in our community. I have been a part of Maidstone Borough Council for over 20 years and it has continually brought me great pleasure to serve as a Councillor. I was honoured to be elected as the Mayor of Maidstone in 2018, and have also enjoyed the role of Deputy Mayor too.

My time in these roles allowed me to demonstrate leadership and dedication in our community, earning the trust and respect of my fellow residents. It has put me in great positions to be able to listen to the concerns of the residents within our community and work hard on the matters that are important to us here in Maidstone and Malling.

Additionally, I am the current Chairman of the Royal British Legion's Maidstone and District branch, where I've worked to honour and serve our community's veterans. This has been a position that I have felt immense pride in, being part of a group with such amazing characters and doing work that has been hugely rewarding by helping our veterans.

My commitment to democratic values led me to join the Liberal Democrats back in 1998. Over the years, I have gained vast experience in working for our local communities, gaining vast experience within campaigns for elections, whilst also campaigning heavily on matters of concern such as Anti-Social Behaviour and the Armed Forces Covenant.

In all my efforts, I have ensured my hardest to advocate for fairness, representation and the standards in which constituents rightly expect from public service. Furthermore, the functioning of our democracy is hugely important and I am very happy to be actively involved in democratic participation as the Chairman of the Liberal Democrats Parliamentary Candidates Association. As a party, we see the democratic system we have as not functioning for the true representation of constituents in the UK. That is why we are advocating and campaigning to introduce Proportional Representation; a fairer way of conducting politics. First past the post has given us a broken two-party system, currently leaving the country with no real alternative.

Beyond politics, I'm deeply engaged in our community's activities. I have provided support for some of our youth organisations such as the Sea Cadets, and the Maidstone Raiders Disability Team. For 5 years, I had great pleasure working as a steward at the Gallagher Stadium, and have been able to partner with Maidstone Weightlifting Coach Matt Vine to bring a national championship to the town. One of my proudest achievements was to revive the beloved Maidstone River Festival in 2019 and it has continued its success in the years since. It has been wonderful to bring the wider community from Maidstone and its surrounding areas together again to enjoy and appreciate the natural asset we have with the River Medway.  

My goal isn't merely to hold office; I aspire to be a strong advocate for Maidstone and Malling in Parliament, representing our shared concerns. It is time that our community and the amazing people within it receive the true representation it deserves. Too many years have the concerns of Maidstone and Malling gone unheard. It is time to come together, to show those who have little care for our area that it will stand no more. We are fortunate to live in a place such as we do, but its potential has not been unlocked. I hope to gain the support of Maidstone and Malling constituents to bring them true representation  and work towards a brighter future for all.