Another candidate steps forward (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Another candidate steps forward

ADVERTISER, APRIL 19: ANOTHER Independent candidate has come forward for the South Swindon constituency.

The other candidates for South Swindon, who were profiled in the Advertiser last week, are Robert Buckland (Con), Stephen Halden (UKIP), Bill Hughes (Green), Anne Snelgrove (Lab), Sue Stebbing (Lib Dem) and John Williams (Ind).

Joining them is Alan Hayward. The IT contractor is 45 and lives with his partner and four children.

He was not interested in politics until plans emerged to build a new football ground at Shaw Forest.

But just over a year after starting to campaign against those plans he is standing for Parliament.

"Life rather changed that day," he said.

"The campaign to save Shaw Forest from development completely opened my eyes to what is going on locally, regionally and nationally."

Mr Hayward, who organised the recent Swindon Together on Planning STOP march, believes that local and national government have become elected dictatorships and says he would listen to residents if elected.

"The majority would decide which way I should vote in Parliament," he said.

"I won't have policies and make promises.

"I will have principles and beliefs instead."

Mr Hayward's ideas include providing better facilities in the town for teenagers and focussing on a "home-grown" university for Swindon, rather than allowing the University of Bath to build at Coate.