About James
James is an experienced campaigner who has worked for leading charities and advice organisations. He has been a Town Councillor and stood in several elections before in Suffolk, including as Police and Crime Commissioner, and in previous general elections for neighbouring Suffolk Coastal and Central Suffolk and North Ipswich constituencies.
James writes:
"I am delighted to be standing to be MP for Ipswich, one of England's oldest towns. Having lived in Suffolk for over 10 years, I’ve always viewed Ipswich as the hub and heart of Suffolk, with all the great attributes of a small city. I say this because Ipswich is a city in all but name, and it’s astonishing that the Tory and Labour politicians who have led and represented Ipswich over recent years have failed to secure city status – just one of the issues I’d like to take up.
See below some of my other priorities for Ipswich."
Why bother, some people might ask? In a constituency that electorally is usually marginal between the two large parties, shouldn’t the political priority be rejecting the embarrassingly bad Tory government and securing the opposition’s victory?
Well sure, I want see the back of the Tories; but we need more than a change of Government, we need a change of governance. If the last 10 years have taught us anything, it’s surely that the system that rewards the two large parties leads to ever worse outcomes for citizens, a politics that’s out of touch, and to further disengagement.
Ipswich people deserve better.