Reform UK candidate on 'smart' immigration and his Whitesnake tribute band

We put five short questions to our MP candidates to get a further insight on their campaign plans.

Richard Langridge is Reform UK's parliamentary candidate for Witney.

Q: Why did you decide to stand?

There are so many people who have no idea whom to vote for and are crying out for an alternative to the other parties who offer no solutions.

I have lived here all my life and run a business here and want to do all I can to improve the lives of the people who live here. I will support our local businesses, help those who need healthcare, and everyone who is struggling at the moment.

Q: What is the main issue in Witney?

Housing is a huge issue here, as it is everywhere. We need housing, particularly for our young people, but it must be in the right place.

I have fought for over 17 years to stop the appalling housing development in North Witney. This would threaten the whole of the centre of Witney with devastating flooding, among other serious consequences. The other parties have said they want to stop it, but have done nothing.

We also need to re-open Witney High Street and get life blood back to our town, scrap all but essential 20mph speed limits, and stop the practice of dumping sewerage and chemicals into our rivers immediately.

Q: What is the main issue facing the nation?

The main issue has to be runaway immigration. This affects every area of our lives - housing, access to healthcare, and the education of our children, to name a few.

We must concentrate on “smart” immigration and welcome people only for essential work. Only Reform UK would actually stop the boats, rather than simply having a slogan and doing absolutely nothing.

We are also paying extremely high taxes - the highest since 1948. You simply cannot tax your way out of a crisis - you must grow your way out of it. We must also end NHS waiting lists.

Q: Tell us two surprising facts about you

I am a keen student of quantum and particle physics. I believe they hold the key to our understanding of how the universe works. The predictions of quantum physics are unfailingly accurate, but nobody really understands how they work, or what their underlying meaning is. All this makes me a great dinner party guest! Or perhaps not?

I was a singer in a rock band when I was younger. We modelled ourselves as a cross between Motorhead and Whitesnake. I even wrote a song for my now wife, Alexandra, which sadly did not make the charts. One of my proudest moments was people singing one of my songs on the top deck of a bus.