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‘Why do they make it so hard?’ a general election candidate who stood in Reading has protested, warning that political parties have an unfair advantage.
Adrian Abbs stood as an Independent candidate for the Reading West and Mid Berkshire constituency for this year’s general election.
Initially hoping to be selected as the Liberal Democrat, Mr Abbs was ultimately beaten out as that party’s candidate by Helen Belcher.
Mr Abbs received 562 votes, coming in sixth place during the election on Thursday, July 4.
The first issue he highlighted is that Independent candidates are not allowed to have branding on the ballot paper.
Mr Abbs said: “My own campaign started in January 2024 as I (and others) was expecting an election to be called around November.
“I used a logo with hands shaking as a brand to demonstrate cooperation and that I wanted to represent the people, not a party.
“However, the rules that apply ‘only to independents’ are:
You can’t have your logo on the ballot paper;
You can’t describe yourself other than with the word ‘Independent’.”
In Reading West and Mid Berkshire, Adie Peppiatt also stood as an Independent, receiving 272 votes.
Mr Abbs said: “I was running a campaign that revolved around ‘Party Politics is Broken’, while Mr Peppiat stood to help promote ‘Action Against Hard Drugs and Knife Crime’.
“In the voting booth, no one would see this, just that we were both Independent.
“These rules make no sense whatsoever and are just another anti-democratic barrier.”
He also highlighted how the main political parties have funding and postal advantages over Independent candidates.
Each candidate is allowed to send every voter one A5 piece of communication with the postage covered by the electoral commission, with candidates having to pay for communication production, enveloping and delivery to a mailing office.
However, the timing of letters being dispatched is important due to postal voting arrivals and deadlines to be sent.
Mr Abbs argued that the main parties are able to lobby strongly to get their letters delivered first, leaving Independents and smaller parties at the mercy of later Royal Mail deliveries.
He said: “In my case, the Royal Mail started saying they were too busy and could not accept my letter until approximately a day before the postal vote landed.
“Therefore, it would not have been delivered until two to four days after this date and thus after many people would have voted.”
Mr Abbs also argued the whole system is designed for the main parties as they can draw on membership support and funding.
He said: “The system we have, and the lack of real choice, point towards democracy failing.
“Strangely, the only party I see being able to make enough noise is Reform. That’s because of who leads them and that person’s ability to get voter recognition.”
After the election, Mr Abbs re-entered West Berkshire Council as an Independent councillor for Newbury Wash Common.
Meanwhile, fellow candidates cllr Ross Mackinnon (Conservative, Bradfield) reassumed his place as the shadow leader, and cllr Carolyne Culver returned as a Green representative for Ridgeway.
Nationally, five Independent candidates were elected as MPs, including Jeremy Corbyn, the MP for Islington North and leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020.
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