Tom Adamson, Green Party Candidate for the Stone Constituency, has sent through his candidate profile and questionnaire responses.
All four Stone constituency parliamentary candidates have been asked to prepare a candidate profile and to provide responses to a number of questions that we sent to them all.
All responses are unedited and therefore are the candidate’s own words
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Tom Adamson – Green Party
Candidate Personal Statement (who you are, your link to Stone, relevant experience to
being our MP and why you’re standing to be an MP)
Why Green, and why stand for a MP?
As a 41-year-old man I have lived all my life in a political culture of greed, winners and loser,
exploitation of natural resources and exploitation of animals and people to profit the few. To be fair,
this appeared to be a great time, ignorance was bliss, cheap food, fast cars and relative wealth was
the order of the day. Over the past 10 years I opened my eyes, I didn’t want to be ignorant anymore.
This all started with my views on animal rights, I supported many animal charities, went vegan and
researched how our choices impacted on our world.
It was through this research I became fully aware of the climate crisis, and I became fully aware that
to halt the danger of the climate crisis and the devasting effect on species and biodiversity it wasn’t
just about personal life choices, we needed political change. The Green party was the only British
party who were willing to tell the truth, even though it was tough to hear so I decided to join in
2015.
I am not of modern typical political class, I have not got a degree, I never went to public school, I
never thought I would be putting myself forward to be on a ballot paper for being a member of
parliament. I had no ambition to be an MP, but I cannot stand by and see the destruction of our
democracy, the destruction of our societies and ultimately the destruction of our planet. It is for this
reason I took the first step and became an Independent councillor for Stone town council as I feel all
areas of governance has a role in fighting the climate crisis.
Our politics is all about short term achievements and this has led to the mess we are in with the ill
thought out Brexit decisions, being in or out of Europe will not help our country and our world tackle
the climate crisis. We need unity and a strong Green government who will led and encourage the
global change that is so desperately needed.
So why stand for MP? I want to challenge the political elite, I want to challenge my MP (Bill Cash)
who has a disgraceful record on voting on environmental issues, I am just an ordinary guy who is fed
up of the lies and the division which we see in our current world. Our, and future generations are
facing a crisis like never before and we need unity, we need honesty and we need hope. I want to be
able to tell my grandchildren that I have tried to give them a future. I hope I can count on your
support in our journey for a better future.
Do you live within the Stone Constituency?
Yes, I do, I live in Stone.
Why have you specifically chosen to stand in the Stone Constituency?
The majority of my family live in Stone constituency, I’m a local town councillor, my
grandchildren live in the constituency and I want to improve the services for all the people
of the Stone constituency.
How long have you been affiliated with the party that you’re standing for?
I joined the party in 2015.
The geographical area of the Stone Constituency is quite extensive, how do you
ensure that you can keep in touch with the issues affecting all of the individual
towns and villages that are contained within the boundary?
I believe as an MP it is vital that you are part of the communities and I would ensure that as
an MP I would visit regular the towns and villages and support community projects, but I
also will remain living in the constituency and using the facilities within the towns.
Unfortunately, as a candidate with a full-time job I currently have limited time to visit all
towns and villages.
The town of Stone has seen rapid growth in recent years with a number of new
housing estates. What would you do to ensure that the town’s infrastructure and
services are also expanded to absorb the additional headcount?
Unfortunately to the funding cuts under the current government the local councils have
struggled to fund their services, for them to get more money they have allowed excessive
housing development without investing in the infrastructure. We need to invest in public
transport which unfortunately has been cut under the conservatives, we need to invest in
reliable public transport linking the rural communities, we need to change our town
planning to ensure we have safe walkways/cycle paths linking housing estates to local
services like doctors, schools and shops, this will reduce our reliability on cars, promote
activity, and promote wellness. We need to invest in the local doctors to ensure we can see
a doctor when needed.
I would like to stress that this is affecting all areas in the constituency, not just Stone.
Stone High Street, like many across the UK, is finding trading difficult. What are
the key areas that you think need tackling to stimulate the High Street
considering the needs of consumers, business owners and attracting new
investment?
I believe that if we have better transport links to Stone, links to all local villages this will
increase footfall in the town. Free parking for electric and hybrid cars with an increase of
electric charging points.
I believe that better public transport links would be partially funded by the scaping of the
HS2 high speed link. I also believe that we should have public ownership of the public
transport system, this would enable the transition from our fossil fuel reliance.
I also believe that a business rates review for greener and ecological friendly business
should take place, also a review on what support independent traders require to combat the
threat from online suppliers like Amazon.
When you talk about the town of Stone to people what type of statements
(positive or critical) do you make?
Generally, people of Stone have positive response to living in Stone, we have a very active
Town council who work hard to promote community events. I feel the increase in
housebuilding is raising concerns with the overstretched services and transport
infrastructure. There is a concern with the conservative borough council and their disregard
to our greenspaces and the will of the people of Stone, this is shown with the building of a
nursing home on Tilling drive.
HS2 will run close to Stone, with a railhead being built in Yarnfield, what’s your
position on the HS2 project and will it benefit Stone?
I am totally opposed to the HS2 project, the destruction to the environment and to
communities is a disgrace. The money should be invested in improved railway links going
coast to coast linking all the smaller towns and villages. The railhead at Yarnfield will have
devasting effects for the people of Stone and Yarnfield with hugh increases of HGVs and our
road network, the area will become unsafe, huge increase in air pollution and massive traffic
disruption. IT MUST NOT HAPPEN.
What’s your personal opinion on Brexit and is it aligned with your party?
The Green Party is a remain party but believes that a 2nd referendum is the most democratic
way of moving forward with the deadlock. Personally, I voted to leave because I felt the EU
was undemocratic, looking back this was very naïve. My concern is not Brexit, it is the
climate crisis, and this will be better fought as a part of the EU, I believe in a second
referendum and I would vote remain.
If the UK is unable to conclude a trade deal with the EU by the end of any
transition period do you support us leaving the EU with No Deal?
A no deal would be dangerous and reckless for the UK.
Do you support a second referendum now that the electorate have the details of
an agreed deal vs the status quo?
I support a second referendum, and this is why, we were lied to, we were given
misinformation, we have a clearer understanding of the effects of leaving. I also believe that
to fight the climate crisis we need to be in a bigger club.
• Brexit has been divisive and without a time machine how would you unite the
country going forward?
We have a climate crisis, this is going to affect us all, we need to unify to combat this crisis,
whether we are in or out of Europe it wont stop the droughts and the floods and the
extreme weather events which will effect our farmers businesses and our infrastructure.
If you were elected what would be the top five areas that you’d be trying to
change?
1. Invest in public transport
2. Invest in green jobs and industries
3. Invest in sustainable eco housing
4. Promote personal activity, improved cycle paths, reduce obesity.
5. Invest in youth services, social service and community projects.
Closing statement about why people should vote for you
I am not a polished politician, I am a local man who wants a better future for this area, my
family live here, my family work in the police, in schools and private sectors in this region
and I have friends who work in the NHS and care work and I feel that we need to change the
status quo.
We need politicians with the vision and the will to change the way this country works. We
need to rebalance our lives and the country’s inequality to maintain a stable and sustainable
economy while fighting the biggest threat to humanity which is the climate crisis.
I would listen to the people and I would be an active member of the community, I will
remain to live in this region, remain to live my life in Stone and fight for what benefits us all
not just the few.
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