About Reform UK North Cornwall
This website is for Reform UK representation for North Cornwall constituency.
Your Local Potential Parliamentary Candidate - Rowland O’Connor
Why I am standing
I am not a politician or, until recently, had any desire to be in politics. However, having observed the complete and unmitigated mess that our various elected representatives and political parties have made of our once beautiful United Kingdom, I felt that I could no longer just sit on the side lines and complain.
As a brief summary, here is where our country is in 2024:
- Out of control, illegal migration occurring in the tens of thousands annually which our Government seems unable or unwilling to do anything about. We, the taxpayers, are paying millions of pounds daily to house and sustain these alleged “refugees”. (France, the last point of origin for many claimants, is a safe country)
- A public healthcare system with a current backlog exceeding 7.4 million patients.
- Strikes in public sector rivalling those last seen in the 1970’s.
- Out of control inflation (with no plan from the Bank of England) that is making many citizens of the UK net poorer and unable in some cases to pay for essentials such as accommodation, food and energy.
- Net zero policies being forced on us that no one voted for. These net zero policies are trickle down policies originating from unelected, global organisations such as the United Nations and World Economic Forum. We are all paying for these “initiatives” via our income tax and via levies imposed as part of our utility bills. We are all certainly getting net poorer for benefits to our environment and world that are questionable at best and very likely economically damaging to current and future generations.
- The highest taxation burden in 70 years combined with a progressive deterioration in the quality and availability of our vital public services.
- A general distrust in our political system following various scandals including expenses, “partygate”, inappropriate and sometime illegal activities and so on. Faith in our politicians is perhaps at an all time low.
It is for these reasons together with many more that I feel obliged to pay down my debt to this wonderful country and the opportunities and freedom that it has afforded me over many decades when we had a fairer, more equal society where basic human values such as respect, decency and moral integrity meant something.
Therefore, I stand in North Cornwall - my home as your potential Parliamentary representative and voice for decency, honesty and truth.
Bio
Personal
I live in North Cornwall, am married to a wonderful woman that is a saint for putting up with my various “projects” over the years.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, walking our dogs and working out at our local sports centre.
My core belief are:
- Fairness
- Respect for differing opinions and the need to be able to have open discussion (no subjects off limits)
- Moral integrity
- Traditional family values
- Fair pay for a fair days work
- The state works for us (not the other way around)
Early years
My ancestors (grand parents and great grand parents) were politically active in supporting equal rights for women as well as being involved in lobbying for the creation of the National Health Service. As staunch lifelong Labour (as it was many decades ago) voters my ancestors believed in equality, freedom and fairness for the working classes at the time.
I was born in the late 1960’s in London. My father owned and ran a building and construction company. As a teenager, I worked for my father on several construction sites as a young pair of helping hands (i.e. manual, unskilled labour). It was this early experience with the hard, manual work in my fathers company that installed a crucial life belief in me that I hold dear to this day: “Fair pay for a fair days work”.
I have (since the age of about 3) been interested and reasonably proficient at engineering. I love to solve problems and find solutions.
Career
I graduated from Kingston University in 1988 with a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
Since 1998, my career has included some fantastic opportunities working in industries ranging from heavy electrical through to retail, investment banking, luxury yachts and even a spell as a professional SCUBA diving instructor! I feel truly grateful for the wide range of experiences, opportunities and the wonderful people that I had the pleasure of working with over the years.
After deciding to create my own online company in the early 2000’s, I have been involved with various ventures including building and marketing various successful online information services.
In 2020, my company was extremely proud, honoured and humbled to accept The Queens Award for Innovation from her late Majesty. This prestigious award was for innovation in UK digital services and is thanks to the great team that helped build our company between 2013 and 2020.
Today
From 2020 onwards, as a direct result of the impact of questionable covid (mis?) management from central Government and its impact on businesses and individuals (lives and livelihoods), I became increasingly concerned that our basic human rights and civil liberties were at risk from a Government that seemed not only to be drunk on emergency powers but also not following its own rules. Some of the behaviours of those elected to serve us, the people, I find to be unacceptable, inappropriate and, in many cases, uncaring. In good conscience, I therefore feel obliged to stand to representation those that may feel similarly. Never again can we allow a situation where a majority government (and the “opposition”) sacrificed democracy, decency and open debate on the alter of “safety” without having the opportunity to debate, discuss and scrutinise issues from a wide and diverse range of experts and opinions.
As your Potential Parliamentary Candidate for North Cornwall, I offer you a range of true conservative thoughts and policies that you may not see being offered from main stream parties (e.g. Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem).
If you like what you see from Reform UK and myself, please be sure to register your interest here and / or connect with us on social media (links on the left of this page).