‘I joined the Brexit party in May after 27 years in the Labour party, I realised that the current Corbyn Labour leadership was going to sell out its leave voters’.

Tom Bewick spent twenty seven years in the Labour party, working under Tony Blair before moving six months ago to the newly formed Brexit party. Today the Havering Daily had the chance to talk to him about him running as the Brexit party candidate for Dagenham and Rainham.

Mr Bewick is a highly qualified and well educated man. He currently works as the chief executive of the Federation of Awarding Bodies (exam boards etc) and has spent his life working in the post sixteen educational system.

His early life was not an easy one with the death of his mother meaning he found himself in a variety of foster placements.

Tom is very passionate about education and the important value of qualifications. He left school with just one ‘O’ level but thanks to night school he went on to amass many qualifications including a bachelors degree.

He joined the Labour party when he was just seventeen years old and progressed his way throughout the party. Tom led various initiatives and it was in the 1990’s and the start of 2000 that he advised ministers on a variety of post sixteen educational reforms that included the creation of the sector skills councils.

Today, despite being a Labour councillor in Brighton and Hove, Tom has switched his alliance to the Brexit party after what he calls ‘a leadership that is going to sell its voters out.’

He told the Havering Daily:

‘I am standing up for democracy. 70% of Havering residents voted to leave and that is what I am supporting.

‘I joined the Brexit party in May after 27 years in the Labour party, when I realised that the current Corbyn Labour leadership was going to sell out its leave voters. You only have to see more recent events to note that Labour has no intention of delivering the kind of Brexit that Havering residents voted for in such large numbers.

‘We are a new political party that wants to break with the old way of doing things. Both Labour and Conservatives have failed to look after the interests of Havering residents. Thankfully, the Brexit party is here to help change politics for good.

‘I will be fighting a positive campaign, one where I will be asking residents to put their trust in me to get things done on their behalf. My track record shows in business and in politics, that I am someone who can be trusted to fight for what local people need in their communities.’

Tom is keen to help improve the education standards in Havering amongst other things.

‘Havering has one of the worse level of attainments for over 18 year old’s and poor education has an impact on the labour market. This is another matter that needs to be tackled in Havering alongside the rising crime rate in the area.

‘I know people are so very frustrated with Brexit and all these other ongoing issues here in Havering, and this is what I aim to address.