Evingar Hampshire Independents candidate - Phil Heath
Former Conservative borough and county councillor Phil Heath is standing for the Hampshire Independents in the Evingar ward.
Mr Heath was a Conservative aid who ran Basingstoke’s Conservative MP Maria Miller’s campaigns for eight years, but helped force her resignation as Culture Secretary in 2014 after she claimed a house in London was her second home, thus allowing her to claim expenses on it.
He became a member of UKIP, and is now standing as an independent as he argues it’s the only way voters can have a “real voice”.
The 66-year-old said: “You only have to see in Basingstoke the mayor [the Conservative councillor Onnalee Cubitt], who was independent for a while, has said in areas like Basingstoke there is no democracy because it’s so dominated by one party.
“There is no real debate, dissent or individual ward needs taken into account.
“Being an independent, I can represent the real voice of people in the area.
“When you’re part of a political party – and you know the only way you can be elected is being part of that party, as is happening in Parliament at the moment – you don’t say anything even if you know things are wrong.”
Mr Heath, who has previously stood in the Brighton Hill South, Winklebury and Norden wards, made the decision to stand in Evingar after moving to St Mary Bourne in November.
He said people on the doorstep were concerned about the climate and “the way it affects rural areas”, suggesting the council should bring together agencies to manage the responses to severe weather events, rather than leaving it to the electricity, gas or water companies.
After working in London for many years, Mr Heath was a carer for nine years until his retirement in March, describing it as “the best job I’ve ever had”.
He added: “It’s a good time to get back into this as I’ve got much more time to get out and knock on doors.”
He was forced to leave the Tory party in 2008 following allegations of arguments between himself, Mike Denness – agent for the Conservative association – and Mrs Miller.
For Conservative candidate Sam Carr, click here
For Liberal Democrat candidate Pauleen Malone, click here
The election will take place on May 5.
