John Humberstone

Hello, my name is John Humberstone and I’m the Libertas candidate for the Regional Constituency of Wales in the European elections on Thursday June 4th of this year. I thought I should tell you a bit about myself to help you make an informed decision when you get to the ballot box. I want you to know just how important the need to change is.

I’m fighting in this election because I’m very concerned about the unceasing hand-over of British sovereignty to a body that is so distant, opaque and unaccountable to the people it is supposed to serve. Please don’t get me wrong, I believe in our membership of the Europe Economic Community passionately. But I think it’s time that we – the people – reform and renew Europe ourselves. Now, in a time of the global financial turmoil, it is more critical than ever before, lets face it the people we have entrusted this task to have let us down badly, we cannot allow these people to go on rewarding themselves for failure, rewarding themselves with our money, money that could be far better spent on cleaner hospitals, better care for the elderly and providing education establishments that are not dilapidated, overcrowded or non existent.

I am a trained in Marketing and Advertising, I have been in this industry nearly all my working life, I was born in 1949 in Sheffield a city renowned for steel making. My late wife Sally and I moved to North East Derbyshire just after we were married in 1976 , she worked in a large shopping complex in Nottingham as a secretary where we met, I have three sons, aged between 23 and 30 and a daughter in her early 20s currently studying for a child care diploma, I also delight in having two young grandchildren. For the past 16 years, my main occupation has been in the advertising world working mostly for Radio Stations in the Midlands and North West, rising to the position of Sales Director, this in addition to bringing up a family of four on my own, a daunting task for anyone, but a rewarding one and one that helps you appreciate just how hard families work to make ends meet and just how infuriating it is when you see people wasting your taxes with little or no accountability and a you left with a feeling of helplessness as to know what to do to stop it.

I know what it means to see your taxes shoot up just as your weekly wage goes down. But being trained in the advertising, it has given me the tools and the experience to stand up and advocate for others, especially those who can’t fight for themselves, when I recognize just how much spin and glossing over of the truth goes on to cover up the incredible waste that goes on in our name in the European Union.

My last 8 years as a community councillor and the last 4 of them combined as a county borough councillor ,where I was spokesperson for better government for older people and co-chair of the Finance Scrutiny committee, I have stood up and asked questions about the poor representation we get not just in Cardiff ,but also in Brussels.I have found it hard to see the amount of taxation we are faced with without representation or any proper accountability We have a large portion of our local population particulary in North East Wales from Eastern European states and this has given me a keen interest in employment, immigration and our whole social system which is creaking at the seams, with little or no help from the EEC.

All of this experience has fed into my decision to stand for the European Parliament on June 4th, I know what its like to see an uneven playing field in the labour market and will seek to redress the balance and bring more long term and sustainable employment to Wales, our rural communities have been devastated by steady decline in the availability of local jobs.

So what are Libertas’ and my priorities?

Because the economy is in an unprecedented mess, Libertas and I will ensure that EVERY penny spent by Europe demonstrates value-for-money, in order that we can safeguard our financial future, and that of our children.

Because I believe that democracy is one of the values that unites ALL Europeans, Libertas will make the EU truly open and accountable like never before. We want to publicise the way decisions are made and who makes them, so that we can make Europe work for us and become truly transparent

Because Europe has been run in secrecy by élites and bureaucrats that are simply unknown to most people, I want to be part of a grassroots movement that gives Europe back to its people and you can make this happen on June 4th.

That is why I ask you to vote for me and the new, pan-European party Libertas on June 4th.and lets start the change now.
Thank you, I hope I can count on your vote for change.

John Humberstone