Letter: Anne Milton Should Not Have Used My Name Wrongly

Published on: 28 Nov, 2019
Updated on: 28 Nov, 2019

Anne Milton’s election leaflet.

From Mark Bray-Parry

Withdrawn Green Party Parliamentary candidate

I was surprised to find my name on Anne Milton’s latest campaign leaflets. They carry a quote taken from the Guildford Dragon before to my decision to stand aside.

When asked to comment on Anne’s decision to stand as an Independent, I said: “Anne Milton has been a strong local MP.

Mark Bray-Parry’s quote in the leaflet.

“I am unsurprised to hear she intends to stand after falling foul of a Tory Party that has lost its ‘one nation’ facade. Guildford no longer looks like a one-, or even a two-party race…”

Though Anne’s team do not need my permission to use the quote, I am disappointed I was not contacted out of courtesy beforehand. The quote, out of context, appears as an endorsement. That is not the case.

While Anne had a reputation as a constituency MP who would regularly respond to constituents’ queries and engage with local community groups, I have rarely agreed with her political position where she consistently voted in line with a Tory Government that allowed gradual privatisation of the NHS and an attack on the welfare system that has resulted in a marked increase in child poverty.

Importantly, the context of the quote is to highlight that Anne’s popularity when MP, and her decision to now stand as an independent, will split the Conservative vote, providing a real opportunity for voters in Guildford to elect an MP who will represent the views of this liberal, pro-EU, environmentally-conscious constituency.

As I have consistently said since standing aside, residents of Guildford, Cranleigh and the villages must take this opportunity to vote for the candidate who will best deliver on climate action. The Youth Strike on Friday, November 29, is the first of several opportunities to determine exactly who that candidate is.