I Thought Facts Would Matter More

I noticed something during my brief spell as a paper candidate for the Liberal Democrats recently, and that is that people don't just hold opinions anymore ... they hold beliefs. Deep ones.

And once those beliefs settle in, facts barely seem to matter, in fact I don't think they do matter.

During the May 2026 local elections I spoke to several people who wanted to vote for Reform UK because they wanted someone who would “stop the boats”. The strange part was that even when you pointed out that local councillors have absolutely no control over immigration policy or border enforcement, it often made no difference at all.

The belief had already locked into place and cannot (always) be rocked.

I saw the same thing online. A Facebook friend confidently posted that “there’s only one party not funded in any way by Israel, and that’s the Greens.”

The problem is that this is simply untrue.

As I pointed out, under UK law, political parties cannot accept funding from foreign governments or foreign states anyway. It’s illegal under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

When I asked for evidence that the Liberal Democrats were receiving money from the State of Israel, there was a change of goalposts, this time they pointed out that response was that the party has a “Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel” group ... which it does ... it also has "Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine" group too..

Both of which, as I explained in my exchange with them, are internal associated groups made up of members and supporters with particular views on the Middle East. Neither means the party is secretly funded by a foreign government.

But again, the facts didn’t really matter.

That’s the bit I struggle with.  If I’m wrong about something, and somebody proves it properly, I’ll usually back down. I’ll probably try to save face first because I’m human ... but eventually facts win.

For some people though, belief seems to become reality. Even when reality itself disagrees.

And I still can’t quite get my head around that.

Antisemitism and the Semitic Confusion

This note comes off the back of an online discussion I had with someone who believed antisemitism means racism against any “Semitic” people; I would have thought that a grow man would have understood the difference, but you live and learn I suppose.

I spent time explaining that “Semitic”, originally coined in the late 18th century originally refers to a group of languages, including Hebrew and Arabic. It was (and still is) a linguistic label, not a race or a single group of people.

“Antisemitism” came later, in 19th-century Europe. This term was used specifically to describe hostility towards Jewish people. From the start, it was used in that narrow sense, and that meaning has stuck.

So while the words share a similar root, they don’t line up in meaning.

You can criticise countries, governments, or policies without it being antisemitic. The line is crossed when it targets Jewish people as a whole or leans on old stereotypes.

This is one of those cases where knowing the history of a word clears up a lot of confusion.

Can We Get People Voting Again?

So, I'm standing as a Liberal Democrat paper candidate this May in Horbury and South Ossett. I’ve been looking back at previous election results, and what I found really surprised me. When the final votes are counted in local elections, the numbers often tell a heartbreaking story. It isn’t just about which party wins or loses; it’s the fact that, so often, only about a third of our community shows up. That means nearly two-thirds of our neighbours effectively have no say in how their local area is run.

Since I uncovered this last week, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about that silent majority. I refuse to believe that the people who stay home don’t care. I know they care. They care about the state of our roads and pavements, bin collections, fly-tipping, the quality of our children’s education, and the dignity of social care for our elderly. Talking to people about this, there is a very strong view that politics is just something that happens to us, rather than something we can actually shape.

Local Politics Isn’t Broken ... It’s Waiting for You

I hear it all the time: "Why bother? My vote can't influence anything!" But that’s just not true. From transport and infrastructure to the very heart of our local economy, local authorities decide how millions of pounds of our money is spent. When we don't vote, we aren't "protesting", we are simply handing over a blank cheque to someone else to make those decisions for us.

Let’s just address this very dangerous myth that one vote doesn’t matter. In local elections, margins are often razor-thin. A single vote really does have the power to make a huge difference. If we take Horbury and South Ossett as an example, in the 2021 local elections, there were only 45 votes between the winner and second place! That is a handful of households. That is one street of people deciding the future for everyone else.

The Candidate Problem

Looking at the local landscape again, Labour has held control here since 2021, yet I don’t see their candidates out there promoting their achievements (perhaps because there aren't many) or even their party’s policies. To me, that’s scary. Right now in Westminster, the Labour Party and Keir Starmer are in hot water over the Peter Mandelson situation, and by staying silent locally, they are risking a knee-jerk reaction from our community. I’m personally worried that if people feel ignored by the left, they might end up looking too far to the right out of sheer frustration.

Candidates need to provide clear information because it pushes the local agenda and boosts turnout significantly. We don't need more "politics-as-usual"; people need a reason to believe their voice actually counts.

I am standing because I want to lower the barrier between the "political elite" and the real world. I want to show that local government isn't just some "minority interest" for people in suits; it is the direct engine room of our quality of life and our local spending power. This May, I'm hoping that the local electorate across the country don't let the silence decide their future.

Was Donald Trump Born a Compulsive Liar?

As you may have seen, Trump shared an AI image of himself as Jesus.

Then said it was just him “playing a doctor”, he event said "That’s what most people thought.". Did they Donald? I don't think they did!

This brief episode tells you everything you need to know about this man.

We all know that politicians stretch the truth. That’s nothing new; and yes, they sometime lie. But this is way different. This is saying that something everyone can see isn’t true, then blaming everyone else for not agreeing.

Recent Claims vs Reality

• On the AI “Jesus” image (April 2026) – Said it was him “playing a doctor”, despite the image clearly using religious, Christ-like symbolism and being widely interpreted that way across media and religious groups.
• “If I weren’t president, the world would be torn to pieces” (April 2026) – A sweeping personal claim about global stability with no supporting evidence, made during ongoing unresolved conflicts.
• Iran nuclear programme “obliterated” (2025–2026) – Repeatedly claimed US strikes completely destroyed Iran’s nuclear capability, but international agencies and fact-checkers confirmed the programme was damaged, not eliminated.
• “War is basically won” / Strait of Hormuz reopened (March 2026) – Claimed victory and reopening of key trade routes while fighting and disruption were still ongoing.
• Iran had Tomahawk missiles (March 2026) – Claimed Iran carried out an attack using Tomahawk missiles, despite the US being the only known operator of that weapon system.
• Claims of imminent Iran deal (April 2026) – Suggested a deal was close, even as negotiations had already failed and no agreement had been reached.
• Claims Pope Leo made a statement that its OK for Iran to have nuclear weapons (April 2026) - in fact Pope Leo has never said Iran should be permitted to possess nuclear weapons and has repeatedly spoken out against them, including in a March 5 video.

So what is it with him?

Either it’s deliberate. Say something outrageous, stay in the headlines, keep control of the narrative. Or, and this is the truly worrying part, does he actually believes what he’s saying.

When he says things like “if I wasn’t president, the world would be torn to pieces”, it leans hard into that saviour idea. Not confidence. Something else.

At this point, if he told you the sky was blue, you’d still need check out of the window.

Realistically it’s probably a mix of ego, strategy, and something a bit harder to pin down.

But the result is the same. People stop believing you, and luckily, Americans are starting to disbelieve Donald Trump.

Why Don't People Vote

When I signed up to be a Liberal Democrat candidate for Horbury and South Ossett, I started digging into our local history. I’ll be honest: I was shocked. Back in the 2019 local elections, the turnout was just 32.2%.

Think about that. Nearly 70% of our neighbors didn’t feel that any of the names on that ballot paper represented them or their community. It’s a staggering silence. It’s easy to say people are just "uninterested," but I think the truth is more uncomfortable: people don’t vote because they don’t see themselves, or their values, in the people asking for their support.

Where is the Local Identity?

For too long, we’ve seen the "old guard" take these seats for granted. When voters don't see someone sticking their head up and saying, "Look at us, and look at what we can actually achieve for our streets and our community," they switch off. If the choice feels like a carbon copy of the same old politics, why bother walking to the polling station?

We need candidates who don't just want a seat, but who want to represent the identity of Horbury and Ossett. People are waiting for someone to relate to, someone who understands that local issues aren't just bullet points in a manifesto, but the fabric of our daily lives.

The Trust Gap and the "Safe Seat" Trap

There is a deep disillusionment with the political elite. Many feel that the system is rigged for the same few voices to keep winning. This creates a "safe seat" trap: if you think your vote won't make a difference, you stay home, and the same cycle continues. But that 32% figure proves that there is a missing majority. If even a fraction of that 70% found someone they believed in, the "old guard" wouldn't know what hit them.

The Social Media Bubble & The Knowledge Gap

It doesn't help that our world is increasingly partitioned by algorithms. Our social feeds often tell us everything is fine, or that everyone thinks exactly like we do. Combine that with a political process that is often made to feel intentionally confusing, and it’s no wonder people feel alienated. We need to break that bubble by showing up in person, on the doorstep, and proving that local politics is accessible, understandable, and, most importantly, vital.

It’s Time to Speak Up

I’m sticking my head up because I refuse to believe that Horbury and South Ossett are "apathetic." I think we are just waiting for a reason to care again. We don't have to settle for the status quo. That "missing 70%" holds all the power, we just have to give them a reason to use it..

I'm now a Liberal Democrat Candidate

You don’t often get a chance to stand up and actually do something about the direction things are heading.

So I’ve taken it.

I’m standing as a candidate for the Liberal Democrats in Horbury and South Ossett ward, Wakefield, for the local elections on May 7th 2026.

And yes, I know what that means.
No big campaign machine.
No expectation of winning (if I get 10 votes I'll be happy)
No grand illusion that I’ll be walking into the council chamber any time soon.

But that’s not really the point.

I actually started this as a paper candidate. Just a name on a ballot paper. But once I realised that ballot paper was for Horbury and South Ossett, I took a proper look at the area. I spoke to people. I listened.

What I heard surprised me. A lot of locals felt their councillors weren’t doing enough for the area, so I started doing small things. Reporting potholes. Flagging dangerous paving. Raising fly-tipping issues.

Nothing big. Nothing glamorous. But real things.

At that point, I stopped being a paper candidate. I became someone who actually wants to see things improve.

Where this all started

Politics has always been there in the background for me.

I used to argue with my grandad about it when I was younger. Not in a hostile way. We just enjoyed the back and forth. The ideas, the principles, the “what ifs”. It was never about shouting louder. It was about thinking harder.

When I was old enough to vote, I did what most people should do but many don’t. I looked around properly.

What do I actually believe?

I landed on a set of values that felt consistent and grounded.

Social justice matters.
We should be working with Europe, not turning our backs on it.
Power should be pushed down, not hoarded at the top.
The NHS should be protected and strengthened, not chipped away at.

Over time, those views lined up most closely with the Liberal Democrats.

So why stand if you’re not going to win?

Because doing nothing guarantees nothing changes.

Standing puts a name on the ballot. It gives people a choice. It keeps the Liberal Democrats visible in an area where that choice might otherwise disappear.

And it gives me a platform to say what I believe in.

Not a big one.
Not a polished one.
But a real one.

I’ve already started doing practical things locally. Reporting issues. Paying attention to what’s actually happening on the ground.

It’s not glamorous, but it matters.

The bigger reason

There’s a shift happening in parts of the UK. You can see it, hear it, feel it. The tone is getting sharper. The divide feels wider.

Alongside that, something else has crept in. More hostility. More blame. More language that pushes people apart rather than brings them together. And that worries me.

Now I’ll be clear. Not everyone flying a St George’s flag means anything negative by it. Of course they don’t. But when symbols start appearing alongside language that excludes and divides, it changes how they come across. It changes what they signal.

I don’t think we should just ignore that.

If you believe in a fair, open, outward-looking country, you don’t stay quiet while that grows. You push back.

Why this matters, even if it’s small

This isn’t about winning a seat. For me now, it’s about putting a marker down.

It’s about saying there are still people who believe in cooperation over division. Evidence over noise. Fairness over blame.

I’m a Yorkshire lad, born and bred. I see how some councils lose touch with the people they’re meant to serve, and in a small way, I want to help change that.

I’ve also seen how a good local councillor can make a real difference to a community. Knottingley Lib Dem councillors, I’m looking at you.

It’s about reminding people that there are alternatives.

Even if only a handful of people see my name on that ballot and think, “That’s closer to what I believe,” then it’s worth it.

Because change doesn’t always start with a landslide. Sometimes it starts with one extra name on a ballot paper.

Progress

It’s been an eye opener for me, this short journey. It really has.

Horbury is less than 30 minutes away from me, so I’ve been able to get over there most evenings and weekends.

I’ve spent time talking to residents and local business owners, reporting potholes, broken pavements, immigration, anti-social behaviour, fly-tipping etc. These are some of the typical concerns people have raised with me.

And some of those potholes have already been assessed by Wakefield Council and are now scheduled for repair.

I’m starting to understand what people mean when they say politics should be local. It’s not speeches or big promises. It’s turning up, listening, and getting basic things sorted.

If you’re reading this because you searched “who should I vote for in Horbury”, I won’t pretend I’m the perfect answer, but I have shown up. I’ve listened. I’ve reported local issues, and some are already moving through the system.

If you want councillors who turn up, listen, and get basic things sorted, I hope you’ll consider voting Liberal Democrat in Horbury and South Ossett.

And finally...

I’m not a career politician.
I’m not trying to be one.

I’m just someone who still thinks this stuff matters enough to show up.

And right now, that feels like the least I should be doing.

Post-Election Update

So... the results are in.

I didn’t win.

The three Reform UK candidates took the seats in Horbury and South Ossett, which probably says a lot about the wider national mood around politics at the moment.

I ended up with 156 votes, which if I’m being honest, is far more than I expected when this whole thing started.

I originally agreed to stand as what politics calls a “paper candidate”. Basically, someone to make sure the party had a name on the ballot paper.

But once I started speaking to residents, seeing local issues first-hand, and actually getting involved, I found myself getting surprisingly competitive.

I reported potholes, spoke to local businesses, discussed Cedar Court with residents, and spent far more time wandering around Horbury than I ever expected to.

Somewhere along the way, I stopped feeling like a paper candidate and started feeling like... well... an actual candidate.

The biggest thing I learned is that local politics and national politics are now heavily blurred together. People absolutely care about roads, fly tipping, healthcare, and anti-social behaviour, but many votes are still driven by national mood and national frustration.

Still, I genuinely enjoyed parts of it.

I met some good people, had some interesting conversations, and got a proper insight into how local campaigning works.

And for a first-time candidate standing in a Ward 30 minutes from home with no political background or political support whatsoever... I’ll happily take 156 votes.

A short, but fulfilling political career 🙂