Ahead of the General Election on July 4, we've been speaking to candidates standing in Darlington.

Our last candidate chat was with Reform UK hopeful Michael Walker, who works as a teacher.

We asked him about his views, policies and about topical issues ahead of polling day.

Michael, let's start by telling us a bit about yourself.

“I was born and bred in Darlington - my wife and I returned to the town after living elsewhere during the pandemic.

“I want to be the next MP because I have been listening to a lot of people in Darlington. They feel like a lot of politicians are not listening to them or what they want.

“They want lower taxes, to end illegal immigration, they want to stop money being wasted by the government on things like net zero and sending foreign aid to places like China and India.

“They really just feel like people in government and politics are not listening to them. I want to be their voice for them and their champion in Parliament and make sure the things that they feel are important are discussed at the highest level.”

Speaking of your campaign, how's it been going?

Michael said: “I have been blown away by how well it has been going. It really has been amazing - honestly, I can’t believe how much support we have had.

“We get emails and messages from hundreds of people telling us that they are going to vote Reform. I think it’s something special. Everyone has been so polite and nice.”

Tell us a bit about your priorities.

Michael listed his six main manifesto points and told us a bit about each.

  • People before politics - by introducing an open door policy at his office
  • End the dental desert in Darlington - by lobbying the government for funding
  • Make roads fit for purpose - an AI system to detect potholes and repair them
  • Community spirit - place an emphasis on community centres and recognise people spending time to improve the town. This also includes donating 20% of his salary to community organisations.
  • Regenerate our town - create a learning quarter in the area of town surrounding the old Northern Echo building as well as demolish Northgate House
  • Promote Darlington - Emphasis on the 200th anniversary of the Darlington & Stockton Railway, re-introduce free parking in the town centre and share local attractions

Let's chat policy. The main focus for Reform UK is immigration - leaflets delivered to people in the town call this 'the immigration election'. But, we have been speaking to residents and many say the cost of living is their biggest issue at the moment. What have locals been saying to you?

Michael agreed by saying the cost of living is a big issue for people who have been sending back survey leaflets by ticking their biggest priorities. 

He added: “I think the thing was illegal immigration is that everybody knows it’s a massive problem. They know it’s a problem because of the work that Nigel Farage has done bringing it to people’s attention.

“I think people are focused on their situation – living through the cost of living crisis and it seems rather cruel and unfair that the money they earn is taken away by the government.

“But, immigration has popped up on the doorstep. Whenever people mention it to me, they always preface it with ‘I’m not a racist, but…’ so I do think people do not want to voice their opinions about those things.”

Just following up on that. As a teacher, you work with teenagers coming up to voting age. Do you think they share Reform UK's views on immigration or is this issue a generational thing?

Michael said: “I think that they are. I think that British people are fair - they have no issue with immigration, but they do have it with illegal immigration. 

Michael then added he used to teach RE, and some of the things young people have said are ‘conservative with a small c’.

He added: “I would think it would be the other way around, that they would not be interested in those type of things but they are.”

Picking up on something you said earlier, you insinuated that Net Zero policies are a waste of money - do you think that's really the case?

Michael said: “I feel like trying to get to NetZero, which is what Darlington Borough Council are doing 10 years earlier than planned is just a complete waste of time and money because it will have zero impact on the climate.

“But, it will make a difference to people's tax rates. I would rather that money be spent on things like children's services. Regarding the national situation, I do believe we have come a long way, a very long way, we have done a very great job in this country of getting our carbon emissions down.

“I don’t feel that we need to keep punishing taxpayers to continue to bring it down to an arbitrary level of net zero countries in the world are not doing that. The UK getting to net zero will not make a difference.”

Do you believe the UK should get to Net Zero at all, then?

He said: “If we think about getting to net zero on its own and think about whether it is a good idea or not, I think we have to think about what we are sacrificing to get to that point.”

Stop the boats has been a mission for the Conservative party recently - it's a slogan they have used. What would be the difference in Reform's policy?

Michael explained: “We might not be able to use the same policies that Australia has used but we certainly should be able to, in this day and age, be able to protect our borders and ensure that nobody comes across illegally.

“My issue is that these people who want to enter our country are spending thousands of pounds on illegal people to traffic them to get them across Europe.

“That money is being invested into organised crime. People should know that when they are coming across, as soon as they get in that boat and land in the UK there is no chance whatsoever of them being able to claim settlement in this country.”

He then added that Reform's mission would be to stop people getting on to boats - rather than when they arrive.

We've heard from politicians that there is a housing crisis in the UK. Do you believe there is such a problem in Darlington?

Michael said: “Some of the candidates have said we have an affordable housing crisis in Darlington. I’ve lived here for a long time and I am always amazed at how cheap decent houses are in this town. I don’t necessarily think it’s unaffordable for people.

“I don’t think Darlington necessarily has a massive problem with housing.”

He then added that what the town should be doing is upselling the town's terraced homes as well as making space in the town centre for people to live in.

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Lastly, what would you say to people to get them to vote Reform UK?

Michael said: “I would say that people have died to give them their vote and they should not be frightened to vote for another party just to keep out another party that they don’t like.

“The vote is precious, and they should vote for what they believe in. If they look at our manifesto policies and like what we are talking about and what we would discuss in Westminster they should vote for Reform.”