True and Fair Party candidate ‘not betting for a revolution’

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

Monmouthshire may be one of the most fierce general election battles between Labour and the Conservatives in Wales but that hasn’t discouraged other candidates from standing.

Among the seven alternatives who will be on the ballot paper is June Davies who acknowledged her chances of getting to Westminster on July 4 in a seat held by the Conservatives since 2005 and being relentlessly targeted by Labour are slim.

“Every candidate will say they can win but I’ve got to recognise it would be the most positive and revolutionary step, for Wales and all of the UK, for a small party to come from nowhere in a two horse race,” said True and Fair Party candidate Ms Davies.

“I’m not betting for a revolution as none of the bookies are offering that.”

Gina Miller

True and Fair was formed by businesswoman Gina Miller who, in 2016, took the British government to court successfully arguing it couldn’t start the process of leaving the European Union without Parliamentary approval.

Former teacher Ms Davies, stood for the pro-European Renew Party in the Newport West by-election in 2019, gaining 879 votes. It later merged with True and Fair and Ms Davies has helped develop its policies for Wales including support for further devolution and greater funding.

The 58-year-old is an active volunteer and chair of Newland Community Council, which is in Gloucestershire, though the Welsh speaking mother of three said her garden is in Wales. She lived in Usk for more than 20 years and believes “living between two countries” she can “represent the people who need a little bit of joined up thinking between the two”.

Wye pollution

Originally from Cardigan, Ms Davies, said she and her neighbours are reliant on services in Monmouthshire and has also highlighted pollution of the Wye as a campaign issue.

Brexit, Ms Davies says, is still unresolved but isn’t the party’s only focus in the county which voted remain in the referendum and now forms the Parliamentary seat previously split between the old Monmouth and Newport East constituencies.

“The feedback I’m getting, and the people I speak to who voted remain, are completely disappointed in Labour’s stance and all the young people are flabbergasted all their rights have been taken away from them,” said the former Monmouth Comprehensive teacher.

Proposals from some parties that Britain should rejoin the EU’s customs union also wouldn’t benefit small businesses and farmers, in Monmouthshire, said Ms Davies as Britain wouldn’t be able to help make the rules as it could if inside the EU.

Whipped

True and Fair candidates, if elected, wouldn’t be whipped to vote in line, said Ms Davies, and she said they would want to work with other smaller parties – and with many predicting a Labour landslide nationally believes its candidates could still have a role to play.

“We want to see a change of government but see a huge danger in Labour getting an overall majority and you only have to look at Caroline Lucas (the former Green MP) of one voice getting a robust platform and we could get real change by working with other smaller parties to deliver a lot more.”

For Ms Davies the Monmouthshire race is too close to call but she does expect to see a Labour government in July and thinks that could present an opportunity: “If Labour doesn’t deliver in government there is room for our party to grow much more at the next election.”

Full list of candidates in the Monmouthshire constituency:

Ioan Rhys Bellin, Plaid Cymru
Ian Chandler, Green Party
David Thomas Charles Davies, Welsh Conservative
June Davies, True & Fair Party
Catherine Ann Fookes, Welsh Labour
Owen Lewis, Independent
Emma Meredith, Heritage Party
William Denston Powell, Welsh Liberal Democrats
Max Windsor-Peplow, Reform UK