2015 Mid Sussex Parliamentary Candidate -
Toby Brothers, UKIP

I am a British Lawyer and also qualified in Australia. I was born and brought up in Oxford and came to live in Sussex in 1986. All my brothers and sisters are Sussex born.

I trained in a large commercial law practice but turned to the Criminal Law two years after qualification. I have worked as a trial advocate for many years. I have had conduct of over 3,000 trials in my career, on both sides of the fence. I have worked as Prosecutor for four years and defender for about 19 years. My practice is all about Justice and often assisting those least able to help themselves. I previously ran my own Firm of Solicitors for about 9 years before a brief spell in Australia.

Audio Interview - Toby sits down with BHU to discusss UKIP's policies and answers questions submitted by our readers...

My first wife was a British born Guyanese woman. My second wife of 17 years is half Greek. Together we have four children, one of whom is married to our Ecuadorian son-in-law. We now have a half Ecuadorian grandson aged three!

The only political party I have ever joined since becoming an adult is UKIP. I have been voting UKIP since 2005. I stood for Offington Ward, Worthing, in the May 2014 Local Elections.

I have always maintained an interest in economic issues. I managed to be top of my Sixth Form in Economics, although I chose to do a Law Degree.

I have an in depth knowledge of the Justice System, its failings and strengths, having been involved for over 23 years. I take a particular interest in Mental Health issues within this setting.

I have often thought of a political career since University days and now the time has never been more right for me.

Other interests include: Family, Tennis, Travel and playing my Piano. I support 'Crisis', the charity.

I have nothing to do with any vested interests and carry no baggage from any Party.

In representing Mid Sussex I would be very different to Sir Nicholas Soames:

1. I would argue to halt and change the National Planning Strategy, which may otherwise lead to a new town the size of Burgess Hill in our countryside. I can do this more effectively than the current MP as I did not vote for this planning change, unlike Sir Nicholas Soames.
   
   
2. I would fight to replace the Localism bill, which was sold to the electorate by the Tories as some sort of local democracy in planning when in practice, that is simply not true.
   
   
3. I am totally against the EU and firmly believe this is leading us towards the loss of our sovereignty and actually hinders our future economic success. Sir Nicholas is an EU supporter. Withdrawal would save in excess of £9.6 billion pa. I want a free and fair EU referendum under proper election rules including funding.
   
   
4. I will champion the re-introduction of Grammar Schools in Mid Sussex. They were proven to promote social mobility much more effectively than any Labour or Tory replacement since the 1970's. Mr Cameron has recently tried to 'steal' this policy by giving the impression he was not against a few new Grammar schools. That is not our policy. We want them introduced wholesale.
   
   
5. I will push for a Turnover tax (quite unlike Osborne's feeble and likely ineffective 'profits' tax) to tackle the loss to the exchequer of up to £120 billion pa of Corporation Tax unpaid by large non-domiciled Companies such as Amazon.
   
   
6. I will press the case for reducing the overseas aid budget by about £10 billion.
   
   
7. I will press for a £3 billion pa increase in the NHS budget immediately, for front line services, not pay.
   
   
8. I will argue for an Australian points style Immigration bill, so we receive all the skilled migrants we need from anywhere in the world and stop unskilled EU immigration.
   
   
9. UKIP will have Westminster working for the electorate and not the electorate working for a political class as a cosy self-serving clique.
   
   

The above are just a selection of my differences to Sir Nicholas Soames.

But with the above in place, UKIP would overcome the budget deficit far more quickly than the current fiscal and spending policies allow.

Like Sir Nicholas, I will fight the Gatwick expansion which will lead to infrastructure overload; population overload and noise pollution over Mid Sussex and surrounds. I will push for an alternative site where the jobs are needed more.

Like Sir Nicholas, I would not vote for any socialist legislation, whatever the outcome of the General Election and whatever governing arrangement is in place. No I would not therefore be 'Letting Labour in.'

The Tories have inferior policies to UKIP in most cases. The British people know it's time to change the nature of Politics in this country and I believe they will vote UKIP as the only alternative to Tory in Mid Sussex.