Bracknell Conservative Party candidate James Sunderland | General Election 2019

He has recently stepped down as an army officer at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst after 27 years service.

What are the top three issues affecting Bracknell residents?

"I think constituents in Bracknell have got a good thing going. My three campaign themes are about Bracknell and the post-Brexit economy, worldwide trade deals which will benefit the people of Bracknell. We’ve got 120 or so international companies based here, so it’s a win-win.

"The second key issue is supporting the people of Bracknell. We’re talking NHS services, we’re talking more GPs, increased police presence on the streets, it’s about public services and social care, so it’s enhancing that.

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"The third thing is, in my view, about preserving what we have in Bracknell and enhancing it. It’s about valuing our public spaces, our leisure facilities, it’s about being a bit cautious on housebuilding, it’s about preserving our way of life and valuing what we have and making it even better.

"It’s Brexit and the economy, closely followed by people - they’re the most important thing - and then, of course, the environment and where we live."

What's your vision for Bracknell?

"I’ve got a real passion for international trade. I would like to bring foreign investment to Bracknell, I would like to make the employers here bigger and better. I want to see more jobs and better jobs. I also want to improve public services. The council does a great job here, it’s a really great council and they’re having a fantastic impact on the people here.

"It’s no coincidence we have got 38 out of 42 councillors being Conservative. Bracknell itself, in terms of Bracknell Forest, is a really good place to be.

But of course, the constituency is much wider. We’ve got some wards in the west, Finchastmpstead South and North, and Wokingham Without, they’re part of Wokingham borough. The issues down there are different. They’re very concerned about house building. I want to cool it a bit down there. I want to just pause and think, hang on, our green spaces are very important and I’m not going to sign up to blanket house building in that part of the constituency either.

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"I think it’s about looking at different parts of the constituency as a whole, and delivering for them what it is that they want.

"The golden rule is I’m going to listen to people, I’m going to respect their views and do what I can for the people who live here. It is my responsibility ultimately to serve those who live here and that is what I will do."

What is your connection to Bracknell?

"I was born in Runnymede, so not far from here at all. Brought up in West Surrey, just over the M3. I came here a lot as a kid. My mother used to bring us here to the shops and to the leisure centre, so I spent a lot of time swimming at the leisure centre.

"It’s great to see how Bracknell’s changed over the years. In 1993 I went to Sandhurst and commissioned into the army from there. My working life started in the constituency and the last three years I have been at Sandhurst working, so I started my career at Sandhurst and I’m going to finish my career in Sandhurst. It’s a great place. We come here a lot and I’m very familiar with Sandhurst and Crowthorne and I’m spending more time in Bracknell."

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Which Conservative policies do you think will benefit Bracknell residents?

"What I’m getting on the doorsteps loud and clear is get Brexit done. Bracknell itself is leave focused. The constituency is very marginally remain, but Bracknell itself as the heart of the constituency is very leave focused and I’m getting people telling me please get it done, just get it done. I’m hearing Labour voters tell me that, I’m hearing Lib Dem voters tell me that, believe it or not. I’m getting Conservative remainers tell me that. There is an absolute passion here for Brexit, getting it done, and that’s what Boris will do."

What makes a good MP?

"My understanding is Phillip wasn’t particularly visible in the constituency, didn’t run surgeries. I’m completely different. I’m here to serve the people of Bracknell. You can’t serve the people of Bracknell without being part of the community. I intend to move here with my family. We only live down the road in Hampshire now, but we’ll move here because I’ve promised too and because I want too. We will run surgeries.

"We’ve got a good idea that we will run surgeries not necessarily from here (Conservative offices), but we will move it. We will go to a pub, or a shopping centre, or a community centre. I think we will look at the diary, we will run regular surgeries for those who want to come and talk to me all across the constituency. More importantly, I want to be here. I want to be in the pub, I want to be in the shopping centres, I want to be having a poppadom in the restaurant. I want to be amongst the people that I serve A) because I love the people here, and B) because I’m much better placed as the member of parliament, assuming that happens, if I’m physically here all the time.

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"It’s about supporting events, it’s about being at events, it’s about people asking me for help and me delivering on that, it’s about people feeling they can write to me and to phone me, and that’s what I want to happen. I’m going to be here for Bracknell, not living in London and coming here once in a blue moon. There’s a big difference I think with how I intend to do this than perhaps how my predecessor did it."