Former Bishop’s Stortford and Sawbridgeworth mayors behind new Reform UK Association for East Herts
The Reform UK candidate who came third in Hertford and Stortford in July’s General Election has been appointed chair of the party’s new East Herts Association.
John Burmicz, a former mayor of Sawbridgeworth and East Herts district councillor, helped to overturn Conservative Julie Marson’s 19,620 majority from December 2019.
On July 4, the Reform UK hopeful took 15.4% of the votes, polling 8,325. Just 16,060 electors endorsed Mrs Marson and, for the first time in the seat’s 41-year history, Josh Dean won it for Labour with 20,808 votes.
Nationwide, Reform UK won 14% of the popular vote and returned five MPs to Westminster. The party, led by Clacton MP Nigel Farage, came second in 98 seats.
Dr Burmicz, a former Conservative, is joined on the new committee by vice-chair Jill Dwyer and campaign co-ordinators Jon Dann and Colin Woodward.
Dr Burmicz said: “Jill is well known in Sawbridgeworth and is a good campaigner and John is ex-military and also a good campaigner.”
Mr Woodward is a former Bishop’s Stortford mayor and town councillor, who also served on East Herts district and Herts county councils as a Conservative.
He told the Indie: “Reform UK has seen phenomenal growth of membership nationally and this has been reflected locally as the new constituency branch welcomes hundreds of new members.
“Some, by no means all, are like myself, former Conservatives dismayed and disappointed by the self-destruction and mismanagement of the previous Government, which had started with a sizeable majority.
“However, the new Hertford & Stortford Constituency Reform branch has attracted members across the political spectrum, including some not previously engaged or aligned who have been somewhat influenced and energised by the actions and inactions of our own local councils and having a strong desire for change attracted by Reform UK’s radical yet common sense contract offered to the electorate.
“Thus vetting of candidates is under way for the new branch to field candidates for the local elections next May, encouraged by Reform already gaining local councillors across the country.”
The new association has already had its first meeting and is hoping to welcome new members at a larger gathering, provisionally set for Parsonage Lane Community Centre, Church Manor, Bishop’s Stortford, on Saturday November 23 from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.
