The Brexit crisis will be the inescapable background to Borough elections in Reigate and Banstead on 2 May. Furthermore, all ward seats will be up for election due to boundary changes across the Borough. Each voter will have three candidates to vote for, instead of the usual one.

Local Conservative candidates have been working hard across the borough, able to promote their achievements of running one of the best-administered Boroughs in the country.  

During canvassing, many have met residents so infuriated by the Brexit process that they have pledged either to abstain from voting Conservative or not to vote at all.

Concerns over the Brexit debacle should be addressed to me. It will be grossly unfair if the great team assembled to fight every seat in the Borough is punished for a massive national issue over which they have no control. 

My appeal to voters in the local elections, therefore, is to focus on local issues and the record and programme that these hardworking would-be representatives put to you.

On Brexit, your concerns should be directed at me and candidates in the Euro elections if we now have to have these.

I fully understand the frustration and anger that many of my constituents feel about the Brexit process and I share it. But whatever you feel about Brexit, please consider the importance of local issues when voting on 2 May and don’t take it out on our community representatives.

There is enough self-harm going on in UK politics without us adding to it on 2 May!

For your information, my views on Brexit can be found here: https://www.blunt4reigate.com/news/category/European-News. Always happy to hear your views!