The Liberal Democrat candidate for South West Wiltshire is claiming that the Conservative Government’s policies are “killing the people of this country.”

Dr Bret Palmer will be standing to represent the residents of South West Wiltshire at this year’s general election.

He said: “When you see your country being dismantled, sold off, and not working, despite the highest rates of tax and the highest national debt we’ve seen in decades, you either sit back and allow it to wash over you or you stand up and do something about it.”

Dr Palmer has lived in Wiltshire with his family for over a decade and describes it as his “adoptive county”, having previously been elected as a Chippenham Town Councillor.

After pursuing his studies through night school classes, he attended university to become a consultant doctor and later began running a sexual health YouTube channel.

Dr Palmer said he had heard from many "disaffected conservative voters" on the doorsteps of South West Wiltshire and listened to their concerns.

He noted: “A lot of people are concerned about the health service and access to health, that is a very big concern and a big issue.”

He also mentioned worries such as the quality of schools and crime rates in Trowbridge.

Dr Palmer said: “Under this particular government, life expectancy is falling.

“It’s not due to Covid - Covid has a bit of an effect, but not so extensive - it hasn’t affected Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other European countries in the same way it has affected us.

“Child mortality is starting to increase.

“For the Conservative Government, its policies are literally killing the people of this country.

“What’s causing that? Access to health, poor education, an environment that is effectively being poisoned – every river we have is contaminated – and a failing economy.

“What I will campaign for is a reversal of those things.”

Dr Palmer believes that the “free trade of people, goods, money and services is very important” between countries of “an equal setting.”

He said: “This hysteria around immigration is hysteria made by the government on purpose to take people’s viewpoint away from what actually counts, which is a failing economy and failing services.”

When asked about the current MP for South West Wiltshire, Andrew Murrison, the Lib Dem candidate said: “He has got a lot to answer for.

“He’s supporting the Liz Truss government, the Boris Johnson government, and the Sunak government.

“He’s a minister presiding over the failure of the UK system, so my challenge to him would be ‘how do you defend this?’”