The Labour candidate for East Wiltshire has described the Labour Party as a “completely changed beast.”

Rob Newman will be standing to represent the new constituency at this year’s general election.

Mr Newman grew up in Wroughton and first became involved in politics at university.

He went on to hold various roles in the Labour Party, such as political advisor to frontbencher Liz Kendall and spokesman for former Home Secretary David Blunkett.

Currently employed in the advertising sector, Mr Newman reports that political standards have “plunged” over the last decade.  

He said: “They’ve played pass the parcel with the keys to Downing Street for the last few years.

“I think that they’ve forgotten that you’re not in power for your own sake, you’re in power to exercise it on behalf of people who need change.”

Mr Newman noted that East Wiltshire constituents have concerns such as the cost-of-living crisis and the “state of the NHS.”

He added: “We need food security and a thriving agricultural sector.

“The government needs to work with farmers to make sure that they are profitable, that they are making money, that they are well looked after.”

He also listed the armed forces as a priority should he be elected.

He said: “I’ve always thought that we owe our forces and their families a huge debt.

“I don’t think we can ever fully repay it but the minimum that we can do is give them the decent quality accommodation that they deserve.”

Regarding development, Mr Newman said: “I think we need more housing in the country but we’ve got to make sure that it’s in character with local communities and there has to be consent from those communities.”

Speaking on the current Devizes MP, Danny Kruger, he claimed: “Leading the New Conservatives, he seems to want to be a general or a faction leader in the Tory forever war.

“What I think voters in East Wiltshire need isn’t somebody who is going to put that kind of Westminster parlour game first.”

Mr Newman stated that polls “clearly show that it's Labour which is in the best position to challenge Danny Kruger.”

He added that Labour had done “the hard yards”, saying: “It’s not just a paint job – this is a top to bottom change, Keir has rebuilt the party from the foundations up.”

Mr Newman concluded: “With me you’d get a dedicated MP who speaks up for our communities in East Wilts and puts voters first, so no second jobs, no outside interests.

“A visible, local MP who holds surgeries, gets around the constituency, is available to you and who doesn’t take you for granted.”