An independent candidate in South West Wiltshire has said that “it’s time for new ideas”.

James Ward grew up in West Yorkshire before studying classical music in Birmingham.

Outside of music, he spent over 10 years as a special constable and was a Royal Naval Reserve, before becoming a barrister in 2000.

Mr Ward said: “I feel the time is right now because the issues on the table are issues I can deal with and I can resolve.”

His career has led him to believe that the UK should exit the European Court of Human Rights so that it can rethink its approach.

James Ward (Image: James Ward)

He noted: “We have regimes that ban people from being LGBTQ, and if you’re found to be that they’ll either execute you or they’ll beat you to death.

“It’s terrible, but we can’t have the LGBTQ communities of 64 countries who have banned it coming to the UK because we just can’t sustain it.

“So we have to think about how we’re going to deal with these people and these issues.”  

Mr Ward moved to Trowbridge in 2008 and thinks he would best represent the area in parliament.

He said: “For me, this is about South West Wiltshire being a wealthy, economically sustainable, safe, strong, self-sufficient area.”

He added: “None of the other candidates have talked about that, they’re only talking about national issues.”

Mr Ward wants to bring “big businesses" to the area to attract people and create jobs, especially for “young males who are completely disillusioned”.

He said: “I find that those who are politically minded are lazy.

“They have not gone out to find the business to bring to Trowbridge or Warminster or Westbury".

Regarding the recent investment in Trowbridge Town Hall and the town's pavement widening, he said: "In my view, the money should have been spent on getting shops and restaurants and cafés open, in order for people to want to come.”

Mr Ward reflected: “This area can’t get any worse than it is, the highstreets are practically gone and we’ve got very few jobs and people are already seeing how it has declined over the last 14 years."

He concluded: “If you want South West Wiltshire to have a chance to actually improve, then you must put into parliament the candidate from our area who will do that, because if you don’t, it’s not going to happen.

“And the only person who has said that they will do anything for South West Wiltshire, outside of national politics in Westminster, is me.”