My name is Chris Harrison, and I am honoured to have been selected as the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Reform UK in South Norfolk.

Full statement

I moved to Norfolk in 1992 to pursue a PhD at the John Innes Centre in Norwich. The first house I lived in as a postgraduate student was in what is now the South Norfolk Constituency. My career began in research and later transitioned to management and director roles within the university sector.

Since 2012, I have been active in the private sector, primarily working with start-up companies focused on commercialising innovative products and concepts. Recently, I served as the managing director of a plant-based food venture in Norfolk, collaborating with scientists, farmers, and major retailers, food distributors, and catering services, including school catering.

Ten years ago, I founded a retail business that has steadily grown. What started in my office now supports a small team in a Norfolk village high street location.

I am married to a full-time GP, and I have worked with healthcare-related businesses, gaining a deep understanding of the NHS's challenges. Healthcare is a daily topic in our household.

I have a 17-year-old daughter studying graphic design at a college in Norwich. As she prepares for university next year, we are experiencing the challenges faced by her generation, especially following the pandemic.

Why Reform UK?

I previously represented the Conservatives as a Broadland District Council councillor and have been a Conservative supporter since my student days in Leeds, despite its unpopularity there at the time. However, recent events, especially during and after the pandemic, have left me disillusioned with the Conservatives. I have come to agree with the view that they are self-serving and do not truly represent the views of the country or their voters. The internal conflicts and leadership appointments disregarding membership wishes have solidified this perspective.

Reform UK offers a fresh approach. The people I have met and the other candidates in the election come from diverse backgrounds, many with experience in small businesses or vital public services. We share a belief in the need for radical change and breaking the stronghold of the two major parties. I found a political home here – one where I didn't need to be part of the political elite or a PPE graduate from Oxford to be accepted.

I bring to the party a wealth of experience in both the public and private sectors across various industries. I have started and run small businesses and negotiated deals with international household-name companies. Despite my extensive education, I come from a humble background; my parents owned a guest house in Morecambe, where I grew up.

I understand and love the rural economy here in South Norfolk and am part of it, while also recognising the significant opportunities from nearly 30,000 people working at Norwich Research Park. I aim to maintain our way of life while increasing the money in your pocket through lower taxation, better and more efficient public services, and cutting waste in unaccountable bodies like the BBC, the House of Lords, and numerous NHS management organisations.

Working in science and highly-skilled workplaces has shown me the immense value of skilled people coming to the UK. Some of my best friends are those who have come here to work. However, even they acknowledge that unchecked immigration could harm the UK. The Labour government under Blair eroded immigration controls, leading to an almost free-for-all situation. This shift has resulted in an addiction to cheap labour, which continues today.

Issues like migration and crime were major concerns in 2007. However, a financial crisis, a decade of austerity, a pandemic, and now war have exacerbated the lack of political focus in this area. Those factors are in the backdrop, but it is the Conservative government’s failure to act has left us in this position. Policies like the Rwanda plan are mere gimmicks and will waste time and money.

I hope that after reading this, you will consider supporting me. In return, I promise to work hard for you and be a force for good and change.