Introduction | FAQ | New Party People

Richard A.Vass (New Party People)

Biography

Richard is an Ipswich based businessman who specialises in power distribution equipment for offices, data centres and trading floors. In addition, Richard’s business is a market leader in solar powered lighting for businesses, schools and the NHS.

Richard is the youngest of four children and was brought up in Hong Kong and Germany, his father being a consultant radiologist with the British Army. Richard himself was awarded an Army Scholarship but after school and University (reading Human Environmental Studies at King’s College London) had his military career curtailed by a medical condition. Richard then became involved in the furniture industry for 9 years before setting up his own business providing power solutions. Richard has travelled the world for his business and is a champion of British Engineering excellence. He has “sold coal to Newcastle” by having customers for his UK manufactured products in countries as far apart as China, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Middle East, Europe and the USA. However, he is hugely frustrated by the consistent undermining of UK industry by successive UK Governments and would very much like to see this trend reversed.

Richard’s family home has been in Thorpeness since 1984 and he has lived near Stowmarket since 2001. He has a smallholding and lives with his wife, daughter and a menagerie of animals. He is associated with The Terence Higgins Trust with whom he is a “Friend for Life” and has campaigned extensively for the National Deaf Children's Society.

Richard uses what leisure time is left after his busy work and travel schedule on his smallholding and recently managed to get back into his favourite sport of sailing. He keeps a sailing boat on the Orwell, but no longer competes at International level. His most memorable sailing experience was sailing “Kingfisher” alongside Dame Ellen MacArthur. His company spotted Dame Ellen’s potential and sponsored her in her fledgling days on her first Atlantic crossing.

Richard is passionate about Suffolk and will campaign hard to ensure that the county and his constituency are heard loud and clear in Parliament. He feels that it is not just the Labour party who do not understand rural issues as most career politicians now struggle to understand what is going on outside Westminster. He strongly believes that taxation, education and transportation must be geared towards supporting those who wish to work rather than undermine them, as at present.

Richard also believes that the best way to ensure the prosperity of Suffolk residents is to encourage a vibrant private sector to build on the many engineering and technology based business already within the region. Regional development agencies represent appalling value for money and often do more harm than good. It would be much more cost effective to use their budget to improve the infrastructure and leave the market to those who understand it.

Richard’s Experience

Richard has proven skills as a negotiator and business generator. His extensive experience, gained at both here and overseas, have allowed him to develop a valuable understanding of issues which are crucial to his constituents, regardless of their ethnic origin. Richard’s experience of politics may be limited, but he sees this as a positive thing. For far too long, those attracted into politics have been more interested in their own agendas rather than making change for the common good. A proven achiever, Richard will never be accused of not “rocking the boat”. By voting for Richard you will be assured of a strong, determined fighter for Suffolk who will not tolerate frustrating parliamentary processes stifling much needed progress.

Richard’s Priorities for Suffolk and North Ipswich.

- Replace the lies of the main political parties with plain truth
- Replace state intervention with proper democracy
- Replace the rights culture with responsibility and freedom
- Return power to the electorate in local decision making
- Lower the tax burden on individuals and businesses
- Reduce the ability of the EU to interfere in our lives
- Deliver better value for taxpayers’ money
- Require effective police coverage for rural communities.
- Support farmers by requiring imported food and livestock to meet similar standards to UK produced goods
- Scrap unnecessary or flawed health and safety legislation
- Review over-generous public sector pays, pensions and awards

Reasons for Supporting the New Party

Westminster has become a political circus, The undermining of our country economically and socially over the past ten years leaves people like me with no choice but to step forward to try to counter the threat of allowing 'career politicians', devoid of life experience, to perpetuate the activities which have left our country looking like a train crash. Challenging the status quo is never going to be easy, but allowing the present state of affairs to continue is just unthinkable.