July 2, 2024 • 10 mins
Gary Stevens has gone from Northern Southland to London and has put his name forward for the UK Reform Party for the upcoming general election, and tells us why he wants to enter British politics.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
The Welcome back to the Muster. It is a Wednesday afternoon.
My name is Andy Muller heading over to the UK.
Next Gary Stevens, former Balfer boy who's a world away
from Balfer, now involved with the UK general election getting underway.
(00:26):
The fourth of July is polling day, I believe, and
Ca do you have the Gary telling us about his
journey into the world of UK politics. Gary, good afternoon
and welcome to the Muster.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Yeah, Hidie, thanks very much for having me on. Real
pleasure and great chat. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
I suppose the initial question is why UK politics?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Well, I think I originally a lot of it is
to do with my family and they're involvement in the
community in South in the New Zealand. It got me interested,
I guess, in not really the politics sort of things,
but more you know, the community looking after people and
making sure that that you know, things are moving forward
and things are organized and and and and sort of
(01:07):
out for everybody in in literally in the community. So
so here in the UK, and I came here in
the early nineties. I started off working in investment banking.
I'm now working as a director with an investment back
in it it's something I really enjoy it and and
love being involved in.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
But the politics side of things, I guess what really
was the catalyst was the Scottish referendum, and I would
have been devastated if Scotland had left the UK, and
it really got me interested in thinking, well maybe I
should get involved here as well.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
And do something from my community here. So I approached
the Conservatives basically the same as the National Party in
New Zealand and asked them, you know, how how can
I be a counselor? I learnt our councilor in my
area where I live in Bromley, and that was twenty seventeen,
twenty eighteen, first ever election I ever stood in. I've
(02:09):
got elected as a local councilor and serve for four years.
Absolutely loved it being involved at the you know, at
the resident level and the ward level, you know, literally
helping out people that were having problems getting housing. There's
a homeless guy that was always having issues. But it
was also great to be involved at the council level
(02:32):
and to help them out with you know a whole
range of different things. I mean housing is a big
thing of course, but recreation, you know, literally sorting out
anything to do with the council and what they were
doing across pensions or finance or anything as well. You know,
and given my background as a project manager, I really
(02:53):
approached it in a professional manner and I really worked
hard at you know, my strengthen and getting something down
for you know, done for the people in Bromley. And
look after four years twenty twenty two, I still have gained,
but in a different ward. I've watually it was a
(03:14):
labor target seat and I'm missed out by about one
hundred and sixty one votes to get re elected as
a local counselor.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Look things that have moved on and I look over lockdowns,
I like a lot of people, was not very happy
with how they were going the look the old paddies
really failed us, including the Conservatives, and for me, I
resigned from the Conservatives. I think it's twenty twenty two,
(03:46):
end of twenty two that I resigned. There are too
many red lines, you know, keep on saying to myself, look,
this is the red line I have. I will resigned
for the t took go ten fifteen red lines later.
I've had enough resigned, looked at other parties to see
who was ours is about Reform UK really a fresh
(04:06):
start on politics. The people involved were and are business people,
people from all walks of life and all professions, and
had a really different approach to politics. Instead of you know,
politicians just politicing the whole time, these people were very based.
(04:28):
They had very smart ideas about how they would approach
policy and also importantly how they would implement that policy
as well. So look, yeah, and when Ritchie Sonac, and
I was already a candidate for Reform hadn't confirmed the
seat where I was standing, when Richie's Sonac, I think
(04:49):
it was at twenty second may or something like that,
declared a snap election. I think it really really annoyed me,
to be honest, I thought I thought it was a
really arrogant attempt to sort of subvert democracy. He knew
and knows that all the parties, all the candidates would
(05:10):
have a really tough time getting paperwork and time, getting
campaigns up and running, getting literature printed, all that sort
of stuff. I mean, he even caught his own party out.
Friends of mind who were candidates for Conservatives, they didn't
know and they were caught out. So it was yeah, look, journalist,
(05:31):
he showed himself in the foot because it's really really
blown back on him. I think a lot of people,
like myself were pretty annoyed at his approach, pretty annoyed
it that he thought he could pull a fast one
on us, and it motivated a lot of people. So
I'm standing in a seat in South London, Dullas from
(05:51):
West Norwood. Beautiful area. It's one of the first places
where I lived when I came to the UK and
our really really do like the area. I've coached rugby
there for nearly a decade. One of my boys is
born there, one of the other boys went to school there,
or I currently teachers there. I've got a little link
to to the area, although I live slightly further south
(06:14):
and Bromley. It's a great area. It's a it's a
labor stronghold. Uh. You know that the current Labor MP
really nice lady does does a fear of it for
the community. She's she's she's pretty good to be honest.
It's not good to sound I've been campaigning to labor
but she does a good job. But it's the it's
(06:37):
the main party. It's the party which is the problem.
And you know Labor over the last four years five
years in the UK provided no opposition whatsoever to what
was going on and when we really really needed an
opposition to to you know, hold the Conservatives to account.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
What would you call a success for the reformer UK
Party in the solution, like would you target Yeah, that.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
A success, I mean a success. Number one would be
for us to have uh Nigel Farage in the house
comments he would be an absolute fox in the hen
house up there and would really hold provide an opposition
that we have been sorely lacking over the last few years.
(07:23):
There's a lot of other really good candidates. Richard Ties,
the previous leader is a is a brilliant guy, very
very smart guy, great businessman, very professional in his approach,
did a lot for reform to move on from from
the Brexit Party on from the Yukip Party which it
sort of came out of and re professionalized the party itself.
(07:45):
Another guy, Ben had be very very nice guy, great
approach to politics. And look at these guys and a
bit like myself. We don't count of sales as being
politicians and if we can have you know, at the moment,
the polling suggests we'll get sort of around eighteen MPs
(08:05):
into the House of Commons and again look absolute fox
and their hair nails, and hold these you know, hold
these MPs, these people that have been taking us off
for granted for the last few years, holding to account.
So yeah, I think that would be a great start. Look,
were really sort of focusing on the next five years
(08:27):
and twenty twenty nine when the next election is coming up.
This one's really caught a lot of people out. We've
not been organized enough as we'd hoped we would be.
But yeah, twenty twenty nine, we really hope to move
forward and get some more seats and you know, look,
maybe even get into forming a government. But let's see
(08:49):
how let's get through this one on Furst at the startus.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Hey, Gary, just finally looking at New Zealand politics from afar.
What's your opinion of it?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yeah, look, I thank god that National God elected in
after years of just sunder A Durn doing everything against
the people of New Zealand. I was pretty appalled with
with her behavior. To be honest, when she first showed
up on the scene, I knew exactly what she was
about and what she would do. My prediction has proven
(09:21):
unfortunately correct. So no, look, it's it's great to see
you know, National and Power getting hold of things, getting
back to some you know, sensible common sense approach to
to power and to into governance and to politics. So yeah, look,
(09:42):
I I I hope to to to hear more from
it and and and uh, you know, I hope that
you know, National can really really sort out New Zealand
and move forward back to where they left it, which
was a I believe New Zealand had a surplus at
the time when when Labor came into power, and you know,
get back open up New Zealand, open up People's Conference again,
(10:05):
back into into politics and New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Hey, Gary, better leave it there. Thank you very much
for your time. We do appreciate it and all the
best for the weekend with the Reform UK Party, and
we do appreciate your time on the must of this afternoon.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Yeah, absolutely fantastic and hopefully haven't rambled on too much,
but I could go on much longer journals, but no, thanks,
thanks very much, Andy. We really really appreciate setting this
up and having a chat. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Gary Stevens out of the Reform UK Party, bellfa boy
living in the Big Smoke of London these days. Coming
up next it is a Wednesday afternoon. Hillary Copeland
The Welcome back to the Muster. It is a Wednesday afternoon.
My name is Andy Muller heading over to the UK.
Next Gary Stevens, former Balfer boy who's a world away
from Balfer, now involved with the UK general election getting underway.
(00:26):
The fourth of July is polling day, I believe, and
Ca do you have the Gary telling us about his
journey into the world of UK politics. Gary, good afternoon
and welcome to the Muster.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Yeah, Hidie, thanks very much for having me on. Real
pleasure and great chat. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
I suppose the initial question is why UK politics?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Well, I think I originally a lot of it is
to do with my family and they're involvement in the
community in South in the New Zealand. It got me interested,
I guess, in not really the politics sort of things,
but more you know, the community looking after people and
making sure that that you know, things are moving forward
and things are organized and and and and sort of
(01:07):
out for everybody in in literally in the community. So
so here in the UK, and I came here in
the early nineties. I started off working in investment banking.
I'm now working as a director with an investment back
in it it's something I really enjoy it and and
love being involved in.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
But the politics side of things, I guess what really
was the catalyst was the Scottish referendum, and I would
have been devastated if Scotland had left the UK, and
it really got me interested in thinking, well maybe I
should get involved here as well.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
And do something from my community here. So I approached
the Conservatives basically the same as the National Party in
New Zealand and asked them, you know, how how can
I be a counselor? I learnt our councilor in my
area where I live in Bromley, and that was twenty seventeen,
twenty eighteen, first ever election I ever stood in. I've
(02:09):
got elected as a local councilor and serve for four years.
Absolutely loved it being involved at the you know, at
the resident level and the ward level, you know, literally
helping out people that were having problems getting housing. There's
a homeless guy that was always having issues. But it
was also great to be involved at the council level
(02:32):
and to help them out with you know a whole
range of different things. I mean housing is a big
thing of course, but recreation, you know, literally sorting out
anything to do with the council and what they were
doing across pensions or finance or anything as well. You know,
and given my background as a project manager, I really
(02:53):
approached it in a professional manner and I really worked
hard at you know, my strengthen and getting something down
for you know, done for the people in Bromley. And
look after four years twenty twenty two, I still have gained,
but in a different ward. I've watually it was a
(03:14):
labor target seat and I'm missed out by about one
hundred and sixty one votes to get re elected as
a local counselor.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Look things that have moved on and I look over lockdowns,
I like a lot of people, was not very happy
with how they were going the look the old paddies
really failed us, including the Conservatives, and for me, I
resigned from the Conservatives. I think it's twenty twenty two,
(03:46):
end of twenty two that I resigned. There are too
many red lines, you know, keep on saying to myself, look,
this is the red line I have. I will resigned
for the t took go ten fifteen red lines later.
I've had enough resigned, looked at other parties to see
who was ours is about Reform UK really a fresh
(04:06):
start on politics. The people involved were and are business people,
people from all walks of life and all professions, and
had a really different approach to politics. Instead of you know,
politicians just politicing the whole time, these people were very based.
(04:28):
They had very smart ideas about how they would approach
policy and also importantly how they would implement that policy
as well. So look, yeah, and when Ritchie Sonac, and
I was already a candidate for Reform hadn't confirmed the
seat where I was standing, when Richie's Sonac, I think
(04:49):
it was at twenty second may or something like that,
declared a snap election. I think it really really annoyed me,
to be honest, I thought I thought it was a
really arrogant attempt to sort of subvert democracy. He knew
and knows that all the parties, all the candidates would
(05:10):
have a really tough time getting paperwork and time, getting
campaigns up and running, getting literature printed, all that sort
of stuff. I mean, he even caught his own party out.
Friends of mind who were candidates for Conservatives, they didn't
know and they were caught out. So it was yeah, look, journalist,
(05:31):
he showed himself in the foot because it's really really
blown back on him. I think a lot of people,
like myself were pretty annoyed at his approach, pretty annoyed
it that he thought he could pull a fast one
on us, and it motivated a lot of people. So
I'm standing in a seat in South London, Dullas from
(05:51):
West Norwood. Beautiful area. It's one of the first places
where I lived when I came to the UK and
our really really do like the area. I've coached rugby
there for nearly a decade. One of my boys is
born there, one of the other boys went to school there,
or I currently teachers there. I've got a little link
to to the area, although I live slightly further south
(06:14):
and Bromley. It's a great area. It's a it's a
labor stronghold. Uh. You know that the current Labor MP
really nice lady does does a fear of it for
the community. She's she's she's pretty good to be honest.
It's not good to sound I've been campaigning to labor
but she does a good job. But it's the it's
(06:37):
the main party. It's the party which is the problem.
And you know Labor over the last four years five
years in the UK provided no opposition whatsoever to what
was going on and when we really really needed an
opposition to to you know, hold the Conservatives to account.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
What would you call a success for the reformer UK
Party in the solution, like would you target Yeah, that.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
A success, I mean a success. Number one would be
for us to have uh Nigel Farage in the house
comments he would be an absolute fox in the hen
house up there and would really hold provide an opposition
that we have been sorely lacking over the last few years.
(07:23):
There's a lot of other really good candidates. Richard Ties,
the previous leader is a is a brilliant guy, very
very smart guy, great businessman, very professional in his approach,
did a lot for reform to move on from from
the Brexit Party on from the Yukip Party which it
sort of came out of and re professionalized the party itself.
(07:45):
Another guy, Ben had be very very nice guy, great
approach to politics. And look at these guys and a
bit like myself. We don't count of sales as being
politicians and if we can have you know, at the moment,
the polling suggests we'll get sort of around eighteen MPs
(08:05):
into the House of Commons and again look absolute fox
and their hair nails, and hold these you know, hold
these MPs, these people that have been taking us off
for granted for the last few years, holding to account.
So yeah, I think that would be a great start. Look,
were really sort of focusing on the next five years
(08:27):
and twenty twenty nine when the next election is coming up.
This one's really caught a lot of people out. We've
not been organized enough as we'd hoped we would be.
But yeah, twenty twenty nine, we really hope to move
forward and get some more seats and you know, look,
maybe even get into forming a government. But let's see
(08:49):
how let's get through this one on Furst at the startus.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Hey, Gary, just finally looking at New Zealand politics from afar.
What's your opinion of it?
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yeah, look, I thank god that National God elected in
after years of just sunder A Durn doing everything against
the people of New Zealand. I was pretty appalled with
with her behavior. To be honest, when she first showed
up on the scene, I knew exactly what she was
about and what she would do. My prediction has proven
(09:21):
unfortunately correct. So no, look, it's it's great to see
you know, National and Power getting hold of things, getting
back to some you know, sensible common sense approach to
to power and to into governance and to politics. So yeah, look,
(09:42):
I I I hope to to to hear more from
it and and and uh, you know, I hope that
you know, National can really really sort out New Zealand
and move forward back to where they left it, which
was a I believe New Zealand had a surplus at
the time when when Labor came into power, and you know,
get back open up New Zealand, open up People's Conference again,
(10:05):
back into into politics and New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Hey, Gary, better leave it there. Thank you very much
for your time. We do appreciate it and all the
best for the weekend with the Reform UK Party, and
we do appreciate your time on the must of this afternoon.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Yeah, absolutely fantastic and hopefully haven't rambled on too much,
but I could go on much longer journals, but no, thanks,
thanks very much, Andy. We really really appreciate setting this
up and having a chat. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Gary Stevens out of the Reform UK Party, bellfa boy
living in the Big Smoke of London these days. Coming
up next it is a Wednesday afternoon. Hillary Copeland
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