David Roper: here is the Burnley Independent candidate's manifesto for the General Election

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As Burnley, Padiham and Brierfield voters gear up for the General Election on Thursday, we bring you the would-be MPs’ manifestos – here is what Independent candidate David Roper has said:

I am not a Member of a Party, as you will realise, so, my manifesto is personal to me! I will back any party who wants to increase spending on health (more particularly doctors and consultants) and education. I do not believe you can keep taxes and energy bills down because the spending has to come from somewhere.

Having spent over five years in chartered and management accountancy, I would look at/address the amount of benefits given out to the unemployed and those people who are not able to work for one reason and another.

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I believe in addressing the problems we have in this country before we involve ourselves in overseas issues.

Independent candidate David Roper is running to be the next Burnley MP.Independent candidate David Roper is running to be the next Burnley MP.
Independent candidate David Roper is running to be the next Burnley MP.

I am Burnley-born and bred, a Clarets season ticket-holder. That is a local person who has lived in Burnley the vast majority of his life.

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I attended Burnley Grammar School, gaining a scholarship in Maths and Physics to read Mathematics at St Andrew’s University in Scotland (where Prince William and Kate met). I gained my Honours degree and became an accountant, working both as a Chartered and as a Management Accountant, locally, at Porter, Matthews & Marsden & ICI Perspex.

I am sporty having played many sports (Lancs Table Tennis Champion). Now, a sports spectator - BFC and Lowerhouse & Read cricket, in particular.

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I was an Ightenhill Parish Councillor, Deputy Chairman before becoming a Burnley local councillor for the constituency of Whittlefield with Ightenhill in 2015. I was interviewed by Gordon Birtwistle and selected as the Lib Dem candidate, duly winning, fighting to keep the No 14 Clifton Farm Circular bus - because Lancsashire County Council wanted to scrap it. We raised a petition which we sent to county hall at Preston. We were successful in keeping the bus for OAP's etc to go into Burnley, especially to the doctors, shopping and the bank etc. The bus still runs to this day but is called the No. 63 bus!

After approximately one year as a Lib Dem councillor, I resigned, becoming an Independent, whence the Conservative and Labour parties both asked me to join them. For the next approximately four years on the council (45 members), it was split on voting 22:22 and I had the casting vote to decide what the council's decision would be. That is, a position of power/pressure and responsibility. I took every time what I thought was the best decision for the town of Burnley, which is what I would do if I was elected as MP.

I spent five years as a local councillor, speaking up in the chamber, unlike most councillors. I am now back on Ightenhill Parish Council, expressing my views.”

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