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Son of former Stratford Tory MP John Maples is out and about supporting the Lib Dems




THE son of Stratford’s former Conservative MP is working with the Liberal Democrats in the local elections because of the behaviour of his father’s successor, Nadhim Zahawi.

Tom Maples, son of the late John Maples, told the Herald this week that although he was already a Lib Dem, he’d joined the party locally because of his anger with Mr Zahawi.

“The shamelessness and arrogance of the man astounds me,” said Mr Maples. “Watching him, one sees that the immorality and lack of contrition and the hubris of daring to re-stand can only be explained by his attitude and the 19,000 majority he holds.”

On 31st March, Mr Zahawi was re-adopted as the Tory candidate for Stratford by the local Conservative Association despite having been sacked from the government by prime minister Rishi Sunak for committing seven breaches of the ministerial code in relation to his tax affairs.

The decision by the association’s executive provoked fury among some Tory members, with two insiders branding Mr Zahawi as “toxic” on the doorstep during the current local election campaign and one of them castigating him for offering no explanation, making no apology and showing no remorse for his actions.

Mr Maples – whose father had been a treasury minister under John Major and held the health, defence and foreign affairs briefs in William Hague’s shadow cabinet – said he had first voted Lib Dem in 2015.

Tom Maples, son of former Conservative MP for Stratford, John Maples.
Tom Maples, son of former Conservative MP for Stratford, John Maples.

He had always considered himself a liberal with a small ‘l’ rather than a conservative with a small ‘c’. But his reason for joining Stratford Lib Dems was due to the behaviour of Mr Zahawi.

As for the local Conservatives generally, Mr Maples said: “I don’t see anyone who is thinking about their vote being happy to vote for them…There are a lot of people who feel politically homeless in a situation where there is a lack of morality. Morality plays a big part in British politics.

“There is an opportunity for the Lib Dems to capitalise on this, and I hope they do, and that they appeal to the young, who often don’t vote.”

Mr Maples is 33 and served for several years in the Household Cavalry after studying economics and politics at Leeds University and doing a year at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.

After leaving the army with the rank of captain he entered the world of commerce, working for a time in America and joining the huge US company Salesforce. He now works as a freelance sales and marketing consultant.

While his father was the MP for Stratford – a seat he held from 1997 until his retirement in 2010 – the family had a constituency home in Brailes. (John Maples died aged 69 in 2012.) For a while the family retained a home in south Warwickshire at Cherington, but that has since been sold.

Nevertheless, the area has happy memories for Tom. “I didn’t have plans to come back here until recently,” he said. “I think you’re better served by going to somewhere you have roots. And I really joined the local Lib Dems because of Nadhim Zahawi.”

The Lib Dems gathered in Bell Court Stratford. Photo: Mark Williamson
The Lib Dems gathered in Bell Court Stratford. Photo: Mark Williamson

And he’s doing more than just giving the Lib Dems moral support. He’s out on the streets canvassing with them as they knock on doors during the current Stratford District Council elections.

He’s a keen supporter of Manuela Perteghella, the Lib Dem parliamentary candidate because of her “strong record of personal success” as a district councillor.

He believed a lot of people would be thinking “My God, it’s time for a change” and “enough is enough”.

“A lot of people, who didn’t consider voting Lib Dem, will find they will be most aligned with Lib Dem policies,” he said.

Mr Maples has no plans to become a professional politician himself, but he is extremely interested in politics and is especially concerned about the way in which the House of Commons is having its powers stripped away by ministers.

Mr Zahawi’s office was contacted for a response.

n Local elections covering Stratford District Council and some parish councils take place on 4th May.



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