RICHARD BROOKS

"I'd ask you to notice the difference between the promises of many who say they will do lots, and the few who have already done it for years."

WHO IS RICHARD BROOKS?

Richard is the Parliamentary candidate for Arbroath & Broughty Ferry in the UK General Election 2024.

Born in Devonport, Plymouth; Richard went on to live in Arbroath, attending primary and secondary level schools before joining the Civil Service as an engineering apprentice, and has gone on to spend the last 25 years in the North East of Scotland (working mainly in Aberdeen's Oil and Gas sector, and a 3rd-Sector Social Action Charity).

Richard’s apprenticeship started all the way back in his birth place of Plymouth, but he would soon be on the move to Barrow-in-Furness to work in the Trident Submarine design office. During these eight years in Cumbria he covered many chapters in his life. By the time he left Cumbria, Richard had obtained a MSc from Lancaster University, having worked in the Vicker's Shipyard (VSEL) as a radiation physicist. Shortly before leaving for Aberdeen, Richard met and married his now wife, Amy.

THE NORTH EAST: The heartbeat of Scotland

Whilst working in Aberdeen for Lloyd's Register as a legal compliance & safety engineering specialist, Richard became a Chartered Engineer and a Chartered Physicist. He has always recognised that a stronger North East directly correlates to a stronger UK, especially visible with his work in the Energy Sector.

However, his ongoing interest in social action and social justice led him to study law and to start the social action charity TLC in June 2002. Richard continues to be aware of deprivation often neighbouring great wealth, which fuels his national-commitment to see long-term solutions, and his Northeast-commitment to see near-term change.

His efforts have been relentless in alleviating deprivation and social isolation throughout the last 20+ years, and through the double-national award-winning work of TLC, he has now seen over 100,000 people helped in the Northeast, a work that he and his wife have been commended for at Holyrood.

CORE VALUES: Integrity, honesty and transparency

Richard has lived in the Northeast for more than 25 years and has built a reputation both professionally and socially for living a life of integrity, honesty and transparency. In 2014, he chaired the Aberdeen South Independence debate which included MSPs, Cllrs, soon to be elected MP and Professor Hugh Pennington CBE.

Richard has always made space for people from all walks of life. He is a spokesperson for diversity and inclusion and his continued commitment to social change has seen many families and individual lives transformed for the better. Working with and alongside organisations such as Aberdeen City Council, Churches, Mosques, and various schools and community groups, his work in TLC had grown quietly from strength to strength, gaining local (2016 Spirit of the Community award) and national (Prestige Scottish Charity of the year 2021/22 & 2023/24) recognitions.

To date over 900,000 meals have been distributed in the last 20 years, and whilst in January 2024 he stood down from being the Chair, he and his family retain an active interest at the grass roots level of the charity.

Richard genuinely believes that much more can be accomplished together than apart, and thus has worked with all political parties to see social transformation take place. Communicating and meeting with various organisations and leaders in the Northeast, including Douglas Lumsden MSP (and former city council co-leader). 

Elections and a close view of local & national goverment. 

In May 2022, against a challenging post-COVID backdrop, Richard ran and was duly elected as a Conservative and Unionist Councillor in one of the wards on the Southside of Aberdeen (Kincorth, Nigg and Cove).

Since then, Richard has seen firsthand that the SNP do not listen to the people. In cities like Aberdeen they have introduced bus gates and LEZs, driving the local economy into the ground, rendering Aberdeen city centre a baren shadow of its former self. Theyve closed swimming pools, libraries and attempted to defund major 3rd sector organisations. And now nationally, the SNP are presiding over the highest child poverty in Europe, the highest drug related deaths in Europe, the highest number of foodbanks per population in the UK, the lowest resourced police force in the UK, the worst educational attainment in the UK, a failing Scottish NHS, a failed Gender Recognition Bill, a failed Deposit Return Scheme, unworkable Hate Crime legislation... you could say "everything they touch goes wrong" They are leaving a legacy of millions of pounds wasted (and thousands of pounds missing).

The SNP want separation and independence, but SCOTLAND said NO, and are still saying NO!

The SNP do not seem to be able to manage a devolved Scotland, and frankly would struggle to manage their way out of a paper bag. I cannot trust them with my kid’s future, so I definitely do not trust them with our nation's future! Its time to vote Conservative to get YOUR priorities addressed, not theirs! 

Richard is turning the volume up and together with his Conservative colleagues across the North East are holding the SNPs feet to the fire until they are willing to hear the people's voices and take approriate action; No amount of spin can save the SNP now - they are a chaotic party creating disaster and disfunction both locally in the North East and nationally across our once great country.

Life is for Living...

On a personal level, Richard and Amy have three children and live in the North East of Scotland, very much enjoying community life. They continue to be active in a local church and particularly enjoy meeting new people and experiencing new cultures.

Richard's main hobby - other than being a football fanatic - is studying. Through interest, as much as professionalism, he currently holds degrees in Engineering Science, Theology, Politics and Law, having studied with Aberdeen, Robert Gordon's, Lancaster and Oxford Universities.

His wife Amy had held two franchises with Slimming World until spring 2021 when she developed Long-Covid. Although it is now a few years since, she has not been able to return to work. However, the good news is that at the end of 2023 she estimates that she has progressed to 60-70% full health (having spent most of the time below 50%).