Dan Smith is the Workers Party of Britain candidate in the Battersea constituency for the UK Parliamentary election on Thursday 4 July 2024.

To provide more information about the main candidates, we have partnered with the Lavender-Hill.uk community website and invited them to answer our questions. We hope this will give you an opportunity to learn more about their concerns, proposals, and how they can assist Battersea residents.

Could you introduce yourself to our readers?

I’ve lived in and around the area most of my life, educated in Dulwich before studying dentistry at Kings College Hospital. I’ve a proven track record of success with 24 years experience of getting things done in Healthcare, business and leadership.

Tell us something about you our readers may not know.

I exchanged several letters with Sir David Attenborough as a kid and obviously still a massive fan of his! I’ve always been very fond of nature and won the Natural History prize for my research project on marine life. I actually wrote to him again a couple of years ago and to my surprise, he wrote back another hand written letter.

What makes the Battersea constituency special for you?

I live just off Clapham Common and think this such a great part of London! From the vibrant green spaces of Battersea Park, Wandsworth Common, and Clapham Common to the iconic redevelopment of the Power Station and Nine Elms. From the beauty of the Thames to the bustling areas of Northcote and Clapham Junction; it’s just got so much going for it.

With the busiest station at the heart of Battersea, public transport is used by the vast majority of people in the area. What would you like to see improved for that in Battersea?

I will fight hard to push through the Northern Line extension to Clapham Junction which will ease congestion on our roads and put more bums on seats in this usually pretty empty part of the Northern Line.

Housing is also a local concern. Recently we have seen some proposal for massive schemes exceeding local plan rules – which justify their scale on the grounds that they also affordable housing. Where is the right balance between providing the social housing we need, and making sure that our urban environment remains one people want to live in?

I think where we are now is pretty perfect and has the right balance of housing and space. There are however, over 30,000 long-term empty homes across London. I would want to massively increase council tax on these empty homes to such a level that even the super rich would consider selling these properties or at least help to reduce the council tax for the rest of us if they don’t.

The cost of living is a real worry for many of our readers. Since Labour took control in 2022, the Council has implemented the London Living Wage for its staff and contractors. What additional measures do you believe are necessary, including in the private sector, and what do you think is the best approach for the government to provide support?

We have strong plans to bring down the cost of living by nationalising our public utilities and reduce tax. Our money tree will come in the form of public owned alternative to Amazon, Netflix and Starbucks with all profits going back into the UK. Amazon made £25 billion form the UK alone last year and paid no tax. Add in Netflix, Starbucks and a few more and we’re talking at least £40 billion every year for the UK economy.

In the 2016 EU referendum there was a 70 % remain vote here, one of the highest in the country. There is still a lot of strong feeling about Brexit – but how relevant is it as an issue in this election?

I voted remain and if there is the right opportunity to rejoin, I will push hard for this. I know politicians like to be overly prolix with their words but I prefer my responses to be more concise and to the point.

The environment has become a bit of a political football, getting tangled in arguments about onshore wind farms and even wokeness. What are the most important measures the future government should commit to in order to address the climate emergency?

I am massively in favour of net zero and pretty fervid with both climate change and with science. There are a great many studies to back up that nuclear energy is actually one of the safest and most efficient ways of getting to net zero. Both Labour and Tories are famous for their U-Turns after the election and I fear this will happen in this particular instance. We need more fighters in Parliament who are going to hold them to their word and I won’t be holding back!

The situation in Gaza is a concern for many voters, and specifically in London where many have a strong view. What do you think should be the government’s position?

Within the next year, I suspect many people will be ashamed of voting Labour and Tory when these parties equally ramp up their support for the genocide after the election. Taking a moral stand against the actions of our two main parties is one of the biggest reasons I am running for MP. I will do all I can to bring about an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, recognition of the Palestinian state and proper justice for Palestine. I am heavily in favour of a stable 2 state solution and it is something I have researched at length.

And finally – why should our readers vote for you?

I am fighting hard for all our health workers who are rapidly burning out and either want to leave the profession or leave the country; this also goes for our teachers as well! Our requests have fallen on deaf ears in Parliament and we need a loud voice in government to stop the exodus of our key workers as soon as possible. As a dentist, I have left the profession that I love so I can protect its future and to help SAVE OUR NHS!

Links and social media

• Home page: https://candidates.workerspartybritain.org/battersea/
• Instagram: Dr.DanSmith
• Email: Danielsmith900@me.com