The independent councillor hoping to become Kettering's MP and ignore party politics squabbling

He’s been involved in local democracy since he was first elected to a council in 1985 – before some MPs were even born – and currently sits as an independent having previously left the Conservatives.

Now he’s taking on his biggest challenge yet as he bids to become Kettering’s next representative in Parliament when the nation goes to the polls on Thursday (July 4).

And the Braybrooke man believes his 39 years of experience in politics would be invaluable.

He told the Northants Telegraph: “I’m standing to be an MP because I love this area, have lived here all my life and I think we need a change from the same old, same old party politics squabbling.

"We need an MP in Westminster who knows this area, understands this area and wants to make things better for all of our residents.

“Whilst welcoming new people into local politics I think this is the time for someone with experience and I think my experience and understanding of the constituency’s towns and villages is unrivalled amongst all of the candidates, including the former MP.”

Mr Hakewill, 70, said he wants to abolish the role of the police and crime commissioner and put the millions of pounds in its budget into frontline visible policing.

He says the rebuild of Kettering General Hospital is going to ‘be a nightmare for everyone’ and has called for an understanding of what services can move off-site during the works.

He also wants to put a statutory requirement in place that roads and potholes must be repaired by North Northamptonshire Council – which he currently sits on – within a shorter scale of time.

And Mr Hakewill said he wants to be an independent voice who can hold councils and developers to account without party politics playing a part.

He added: “We need to actually hold developers to account on providing infrastructure. Let’s take an example of Hanwood Park and the junction 10A (of the A14) and Weekley and Warkton bypass.

"Ten years, 20 years ago, we said ‘you can build your houses but we want this improvement in road infrastructure’, both for the existing residents and the new residents.

"We haven’t done it. We’ve allowed developers to push the council around.”

This is Mr Hakewill’s second attempt at becoming Kettering’s MP, having come fourth in 2019 with 1,642 votes.

Nationally the election has been framed as a straight shootout between the Conservatives and Labour, with both sides saying a vote for anyone else would allow their rival to get in.

But Mr Hakewill said a vote for him would not be a wasted one – and that he would love to win.

He said: “I would say to anyone that they would not be wasting a vote for Jim Hakewill because they would be voting for the one person in this battle who can represent Kettering’s towns and villages better than anyone else.

"It would not be a wasted vote. I think people should vote for the person most experienced and capable of doing the job.”

Standing in the Kettering constituency at the General Election on July 4 are: Rosie Wrighting (Labour), Philip Hollobone (Conservative), Crispian Besley (Reform), Emily Fedorowycz (Green), Sarah Ryan (Liberal Democrats), Jim Hakewill (Indepedent), Jehad Aburamadan (Alliance for Democracy and Freedom) and Matthew Murphy (Social Democratic Party).