The UK Independence Party has officially announced its Caerphilly candidate for the Welsh Assembly Election, being held in May.
Party campaign manager and Caerphilly town resident Sam Gould is standing for UKIP, as he did for last year’s UK General Election.
Cardiff University graduate Mr Gould, a father-of-three was born in the Welsh Valleys and runs two events and entertainment businesses in the local area.
Mr Gould is the Chairman of UKIP in Caerphilly and came second in the General Election in Caerphilly last year behind Labour with 7,791 votes – a 19.3% share.
He said: “As a former Labour voter I was horrified to find that the Labour council seemed more concerned with protecting their own interests and those of the Labour appointed chief executives than the needs of the people they should serve.
“The local NHS is overburdened, and it’s been a struggle to find a primary school place for my daughters. Some parts of Caerphilly have been described in a Welsh Government report as ‘the most deprived areas of Wales.
“I believe that the British people should decide who makes the laws we all have to live by. I believe we should know and be able to hold to account those who govern us. But for us to achieve this we must withdraw from what is destined to become the United States of Europe, run by faceless bureaucrats who have not been elected and cannot be removed by us.”
Mr Gould said between leaving school and university he spent two years as a missionary doing aid work in West Africa and was evacuated by British Troops from war-torn Ivory Coast and taken to Ghana in November 2004.
While there he became very ill with malaria, and a few months later returned home to Wales. Within a year Mr Gould contracted and nearly died from meningitis.
He added that he was profoundly grateful for the healthcare he received from the NHS and remains committed to the NHS being free at the point of delivery.
UKIP’s 2015 General Election candidate for Islwyn, Joe Smyth, has also been reselected to contest the seat in the Assembly Election.
In the Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency, Dave Rowlands is standing again this year as he did for the General Election.
Well that announcement was not exactly a big surprise, though I like Sam Gould. I think his heart is in the right place and he will do a good job. Interestingly, Labour’s candidate also graduated from Cardiff University so we sort of have an elitist group forming in Cardiff Bay where the candidates are all from Wales’ best university, not Britain’s best university.
Could have gone to `Graddfa` and still made the grade.
Good point well made. and worthy of consideration in selecting who to vote for.
He has my vote.
Definitely the stand out candidate, young, energetic, intelligent and with the experience of actually forming and running businesess.
lol ha ha ha
So what has he done in the last 2 years or even this year with regards the sandwich tax & LDP???
Quite a lot actually, he campaigns every week against building on greenfield sites. Why not come along and talk with him, he’s the only candidate you can do this with every Saturday in Caerffili.
I know that Plaid is you party, fair enough, but they came 4th in the last election. Sam Gould came 2nd to Labour. If you want to remove Labour vote UKIP. Just saying…
Yes saw him last Saturday clogging up the walk way and parking in a loading bay tut tut… Never saw him speaking to anyone though, were you there?
To be honest Richard, if you stood for anyone but UKIP you would get my vote but not Gould ..
There is more to politics than standing on street corners, like knocking doors and talking to people, something Plaid Cymru is very good at but they are out in numbers and have a very good, experienced team that work hard all the year round and not just at election time .. just saying
PS: At least I have seen about 4 kippers campaigning on a street corner but I haven`t seen anything of Labour, have you?
He parked in a loading bay because he was doing just that, loading and unloading – the police had given their permission. I was there and Sam spoke to people the whole time he was there, he really enjoys a discussion.
On campaigning, in general, I fully agree with you that Plaid are very good at it. There are experts in Plaid such as Cllrs. Bevan and Whittle, who are experienced campaigners who have fought against Labour for decades. UKIP are beginners but are learning fast and, vote wise, have left Plaid behind.
On the subject of Labour I have not seen anything at all. Usually the Labour idea of a town campaign is walk around with a few balloons, talk with those who they recognise as old Labour supporters and go home for bacon and eggs. They have taken the votes of the people of Caerffili and Wales for granted for decades. As is the case in Scotland their days are numbered.
The van was parked, not loading or unloading ( probably had unloaded but then should have moved on)
I saw the kippers for about 15 mins and no contact was made with the public ….
just saying ..
The kippers were there for three hours, same again tomorrow. Plenty of contact with the public and I’m pleased to say it was mostly positive. Those who are not sure or don’t agree with us on the EU we are equally pleased to talk to.
After all, we are Caerffili people and whether we agree or disagree with the EU we can part as friends. Politics never is the be all and end all of human interaction.
Humm – 3 hours per week not enough …
I heard an English accent last week!
It`s going on for 4am, don`t you sleep?
Never! There is a referendum coming up that wil decide whether we go back to being free or go back in history centuries where peoplke in foreign countires decide what is best for us.
Okay, I do sleep sometimes – now might be a good time, Nos da.
We have MEp`s to fight our corner but it`s a shame when certain MEP`s are not doing their job but still claim their salary
nos da
Another incoherent comment Bless, can`t help it I suppose.
Any thing to say or just waffling again ..
There is nothing worse than people meddling in things which they have nothing to do with, parking is a local problem and useless local Councillors should do something to help local residents deal with it.
Whoops!
Mr Stupid has arrived
Talk about meddling …..
Seems to me that the only way to get Labour out in Caerphilly is to vote for Mr Gould, whether as a UKIP supporter or as a tactical voter. Trouble is the Labour seat in Caerphilly is one of the safest in the UK and they know it, the support for UKIP appears to have peaked in the later part of 2014 and is now in the decline.
The first part of your post is almost certainly right, Plaid, Lib Dems, Conservatives will have just wasted their vote if they vote for their preferred party rather than UKIP. This is the crazy way our voting system works. I wish we had gone for ‘Alternative Voting’ which meant we could all vote for the candidate we wanted, even if they had no hope of winning, and cast a second preference for another candidate. This would have been closer to true democracy but obviously not to the Labour party’s liking.
With regard to the second part of your post is this impression due to the way politics is reported? I see no difference in support on the streets from what it was last year; perhaps a little more than last year. Polls too are misleading, in the general election they all got it spectacularly wrong. There is only one poll that matters, the one in May when we will see.
Before being consigned to the dustbin of local politics last local government elections, The Welsh Nationalist `thought` they were streets ahead in the election, but they were booted out by the electorate. So even if there is a perception in `some` peoples minds that UKIP have already `peaked`, they should not under estimate the citizens of this Constituency.
How is Liebour`s canvassing doing in Caerphilly? started yet? Plenty of people want to question them on both the LDP & Sandwich tax.
In all fairness UKIP are looking better than Liebour at the moment.
Labour takes nothing for granted, but you are correct in saying that it is a strong voting Labour constituency, The Welsh Nationalists, the most common opponant to fight labour in past elections, have Failed Failed and Failed time after time after time. This time of course Sam Gould standing will see The Nationalist fall even further off the local political map.
Liebour take the people for granted and time is running out ….
After years of being in power and failing, the time has come to stop fooling the people and boot this lot out of office
The electorate in Caerphilly Borough know all about rejecting a political party, as they did last time around when they totally rejected The Welsh Nationalists, and showed them the door, with a very big boot up theit backsides. and The Welsh Nationalists are STILL licking their wounds.
Good god, you got an `upvote` from Lisa Rich, be careful, Hides of March and all that. They know who you are you dont know who this person is, I however, have had my thoughts confimed
Cilr Williams deserves respect unlike you and the Liebour Party
Well how about showing him some then? as I highlighted in an earlier comment to you, you clear have a problem with comprehension, I sincerely hope you are not a Welsh Nationalist Councillor in disguise? because you are increasingly sounding like one.
Do you remember calling COUNCILLOR RICHARD WILLIAMS (a UKIP COUNCILLOR,) and so – “says the Ukrapper”. And you think THAT is respecful to a public elected representative? You really are showing your true Welsh Nationalists inconsistancies, but your comment is totally consistant with your other vacuous and inane comments.
I would like to hear what Mr Whittle, Your Idol, thinks of your attitude, particulalry from the stance of being a supporter of his, you are though on the `bobtail` end of the parties members I suppose so what else would he expect from you.
A Ha!!!! was that you standing on the steps of the Twyn Community centre, ( in a suit) ?. It is usually you and your party `clogging up pavements` spouting bile and disrespect, as you demonstrate again with your comment, your identity is becoming clearer and clearer.
Wrong again.. Duh!
Sam has even taken over the pavement where you and your Nationalist Colleagues USED to stand during election campaigns, your Nationalist Party have even been consigned to the gutter of Cardiff Road, by Sam Gould, and noone has even voted yet.
Got to support you a little bit there as my local plaid reps did knock my door once and are involved with the LDP and I do know one of them and he’s a tidy guy. But the politics don’t make up for the core beliefs.
well, at least they have ditch the FREE WALES initiative,, independence is no longer on their wish list.
Plaid? do you actually mean The Welsh Nationalist, who came further down the local list in votes, in the last election, than ever before? Goodness knows where they will come this time
Boring & Stupid
Who.? Me or the remaining Welsh Nationalists? now that they have abandoned Independence?
Sandwich Tax ? your deluded imagination.
LDP he will not be rabble roused, and neither will other candidates in the election, by your Nationalist party members into yelling and screaming instead of putting in a strategic opposition plan to the published plan.
Yawnn zzzz
Now your getting boring again
Vacuous comment from a vacuous Welsh Nationalist No plan, no alternatives ,not even a fight for an independent Wales, a spent force.
Who could even consider voting for them and I can`t think of one reason why?.
Young ??
Age depends on perspective – from where I’m viewing from he is young. I suppose he is roughly the same age as Hefin David and about 30 + years younger than Lindsay Whittle.
Looks a lot older ..
What experience has he got?
On employing people in Wales a lot more than any other candidate. On drawing a huge salary from the public purse no experience at all.
So he`s trying to get on the gravy train for a huge salary, just like the failed tories..
But no experience of helping local people with problems on a daily basis …
Gravy trains and passing waggons are things The Welsh Nationalists jump on, usually losing thier footing in the process. But one gravy train they are increasingly looking at is the enoblement of failed members of their elected group of, soon to be has been members of the Welsh Assembly, LibDems did the same of course.
Whoops!
Mr Stupid has arrived
feeling left out?
Further comment from a failed Welsh Nationalist, and, as a result a few less supporters to your cause, Mr Whittle must be delighted with your rude and crude, disrespectful attitude to member of the public on this site, I will confidently predict Mr Whittles vote will drop and he wont even come third in the election, Nationalists are finished, particularly in Caerphilly Constituency.
Nice.
Not young,? in a child`s eyes, is he?
Now there`s a surprise, out of a small hand full of people
Clearly you are not following events. Bless. it`s all that laid back sleeping you are doing probably.
Mr Stupid has arrived
Where, Where?
It`s just over a year ago that Mr Gould wrote ” I love Nige” in the sand ..
I wonder if they are still in love ?
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/ukip-candidate-hauled-safety-advancing-8753755
Do you understand to `love` someone and to `Be in Love` are TOTALLY different sentiments, stupid commentator!!!!!! but about on par with everything else you`ve been saying, or, trying to say at least, Bless.
Whoops!
Mr Stupid has arrived
Apology accepted.
35 comments in less than 24hours, now, that`s an interesting local politician, UKIP support waining? dont think so.
48 comments in less than 48 hours, now, that`s a high profile politician. it does not look to me as if support is waining as some commentators suggest. it seems to me that there is much interest in things Sam Gould has to say, agree with him or not, and that can onlybe good for democracy.
I recognise this support, and I am not a particular UKIP supporter by any means.