Meet the second year running in the local elections

Ben Tozer, who’s currently in his second year studying History & Politics, has announced he’s going to be standing to be the local borough councillor for Englefield Green East.

He’s been a Labour party activist since 2010 in Norwich, where he’s seen the effects of ideological austerity – it’s even had an influence on his family.

“My mother, a nurse, has worked for the NHS for over 30 years and has seen the NHS face increased demand and strain in a time when healthcare funding is not keeping up with an ever aging population. The ideological Conservative budget cuts have put a strain on my family as maintenance loans have decreased, rents have increased and tuition fees have increased as well. This has resulted in families such as mine facing issues of how to support their children get a quality education while their children are given the burden of debt for the rest of their lives.”

Out campaigning with the Labour society

If elected, he says he will be the voice of students in Runnymede Borough Council and will fight the overwhelming inequalities in our society. During his time at Roho, he’s put figures of authority like Paul Layzell to account for his actions.

On the first episode of rhubarbtv show ‘Head To Tozer’, he asked the Principal about the expansion of the university and the impact that will have on current students and the surrounding area. He also worked with the President of the Labour Society, Robert King, to make sure that the uni ensures that every person who enrols at Royal Holloway also enrols to the electoral register.

Chatting to Paul

This issue’s prominent in Englefield Green East as hundreds of students are not on the electoral register – this is because of the Government’s change in policy to individual voter registration.

Aside from local issues, he’s also expressed the viewpoints of students at a national level, representing Royal Holloway at the NUS Conference.

The cheeky chappy himself

Basically, you should elect him as your local borough councillor for Englefield Green East on the 5th May, cos he will continue to fight for the issues that affect us all, like increasing rent prices and the decrease in maintenance loans.

Watch the first episode of ‘Head to Tozer’ where he speaks to Paul Layzell here and like his page on Facebook to follow his journey!