Ahead of the North Jesmond by-election on August 28th, JesmondLocal is profiling each of the five candidates for councillor in North Jesmond. The second of our five days of profiles, the United Kingdom Independence Party representative.

Daniel Thompson

Early career
I moved to St George’s Terrace when I was 16. I lived for a year or two here, then lived at the Quayside and moved into Gosforth. I’ve been self employed from leaving school at 16. As an antique dealer, I had shops in Newcastle. Now I’m semi retired.

Why UKIP?
UKIP is the new Conservative party, a no-nonsense, common-sense  party – who can see through the EU.

What’s the biggest issue facing North Jesmond, and how would you try to tackle it?
The biggest issue is Acorn Road: leave it as is.

Transport is a key issue in Jesmond: what, if anything, needs to be done?

We need more small buses.

What is your stance on Acorn Road? Should all of Jesmond be asked about its future?

I think there should be a local referendum of shopkeepers, visitors and residents to see what the public want.

Many residents highlight issues with bin collections: what is your suggestion to deal with refuse?

Trash the communal bin idea in a even bigger bin behind the Civic Centre!

Should the interaction between older residents and students be improved? How so?

Students should volunteer to get old folks shopping and so on, and call in to see them. A lot can be learned from an older person other than a university lecturer.

Are letting boards a problem? If so, how can they be handled?

Yes, say no to boards. Put posters in windows instead.

How could you support local businesses in Jesmond, if elected?

I would support local shops by sticking to them and not relying on Tesco and Waitrose for all my needs. If you let the big guys take over when the little guy no longer exists the prices go up!

How would you improve communication between residents and elected representatives?