Iceland’s chairman Richard Walker just slammed the Tory Party after it refused to let him run as a Conservative candidate in any elections, claiming it had a problem with two of his core values.
Speaking to Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Wednesday, Walker said that he was not successful in his bid to become a Tory MP because “they didn’t want me.”
He explained: “I got on the approval list of candidates but they put a deferment next to my name which meant I wasn’t able to run in any seats, including in my home seat, where I’ve lived all my life.
“It was very strange no one would ever give me the reason why.”
In 2022, the businessman was expected to stand at the next general election as a Tory cadndidate.
However, in June this year, he seemed to joke that he wasn’t sure it was a “good idea”.
In October, he announced: “I have today resigned from the Conservative Party and their list of approved parliamentary candidates.”
He claimed they had “drifted badly out of touch with business and the economy, and with the everyday needs of the British people.”
But, speaking to Sky News this week, Walker suggested the Tories actually crossed him off their list first.
He claimed: “I was told it was because I’m chairman of Surfers Against Sewage, I don’t know – you’re a bad Tory if you don’t want excrement in the sea.”
He continued: “I was also told off by very senior figures in the party about my outspoken views on food banks.”
The government has been widely blamed for not acting on either of these growing problems.
Walked explained: “I refuse to change my values and principles for a party, that I think myself, has lost its way.
“So I’m quite enjoying my newfound freedom to speak out on issues that really matter to me and really matter to our customers.”
Walker added: “My take on it is the Conservative Party don’t want people with views, experience or opinions of their own.”
Asked who he would vote for if there was an election tomorrow, he just said no manifestos are out yet.
“I wait to be convinced,” the Iceland boss explained. “We will see. Hopefully, someone else can step up into this gaping void. Is the country in a better position than it was 13 years ago?
“Of course it’s not. And we have major issues. We talked about economic issues but what about our social inequality, regional inequality, and of course environmental problems that we’re facing.”