John Baker

I’m John Baker, and I’ve run a hardware shop in Cheriton (Folkestone West) with my wife Beverley for 27 years. We’ve been happily married for 35 years and have two sons and a granddaughter. I grew up above an oil shop in an East End market, while Beverley’s parents were part of the Windrush generation from Jamaica.

We moved to Folkestone in 1989, where I worked at my father’s hardware store, Look-In Hardware. My dad stood in two general elections in Folkestone and Hythe for UKIP in 1997 and 2001, instilling in me a passion for standing up for our community.

I don’t have a formal education, but I have decades of real-life experience, running a business, working hard, and understanding the challenges people face. Beverley and I know what it’s like to struggle, and I’m committed to supporting working-class families.

I’m not a politician, but I’m fed up with what politicians have done to this country—so that’s probably not a bad thing.

Our education system is failing many children by focusing too narrowly on traditional methods, leaving behind those who need alternative approaches to thrive. I’m also frustrated by the green agenda, rising utility costs, and policies that harm working families, the elderly, and British industry. I oppose the destruction of our countryside for solar farms and wind turbines and firmly support UK farmers.

In 2021, I led the successful campaign to stop cycle lanes in Cheriton, securing well in excess of 3,000 signatures and forcing Kent County Council to scrap the plan. In 2024, I helped fight off proposals for parking permits that would have burdened residents and businesses.

With 27 years of business experience and a lifetime of understanding real-world struggles, I believe I’m the best choice to give Reform UK a strong voice in Kent.