John Shaw

Liberal Democrat candidate for MP for Basingstoke Learn more

About John

I have lived in Basingstoke since 1995 and have a 19-year record of campaigning action for local people, having served as Councillor for Brookvale and Kings Furlong on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council between 1998 and 2014 and represented Basingstoke North West on Hampshire County Council.

I was the Borough Council’s Chair of Leisure Services and also served as Cabinet Member for Recreation and Culture from 2000 to 2003. This period saw the completion of Milestones, Hampshire’s Living History Museum, the Ridgeway Community Centre, Buckskin, Basingstoke Aquadrome and War Memorial Park’s indoor tennis facility, as well as the identification of funds for the refurbishment of Basingstoke Sports Centre and confirmation of a permanent home for Basingstoke Gymnastics Club (now the Active Life Centre).

I stood as the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Basingstoke in 2010, overtaking Labour to become the main opposition to the sitting Conservative MP. Recent campaigning has included fighting hard for Britain to remain in the EU in last year’s referendum and opposing a hard Brexit now.

My priorities for Basingstoke, and those of the local Liberal Democrats, include promoting green energy, providing decent affordable housing and giving local children the best education to help them get on in life.

Outside of politics, I work for a national disability charity.  My earlier career, working for a number of different voluntary sector organisations, also focused on the needs of disabled and older people as well as family carers. My past volunteer roles have included being a partner governor of an NHS hospital trust and board member of a local involvement network representing the needs of patients.