Graham Colley
Graham Colley is the Liberal Democrat party's candidate for Kent PCC. Graham’s family have been involved in politics for a long time; his great-uncle was a journalist who uncovered the Holodomor (Stalin's famine in Ukraine in the 1930s). At university, he was an active Young European Federalist and nowadays is president of Liberal Democrat Lawyers, which fights for human rights, civil liberties, and access to justice. Recently, he has been incensed by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill and is concerned about the way that demonstrators have been treated in London, Bristol, and Manchester.
Why do you think students are important to the Medway community?
"The greatest thing that students have brought to Medway, in my opinion, is their interest in the arts and their social activities. Before the increase in students in Medway, the towns tended to look to London. Nowadays, we have a far stronger and vibrant artistic community and livelier social life."
What would you do to improve student life in Medway?
"Re-join the European Union as soon as possible! The end of free movement has devastated opportunities for students, young people and performing artists. Whilst there are many ways in which student life could be improved nationally, locally I would put transport first."
How would you help students and locals to connect better?
"I know that if I am out and about in an evening, other than at weekends, things are very quiet. Perhaps, the best thing that students could do would be to talk to the elderly and lonely. This community would really appreciate contact from others."
You can contact Graham Colley here: grahamdcolley.pcccandidate@outlook.com