Peter McCormack - Personal Statement
There have been many accusations, questions, and concerns raised about my motives for supporting private security in Bedford. I want to be absolutely clear: any suggestion that this is politically motivated is without merit. I am making this statement openly and directly to address those questions once and for all.
Yes, I have been asked many times to consider running for mayor. I researched it thoroughly and concluded it is a thankless and near-impossible job. Local government is strangled by statutory requirements imposed from Westminster, leaving little room for positive projects in our town. Add to this the endless political squabbles between the Lib Dems and Conservatives, and it becomes clear the mayoralty is a stage for party politics, not meaningful local renewal. I have no interest in playing that game.
I have no interest either in standing as an MP. That is a role about representing Bedford in central government. My focus is Bedford itself, and I can achieve far more as a private citizen, free from party machines, bureaucracy, and the constraints of political office. If I ever did stand for office, it would only ever be as an independent, because party politics is destructive to the nation. George Washington warned of factionalism, and we are living through the very divisions he foresaw. But the truth is, I believe I can do more good for Bedford outside of politics, building businesses, supporting charities, and lifting up the town.
My guiding principles are simple: life, liberty, and property rights. I believe in the smallest government possible. Government, almost without exception, is wasteful, ineffective, and destructive. I am deeply opposed to socialism in every form. History has shown us what socialism leads to, the destruction of individual liberty, the subjugation of the individual to the collective, and the suppression of speech, thought, and expression. Nobody risked their life climbing the Berlin Wall to get into East Germany. Wherever socialism has taken root, it has produced misery, poverty, and repression. That is why I will always oppose it.
My goal is singular: the betterment of Bedford. That means two things above all else:
Safety for our residents
Economic prosperity for our town
I have lived here almost all my life. I have promoted Bedford internationally, bringing people from around the world to our town. I secured record-breaking investment for Real Bedford FC, ensuring economic activity and opportunity for local people. The football club is not a profit-making venture, it is a community project. We built one of the strongest women’s football programmes in the country outside the professional leagues, paying our players from the very start and pushing into the third tier of the women’s pyramid. We have invested over £100,000 into youth football, ensuring no child misses out because of cost.
Beyond football, I created the Bedford conference, an event that fills hotels, restaurants, and businesses every year. Every penny of profit goes into the Bedford Future Fund, which has provided grants to young people for sports, business, and the arts., thus far donating over £40,000.
This year with the football club, we added a schools programme, donating £25,000 for football equipment, and we are now working on an arts programme to support creativity in local schools.
I own businesses in the town centre not to make money, they won’t make meaningful profits, but to help revive Bedford’s high street, create jobs, and give people reasons to come back. I support local charities, independent journalism, netball teams, and individuals in need. I do this because I want Bedford to thrive.
The private security initiative is part of that same effort. I have committed £20,000 of my own money to make Bedford safer. This is not politics. It is about protecting people, supporting businesses, and building confidence in our town centre. I spent months talking to residents and businesses, listening to their concerns. This is my response: practical action, not party-political posturing.
In an age of culture wars and endless suspicion, I understand why people search for ulterior motives. But I have only one motive: to improve Bedford. I do not seek applause, recognition, or political office. My only interest is in seeing our town become safer, stronger, and more prosperous.
I will continue to work for Bedford.
—
Peter McCormack
