I am after the title munchurian candidate... for being the most successful politician ridding our society of prohibition. Substances that relieve pain, suffering in many must never be withheld ever again.

total abolition of all substance regulation in order to investigate treatments or potential risk to health

total health liberty...

My love of prohibited plant medicine has meant I never even considered being a proper cop - my napoleonic stature may have influenced this - I fancy myself an Elliot Ness type figure - big money crimes... cops need our help - white collar crime is rampant and power needs challenged. cops can’t do this alone. Ironically I am totally opposed to prohibition I just loved Ness for standing up to power and corruption - legend, pointless and morally redundant endeavour never mind - untouchables was awesome.

The UK’s most radical candidate...

The UK’s top anti-corruption candidate...

The UK’s most politically incorrect candidate...

The UK’s toughest candidate on immigration...

The UK’s most radical tax cutting advocate...

The UK’s most fiscally responsible candidate...

The UK’s toughest Law & Order candidate...

The UK’s strongest candidate on ‘Wokism’...

The UK’s most active candidate on ‘Globalism’...

The UK’s biggest Military spending candidate...

Many times i have been told i play football like a big woman or a ride my bike like a grandmother... ye gotta laugh folks - i’m making light of hateful types; not making light of the subject. Laughing at hate is a theme of mine... hate is a child mind habit.

CAT: Fergus - I nominate my cat to be head of the nomad state. This Scruffy nomad was found in Fife. He is a true machiavellian prince and the greatest cat of all time - sorry other cats but it’s true - he is the best one. I think he would be a better role model for men everywhere than most men in leadership roles who do not know what a man is. Turning around the what is a woman question will be fun when these ‘men’ in the tory party etc explain to me why their men are hated by women and how can that be normal?

Fergus is gentle but he is brave, he takes no shit, he knows his rights as a cat, will stand his ground in the most hilarious fashion at times but only wants to play, to check his loved ones are ok and to give love...in exchange for food of course!

There is a crisis of masculinity in the USA & Russia, bubble bath shortage, not enough sex and cuddles etc these dudes are not happy, that is a problem. I am guilty being very self-negating and thus ignoring male issues has been a key blind spot for me. I would like to discuss the whole what’s wrong with men thing in a non-cringe manner at a later point. my career in wellbeing informs this greatly. “OPERATION BUBBLE BATH” & BREAKING SAD...

I was fortunate enough to be providing emotional support to members of the public going through mental and emotional distress and possibly contemplating suicide.

I was working alongside highly motivated and super lovely charity worker types for a short time only really... but it was a tremendously valuable life experience, really an honour to get to be there for folks at those times.

What was inspiring particularly to be in a team where the thirst for grubby money was absent altogether. Productivity, teamwork, effectiveness so far superior from any private business I have been a member of. Those who are abundant with love, and love their work from deep down within themselves are such great givers, and doers, and achievers. When we have the ability to combine our work with what we love and what we care about above all other matters - this is the sleeping dragon of human capacity which is so limited in our current model - making your passions the centre of your activities and hopefully income - this is living with real holism for sure.

I hope to live up to the example of those whom I have observed with their generosity of time, enthusiasm and universal support for the total stranger facing profound moments of personal crisis regardless of who they are.

In addition to running my business I also did some volunteering as a listener with a major national suicide prevention charity.

In my Open Source Health care plan - all humans could be doing this work for a form of national mental health service.

From seniors in High School - it would get them learning how to have improved emotional cognition (coping skills) and higher self awareness and subsequently enjoy better mental health by making it part of the curriculum so that everyone is skilled to stem the suicide epidemic urgently. This would be a very cheap intervention with lasting positive human bonding benefits for all of society.

The events of the pandemic and its affects upon myself and my loved ones at the time meant I could no longer perform to the standard of impartiality needed when confronted with deniers and tin foil hat vaccine stuff it was a source of great anxiety at the time and I am hoping to gather stories on my door knocking adventures.

Enough talk of death and failure now. I have a plan now to apply myself to being THE PEOPLE’s politician - a master debater you might say... a cunning linguist, I am famed to be by so many...

*ya gotta laugh - life is too beautiful to be miserable all the time - feel sad, let it come and let it go. Let’s laugh and walk it off.

I had a Hospitality career of some repute, as headwaiter at Edinburgh’s Balmoral Hotel for 7 years - I still offer some services in that sector events etc freelance only.

Treating one’s servers in restaurants etc goes down badly when your date or another customer does it so why not when bosses do it to the staff? The Boss owns the slave y’see has a right to mistreat correct? This is a “slave culture’ I would call this phenomenon. Hoteliers ought to care for their highest asset, staff! Treat them with respect and dignity that is paramount in good business and why business is in the state it is now. Executives are out of control and genuinely not fit for leadership. I look back at *some not all of my past employers I have had with mild disgust to be honest. Exploitation is at the core of most hospitality and service work especially now we have this gig economy - i mean wtf, Nando’s wasn’t a thing when I last worked in service and yet the many colleagues i know have been chucked under a bus by employers after decades of loyalty as modern business is so dehumanised - sadly those furnished with great wealth are rarely blessed with intellect, class or taste to go with it.

Modern Employment has to be the least attractive economic plan for living a happy life due to its life impact being ‘akin to slavery’ Never shall we be reimbursed for our time spent in this trap.

Particularly in cases of inherited wealth of course seldom do princes of dynasties demonstrate the dignity to utilise the wealth inherited by their name for honourable purposes - me for example buying a fleet of daft cargo-bikes haha! Wealth buys unlimited consequence free failure. This is often state funded in sneaky ways - mugging the tax payer by outsourcing consequence.

When working in the super exec services world i did get to meet some of the most awesome professionals not just colleagues but inspiring guests like, financiers, ceo’s or politicians even - I would study how the broker types would hustle a little and generally deliver super dazzling polished performances to their investor panels - some of these of course are not phoneys and really have earned their positions and these great leaders, managers of little empires - I have benefitted from watching many do their thing quietly from the back of hundreds of meetings, or fetching alcohol and caffeine and whatever else needed to enjoy a front row seat….. A seat for example to the biggest crash since the last century - all these impressive/monstrous dragon sorts live in my head rent free constantly keeping my standards in check - sometimes in an Italian or French accent.

I must admit to feelings of guilt being behind me getting into politics and volunteer work, i feel uneasy at just how good a quality of life i have been able to enjoy in my life since starting my own business. leaving employment was the best thing that ever happened to me, i live a wonderful life thanks to it - which seems undeserved, unreal and edinburgh is such a wonderful place - i feel spoiled here. it’s a resource of human goodness and people who know stuff and can do amazing things...i have been so very happy here and met so many amazing individuals that have shaped me*literally at times - and informed my politics from all over the world.

I offer quite specialist movement therapy from my studio, or will do once i return! -sometimes teaching breath work, meditation, reiki self healing and a form of pelvic health recovery training i put together for pregnancy matters and chronic Back, pelvic, hip or knee pain issues in both men and women. I’ll be dishing out wisdom for votes on the trail haha - is that allowed?

In my world everyone would get to experience five star luxuries in their life at some point - everyone. Champagne etc - i’ve been so spoiled i have lost the taste for it all. Well...almost i love grounded earthy foods and my Sunday roast downstairs from my office at Hemingway’s bar on the shore or any of the other fine establishments around my studio - i am such a fan of great food and wine and i am not easy to please - there is a chef there who doesn’t know how good he is and the food he makes is like poetry on a plate. My capitalist reformation would give an asset like that chef a bigger control over his business to affect change and won’t have to answer to some owner or chain branched business model - it would be all about the skill of the staff.

I will spend money on this, there are things of great value that do not cost the earth.. there are great businesses and hospitality could evolve at long last... into something enjoyed by all - not just the snobs who don’t even value the good stuff... the have nots as i call them - overindulged and spoiled beyond appreciation…..

my many immigrant managers have been so inspiring in general; almost all of them have taught me to try harder, deliver better, think ahead, and an attitude of - we do not fail, no matter what the job, do it to your best ability. having high fucking standards was never given to me at school or by a british person ever - i learned that watching people from europe, india, north america. I am going to be the most pro-immigration voice in the uk - i wish i was as brave and bold to leave scotland - the USA is a temptation to move to, ride across the vastness….. can you take a cat to america?

PHOTO; IFD at the Black Live Matter Protest - ‘I am not proud about breaking lockdown rules, this was a stage of course where certain castle towns had received unwanted guests and my partner at the time had been reusing PPE while going in and out of the homes of the vulnerable so the pandemic response was a joke which the wheels came off. Funnily enough ethnic minorities were at the bottom of the survival priority lists and that sucks I am ashamed of this countries response to COVID. I must advocate for vaccine justice withholding life saving knowledge is white collar crime which must die in the 2020’s.

I have not had a boss since 2013 - it shows i know. the idea of not being able to do whatever I want whenever I want is a long distant memory for me now - like a hell i escaped a long time ago - the terror of the pandemic was losing my little island of freedom - my business. so that new freedom post employment is what i want everyone to enjoy, and we will benefit from this shift away from employment. what i have enjoyed - freedom, good health and stability is accessible to all. I want to create a holistic economy so we can enjoy all those things. my loved ones and I am sure many of those reading will have loves ones that have been denied this and i am on fire angry about the injustices all around me.

My Father born Dumbarton retired early after bereavement; he worked in local government and business as a project manager, he has happily remarried and now lives in Ayrshire.

My Mother grew up in Johnstone, near Glasgow sadly died from brain cancer in 2011. She was a lifelong career Nurse working in London, Glasgow and Fife in her life she died in service not getting to enjoy any retirement. Her last months on Earth were a kind of hell and suffering that no person should have to endure and largely avoidable at the hands of the institution that she like many effectively gave her life up for and much of my Sister and I’s lives were sacrificed for the NHS like so many kids of Staff. I dedicate this campaign to her and all those struggling to care for others in conditions that are not humane or tolerable I know how it is - lets change things.

Football taught me about Hatred before any other feature of scottish life.

I found that I would be targetted in slightly different ways depending on which colours were worn. Who someone supported was a critical character judgement based on something to my eyes stupid beyond words. Thankfully my folks were shielding me from most of the Religion however football = toxic bullshit was learned by 10 no bother. I was more interested in what the girls were up to from that point on... also couldn’t kick a ball to save my life for sure! never picked! haha

There are grave matters affecting all of those I love dearly and those whom I am responsible for are in peril. that is what I am in politics for. No denying I am in with the vested interest that there is a safer world for a tiny human and a couple of hobbit sized one too.

My Sister proudly volunteers in the community. Despite facing great challenges herself she contributes to society and everyone in the voluntary sector do deserve our great thanks. Like so many she has struggled to get by all her life economically with unmet and often ignored support needs herself. Many vulnerable people are often the target of scams and complex fraud having fallen for a few myself it frightens me how much white collar crimes can affect those among us who might be more susceptible. I will never allow those who claim benefits to be shamed - while tax dodgers go unchallenged - almost proud of getting out of tax - there is no comparison - I will shame the benefit shamers.

SCHOOL: I went to primary school in the town of kilwinning Ayrshire, then I went to high school in Glenrothes, Fife and then went to University of Dundee, exiting after a short stay! like many neurodivergent types feeling like a failure in Education was not my fault just as it is not the fault of other kids failed by system or parents being unable to spot these things. I did not achieve much academically until free to self-study. schooling was largely a deficit i had to overcome in my opinion due to the negativity in general that school inflicts upon majority of kids.

It was in my training to teach movement where I finally met with the tools I needed to learn which accelerated my progress through life dramatically. School like the NHS among the biggest setbacks to my destiny and so many countless others; YOU HAD ONE JOB.

I am at my happiest and best when communicating. I am driven by a need to be useful to others. I enjoy leadership, guiding, supporting, sharing knowledge and experience. I love discussing big ideas about people, society, culture and wellbeing. Happily, my current profession as a Pilates Teacher engages me beautifully in all these ways.

I specialise in coaching clients privately who struggle with their pelvic and abdominal health. I work with chronic pain throughout the body and I have many general practice clients also. My work is fundamentally rehabilitation and pain management via movement therapy although I have taught meditation classes and offer other holistic services. The role demands patience, trust and empathy.

I have operated my own studio premises overlooking the Shore of Leith for three years. My success, largely thanks to retention of clients. Many of whom have been with me since the very beginning of my Pilates career 7 years ago and some have since become teachers themselves.

Today, I am applying to this access course, with a specific aspiration in mind. I believe that my skills, interests and values are well suited for a role in the field of social work and I have been offered personal referrals from social workers; currently clients of mine to support that. I have great respect and admiration for the work they do. I am particularly interested in the links between addiction, trauma and chronic health and their impact on socio-economic outcomes. It is my hope to apply for the degree in social work offered at the University of Edinburgh.

I have called Edinburgh home for 14 of my 35 years and I love it dearly. I grew up in Ayrshire and later Fife, the son of a nurse and a local council manager. Having an older sister who suffers from Autism took a toll on the whole families’ wellbeing. My parents taught me strong values of compassion, tolerance and understanding. Social justice and politics were regularly topics of heated debate at the dinner table.

I myself struggled with chronic pain and illness in mind and body throughout my life. I took one quite long absence from work in 2011, while coping with the stress of my Mother’s brain tumour. It wasn’t until after my Mother had died that recovery became possible. It was a transformative time; a process of change and healing began with Pilates at the centre. My recovery through hard work and self-study made transitioning to a career in wellbeing obvious and natural. Not only do I now enjoy freedom from my past health issues but I have personal experience and the best professional qualifications to offer in business.

In 2018 I applied to the ‘Samaritans’ to be a volunteer listener to be of service to others while also developing the talking therapy side of my skillset. I was successful and received excellent training and mentoring since then it has become the most rewarding use of my free time. As a sole trader, I particularly enjoy being part of a non-profit team with a mission of compassionate support to those often in the most emotionally painful circumstances. My time at Samaritans has probably been the inspiration for my current interest in a career in social work. I want to explore my potential supporting a broader spectrum of challenges in our society than I currently do in business and make a greater contribution to my community.

In addition, I would like to share a few details from my work and academic life that might be useful.

I did attend 1 year of full time study at Dundee University in Politics and Philosophy 2002/3 and similar to my school exams I did not perform to my full potential.

Although journalism was my aspiration at the time I could not see a clear way to connect my study to work and so I lacked a strong sense of direction. I worked in hospitality at the time which I loved and I could see opportunities in management roles so I chose to go straight into the workplace. I eventually rose to the position of Headwaiter at The Balmoral Hotel in 2007 where I stayed until leaving to start my Pilates business in 2013.

This was an awesome experience, I grew and changed a great deal in the time I was there. I had amazing colleagues and mentors from all over the world and it really felt like I had reached the top of the industry. Running weddings and events required co-ordinating multiple departments, operations team, service team and a Michelin starred kitchen. I love to manage via collaboration and consensus always the diplomat in stressful situations, and I loved meeting such a mixture of people from waiters and kitchen porters up to celebrities and multinational CEO’s.

It wasn’t until I trained in London to be a Pilates Teacher I truly figured out what had been missing in my studies earlier on. Over the two years it took to achieve my Master Certificate I learned about learning styles and discovered the correct way to study and learn for me was using auditory learning techniques and these worked well for me. So I feel I will be able to bring a lot of the methods I used to study anatomy and biomechanics for my professional qualifications to future academic study. Also with that clear goal in mind of becoming a social worker and much of the on-the-job training to come on placements I am confident I will be able to make a positive and valuable contribution to this course, and hopefully in the future to a city and country with serious social challenges to address.

****After a wee interview, in which I discussed two of my favourite teachers Gabor Maté and Pema Chödron and how their work had influenced my understanding of life’s greatest hardships. I was accepted, gladly and with thanks - onto the course to pursue my goal; however once the COVID pandemic started the prospects of doing distance learning in such a manner was so off putting to me, I decided I didn’t like the look of starting that year. It is my understanding that the cohort I would’ve been amongst have suffered major deficit in the quality of education they have received owing to the pandemic disruption - my thoughts are with them - I observed their protest and would like to offer my support in campaigning for Student Justice on that subject and others.