A naval man has been named as Reform UK’s mayoral candidate.
Rear Admiral Dr Chris Parry, known for his service in the Royal Navy, is set to run for Mayor of Hampshire and the Solent.
His military career saw him serve as an aviator and warfare officer, commanding two aviation flights, a destroyer, an amphibious assault ship, the UK’s Amphibious Task Group, and the Maritime Warfare Centre.
He saw active combat in the Falklands War, where he disabled an enemy submarine.
Dr Parry, from Portsmouth, said: "I’m honoured to be standing as Reform UK’s candidate for Mayor of Hampshire, the Solent, and the Isle of Wight.
“I’m not a career politician. I served in the Royal Navy for over 30 years and have since earned a living in business and as an academic. I’m an ordinary person who is entering politics because I care deeply about our region, my neighbours and the good people with whom I share my life."
During his career, Mr Parry rescued 16 SAS troopers from a glacier during force 10 winds, and has had operational deployments in the North Atlantic, Indo-Pacific, Northern Ireland, and the Gulf.
He continued: “Unfortunately, central government is punishing regions like ours, while local politics fails to deliver public services efficiently and doesn’t have the ambition or appetite to build for the future in a fast-changing, complex world.
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“I’m standing to change that by injecting fresh approaches and new solutions based on my experience of delivering high-achieving results at national and international levels in the most demanding circumstances.
“I have fought for our country and will fight for Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and the Solent.”
Dr Parry has lived and worked in Portsmouth all his life.
He has written popular books on Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and currently runs his own strategic forecasting, change leadership and troubleshooting company, advising governments, leading commercial companies and financial institutions about geo-political issues, strategic planning and systemic risk.
He previously held three senior Joint and UK Ministry of Defence strategy and policy appointments, including at Director-General level, leading complex programmes at national and international levels.
He was also the founding Executive Chair of the UK’s Marine Management Organisation.
The other candidates who are standing are:
Conservative: Donna Jones, Hampshire's current police and crime commissioner for Hampshire and former Portsmouth City Council leader
Labour: Lorna Fielker, former leader of Southampton City Council
Lib Dems: Martin Tod, leader of Winchester City Council
Green: Anna Collar, an archaeologist living in Lyndhurst who works as an associate professor at the University of Southampton
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