HomeNewsBurnham-On-Sea Workers Party candidate explains why he's standing in July's General Election

Burnham-On-Sea Workers Party candidate explains why he’s standing in July’s General Election

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The Workers Party has announced its candidate standing to be Burnham-On-Sea’s next MP in the General Election on July 4th.

Greg Tanner is standing in the new Bridgwater and Burnham constituency.

He is a retired GP and says it was his “great privilege to serve the people of Bridgwater and latterly Highbridge for nearly 25 years.”

“During this time I developed a strong interest in caring for cancer patients and was fortunate enough to be appointed as a GP Advisor to Macmillan Cancer Support, a National Clinical Lead (Primary Care) to the Cancer Services Collaborative, and an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer in Oncology at Bristol University Medical School. I helped develop the first National Cancer Plan with Professor Mike Richards who at the time was the national “Czar” for cancer services. As a result of these efforts I was awarded an “Outstanding Achievement Award”, the first GP to be so honoured by the then Somerset Primary Care Trust.”

“For many years I worked as a GP Trainer. In 2016, along with Dr Mike Staunton, I was sent to the West Bank in Palestine by the British charity ‘Medical Aid for the Palestinians’ (MAP). Our remit was to advise the Palestinian Authority on how to further develop Primary Care services. Whilst there we witnessed at first hand the illegal settlements, the restrictions on travel (most roads were heavily restricted by the Israeli Army) and the contemptuous attitude of the Israeli army. I found this profoundly shocking.”

“During the Covid pandemic I came out of retirement to work full-time as a locum GP in Somerset. I argued against the lockdown and correctly predicted the effects it would have on patient care – an increased incidence of late diagnosed cancers, heart disease, diabetes and strokes – and the catastrophic economic problems which resulted.”

“Throughout, I consulted patients face to face and worked in clinics dealing with Covid positive patients, many of whom I admitted to hospital. I was aware of the dangers of ‘silent hypoxia’, a feature unique to Covid patients whereby their oxygen saturations drop to dangerously low levels without obvious clinical signs, at a very early stage and was instrumental in getting pulse oximeters distributed to vulnerable patients nationwide so that they could self-monitor their oxygen levels.”

“As a doctor I have long felt that the NHS is set up for the benefit of the people who work in it rather than their patients. The terrible inefficiencies and dysfunctional managerial practices have been very apparent to me throughout my career. Fundamental reform is needed.”

“Prior to becoming a doctor I worked as an assistant accountant (I am part qualified) and during the cold war served in the Parachute Regiment.”

“I studied Chemistry and obtained an upper second class honours degree from London University and was intending to go on to do a PhD at UCL before being offered a place at Medical School. I worked for a time as a Research Chemist for Valor International. Studying chemistry gave me a very vigorous training in scientific method which has ever since been invaluable to me!”

“Over the last 10-15 years I have become increasingly aware of the general incompetence and indeed corruption which seems to be prevalent in all three major political parties. Our public services have been ‘salami-sliced’ to a point where they no longer function properly. Infrastructure is literally collapsing around us.”

“During my lifetime a series of terrible scandals have been covered up by the Establishment with the collusion of the three major parties… Thalidomide, Hillsborough, Grenfell, the Post Office and the pandemic.”

“There is a very urgent and immediate need to bring about wholescale changes so that government serves the people rather than the other way round. I believe that the British Worker Party under George Galloway is the only party which properly recognizes our deep societal problems and has a workable plan to deal with them.”

“I hope to be able to continue the great privilege of serving the people of Bridgwater as your MP.”


The candidates standing to become MP in the Bridgwater and Burnham constituency are:

  • Independent: Pelé Barnes
  • Reform UK: William Fagg
  • Conservatives: Ashley Fox
  • Green Party: Charlie Graham
  • Labour Party: Leigh Redman 
  • Liberal Democrats: Claire Sully
  • Workers Party: Gregory Tanner

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