Brett Mickelburgh Candidate for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich

Some of Brett answers questions from you about why he is the right man for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich

“I am Ipswich born, have been married for 25 years and have two secondary school aged children. Over the years I have become despondent at the failures of this Conservative government”

“I entered politics only two years ago after despairing at what I saw from those in charge” 

“I stood and won in my district council and my broad real-world experience meant I was handed the finance and resources portfolio”

“I turned an £8.1 million deficit into a £4 million surplus in just two years - without cutting any front-line services”

“A recent external assessment of the council performance said, “[the] commercial approach is starting to deliver results and areas of the Council are growing in confidence around commerciality and maximising assets”.

“I was the volunteer treasurer of a church connected foodbank for over ten years and saw up close how everyone in society has been made poorer”

“I have seen from the front line how the cost of living crisis has pushed families into hardship and watched friends suffer no-fault evictions and abandon their home owning dreams” 

“I haven’t had a dentist for over three years because the NHS provision has collapsed, and I was removed as a patient”

“As your MP I promise I won’t forget that my commitment is to serve at the heart of the local community”

“I will run regular surgeries across the constituency - going out to visit you, not making you travel to see me. I will bring district and county representatives to the surgeries as well as charity and action groups - ensuring your questions can be actioned not just answered”

“I will visit every parish and town council over the elected term and “do politics better” by meeting regularly with the Executive Leader and CEO of each District Council in the constituency as well as the County Council - regardless of the political party that is in charge - ensuring that Westminster hears from the people of Suffolk”

Ipswich born Brett is the Liberal Democrat candidate for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich

He is married, recently celebrating his 25th anniversary, and has two secondary school aged children. He is a district councillor elected two years ago and has cabinet responsibility for Finance and Resources - but he is not a career politician without understanding of life in the real world. He has enjoyed a successful career in technology that has seen him work across multiple industry sectors, seeing both best practice and more recently as a consultant helping companies reverse declines due to poor practice.

Brett is strongly motivated by community and a sense of fairness which is highlighted by his unpaid voluntary work. He was a Scout leader for almost 15 years and qualified as a football referee in 2018 – putting back into activities that he enjoyed so much when he was younger to give the next generation a chance to benefit from them. 

He uses his business skills to benefit his County FA as a non-executive director and he was the treasurer of his local church and foodbank for 12 years, stepping back to make time to fight the general election. The foodbank grew from a cupboard in the corner to a vital part of the local community, in 2023 supporting over 500 families and distributing almost 58 tonnes of food as well as securing grants to support town and rural money advice partners to try to give people a hand up not just a hand out.

Brett wants to see a fair deal for everyone that puts real power into people’s hands regardless of wealth or perceived status while holding the already powerful to account.