Michael Spinks: independent candidate for Hackney South and Shoreditch
Michael Spinks, independent candidate for Hackney South and Shoreditch
Michael Spinks is standing as an independent candidate for Hackney South and Shoreditch on a platform of ‘Justice for Victims of the Olympics’.
Spinks read Land Economy at Cambridge before joining his family food business, where he has worked his entire career.
During that time he has also launched new business initiatives in the spheres of catering, biofuels and leisure. He is married with two children.
His candidacy is designed to draw attention to the plight of his company, whose main operating base is adjacent of the Olympic site.
“There comes a time when you are running short of options and you press the only available button, the ‘nuclear’ button.
“The security lockdown during the entire summer of 2012 (not just during the Olympic and Paralympic Games) will prevent our vehicles from operating, effectively closing this business,” says Spinks.
Spinks would like to move his firm and sell the site for residential use, but claims that planning restrictions prevent this. As an alternative, he is seeking compensation from the Olympic authorities.
“We would like to move away to enable this company to continue commercial operations not impeded by security and congestion issues in 2012 and to give the residents of this area relief from the noise and inconvenience of our presence daily in their otherwise quiet streets.
“We need assurances and a plan from the Olympic and security authorities with proper arrangements for the free access of neighbours to the Games such as ourselves and/or compensation from the Olympic authorities enabling us to lease alternative premises for the duration of the Games.”
Note: this article was published at 6.00pm on Monday 3 May 2010