Coming from a military family, and since childhood having a great passion for history, the governance of our country and society has always been something which interests me. Stemming from this interest, after being a supporter since the age of twelve, I eventually joined the Conservative and Unionist Party at the age of sixteen and continue to be an active member of our party, and my views are more than ever cemented in the core values of One-Nation Conservatism.
The most important value to me being the idea that we live in what Burke termed an ‘organic society’. In other words, whilst it is important that the individual’s rights are protected, and they are allowed to flourish (by working hard) in the way they see fit, we are also all interdependent on each-other. This is why One-Nation Conservatives believe in giving people the opportunities and skills they need to make there own success of their lives. However, there should also be a net, so that if any of us ever stumble on our own paths to success, the rest of society can catch us and give us the hand we need back to our feet to set us back on our own path again. That way we all benefit more by our society as a whole being a success. My degree was a major in History and a minor in Political Studies, so I just couldn’t resist but to put some political theory into this!
Since joining the party I have tried to get involved locally as much as I can, helping fundraise, attract new members and most importantly campaign! I am Deputy-Chairman Political for our Wolds Weighton Branch, and in 2019 I became the founding chairman of our constituencies very first Young Conservative Branch. We are lucky to have a good number of YC members and did hold a regular meeting and some good campaign events before the onset of Covid-19 which has sadly, curtailed our activities of late - though we hope to get back up and running in full as soon as we can. Between 2020 and 2023 I was Deputy-Chairman Political for our association, and worked to modernise and mobilise our constituency, which included the creation of this new website and our own Facebook Page. Through this role I also led our association in the 2020 Police and Crime Commissioner Campaign, where we had a fantastic victory, getting our candidate Jonathan Evison elected (he has done a great job in securing our area more policing over the last three years) and the 2023 Local Election Campaign, where after a disappointing result nationally, locally we bucked the national trend and kept the majority of our seats. In 2020 I also became an officer on the party’s area committee which gives me the chance to improve how our association works with others in East and North Yorkshire.
Since June 2023 I have been elected Chairman of our Association, this is an interesting time for our local party, with boundary changes and national issues, but I look forward to what the future brings and the positive differences we can make for our party and area.
I believe whatever you do, you should always work hard and do your best. That is certainly what I have always tried to do though-out the range of jobs I have had since the age of thirteen - everything from a joiners apprentice to barman during university. This is another conservative value I stand by more than ever today in my work as a councillor for Wolds Weighton Ward on the East Riding of Yorkshire Council. An office I have held since 2019 after being asked to stand by my local party. This job is the greatest honour of my life (and most definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done!) - to be able to give something back to the beautiful area and wonderful community who raised me is very important to me and I am extremely grateful to have been given this chance to do that. I will always put the needs of my residents first and do all I can to help resolve any issues they come to me with. I believe elected officials should always do what they judge to be right and not just what is popular, and in my first term I have tried to live by that, and in doing so get and do as much for my area and people as I can - after being re-elected to a second term (which I am very grateful for) I will continue to to do this and serve to the best of my ability.
If you would like to contact me to discuss either a ward issue or party matter my contact details are:
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 07761992815
Or you can follow me on Facebook here: Cllr Leo Hammond, to contact me easily and get updates on the work I am doing for our area.