Mark is 46. He moved to Poole in 2003 and made it his home. He was attracted by the town’s beautiful setting and its history. As he settled in, however, he came to realise that the Council was underperforming. The Council’s neglect of the town centre caused him to get involved with Poole Old Town Conservation Group. He also established a local arts networking organisation – The Arts Poole (TAP). As he became more embedded within the community, he decided to get involved in local politics. He formed Poole People with the support of members of his local community, and was elected to Poole Council in a by-election in 2010.

Before moving to Poole, Mark lived in and around London, although he also worked in Cairo for two years. He trained as a Solicitor and worked in the City of London early in his career. Later on, he ran his own communications and photography businesses. Currently, he provides corporate legal advice on a part time basis for a Poole firm, and is developing a business related to personality testing and careers advice. Mark has a BA in Medieval & Modern History and an MA in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography. He has a long-term interest in the Middle East and has had a book published on the Israeli-Palestinian political situation.

• Mark has a record of fighting for the interests of the people of Poole. He would continue to do so if elected as Poole's MP (his priorities are set out in the section below). He is Leader of Poole People and has been challenging the political establishment in Poole since he was elected as a Borough of Poole councillor in December 2010.
• Mark believes that the future success of the UK lies in empowering local communities. Decisions are best made as locally as is reasonable, as local decision-making gives individuals a greater incentive to participate. More power therefore needs to be transferred to local government, and local government needs to be made more accountable to citizens. Poole People has consistently campaigned within Poole Council for greater transparency and increased support for community initiatives.
• Poole People is committed to consensus decision-making. We believe that party affiliations should not restrict an MP's ability to vote according to his conscience and considered opinion. We believe that the practice of whipping (where a party forces its MPs to vote in a particular way) undermines democracy. Mark Howell will therefore be able to vote in the best interests of the people of Poole, as he interprets them.
• MARK CAN WIN THE SEAT. Poole People has won a by-election and 3 Council seats since it was created in October 2010, establishing itself as a genuine alternative to the national parties. Since then, UKIP has won no seats and we have outpolled UKIP candidates in every election, securing on average nearly three times as many votes as UKIP.
• This is your opportunity to put Poole on the political map. A sea change is necessary in national politics. None of the major parties are making a compelling case to voters. They have lost credibility. Poole People has the potential to signal a new way forward. Also, as the result of this election is going to be close, smaller parties and independents are likely to have much more influence in Parliament than ever before.

If elected, Mark will focus on the following issues:

• Raising the profile of Poole. People who live in Poole know it is a fantastic place to live, but the Borough has not been good at promoting itself nationally. This has not been helped by the Council's lack of investment in the town centre. Mark will work to increase the profile of Poole, promoting it as a great place to live, work and visit.
• Attracting new business to Poole. The average house price is 13 times the average salary in Poole. The Borough has an hourglass shaped population with a small workforce compared to the number of retired people and children. It therefore desperately needs to increase the number of jobs with decent salaries. New jobs would increase the amount of money circulating within the local economy, helping to support existing businesses.
• Securing additional resources for Poole's schools. Although results in primary and first schools have been improving recently, Poole's secondary schools are on the whole performing badly with some near the bottom of national league tables. Despite this, government still gives Poole's schools a smaller grant per child than most other places in the country. It is unacceptable that the children of Poole are being let down in this way.
• Securing a fairer government grant for the Council. The Borough of Poole is poorly funded compared to other unitary authorities, including Bournemouth. It also has to return a higher percentage of business rates to the government than most other authorities. This is manifestly unfair and explains to a great extent why Bournemouth has been able to invest more money in its town centre and avoid serious cuts in services. Mark will fight hard to secure a better deal for the Borough's residents.
• Helping representatives of local independent parties in other areas prepare for the 2020 election. The election of a local, independently minded politician in Poole would demonstrate to people across the country that there is an alternative to the major national parties. Mark would attempt to develop a supportive framework, which would enable local parties to increase their influence in national politics.

• Increase the influence of independent-minded MPs: The election of an independent in Poole would demonstrate to people across the country that there is an alternative to the national parties. The political landscape is changing. As coalitions become the norm, more independent-minded MPs are likely to be elected. Mark would work with them to introduce a consensus building approach in national politics, and to improve standards of behaviour in Parliament.
• Restrict the damaging effects of multinational companies: Small and medium sized businesses produce greater benefits for wider society. Governments should work internationally to impose a tax on multinationals to compensate for the environmental damage caused by their supply and distribution chains. The UK should not sign the TTIP trade treaty which threatens to open up the NHS and other public services to US multinationals.
• Reform the banking system: Government needs to be much more aggressive in reforming the banking system and bringing multi-national companies to account. It should direct lending towards industries that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.
• Increase the commitment of individuals to society: People should not be allowed to avoid tax. Loopholes must be closed and the tax authorities must pursue high income avoiders aggressively. The receipt of non-work state benefits should be directly linked to the performance of activities for community benefit or personal development. However, ordinary people need to be rewarded for working hard. The minimum wage should therefore be further increased.
• Invest in motivation, people skills and wellbeing: The future success of the UK depends on the quality of its workforce. The housing market and wage levels need to be rebalanced to give young people a reasonable prospect of earning enough to support a family. Government therefore needs to promote industries that can pay a living wage. Caring professionals need to be allowed the time to care for patients, so they can gain job satisfaction. More resources need to be put into mental health services as stress and depression are reaching epidemic levels, seriously damaging the country's productivity levels. Teachers need to become facilitators, treating children as individuals and enabling them to learn in ways that suit their individual personalities and abilities.
• Impose restrictions on immigration: Migrant labour further undermines the security of those in low-paid job roles and contributes to the breakdown of local communities. Public services are under great strain. GDP is increasing, but per capita wealth is not. In other words, immigration is helping the rich get richer, but not benefitting the average person economically. Immigration can be positive, increasing diversity and promoting tolerance. Priority should be given to people who can bring skills that will strengthen communities and society, such as health workers, and to people who can demonstrate an intention to integrate.
• EU referendum: Mark supports an early EU referendum. He believes that the decision whether to stay in or leave should be made by voters, not politicians.
• Promote localism: Strong local communities generate prosperity, reduce the consumption of resources and improve mental health and productivity. Decisions should be made as locally as is practicable. More power should therefore be devolved to local authorities and communities.