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Journalism student drops bid to become MP

John Guinn

A journalism student has dropped his bid to become an MP so he can focus on his upcoming exams.

John Guinn, left, had put himself forward as a candidate for the Whig Party in the Mid Beds constituency but has now pulled out of the race.

He is soon to take his preliminary exams in journalism with the aim of changing careers to become a travel journalist, after previously running a holiday firm.

John, 47, decided he could not prepare fully for the exams while out canvassing voters, so dropped out of the 7 May election.

He told the Bedford Times & Citizen: “I found that I couldn’t cope with revising and canvassing at the same time.”

John has gone back to studying for the first time in more than 20 years, carrying out a part-time home-study course run by the National Council for the Training of Journalists, as he embarks on his bid to become a journalist.

He pulled out of the political race ahead of last week’s deadline for candidates to register themselves but said he may stand for election in future.

The Whig Party was founded in 1678 and is attempting to make a comeback into British politics, with the aim of providing a “fresh choice” to voters.

Those standing in Mid Beds are Conservative Nadine Dorries, Gareth Ellis for the Green Party, Liberal Democrat Linda Jack, Independent Tim Ireland, Labour’s Charlynne Pullen, Nigel Wicken for UKIP and Ann Kelly from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party.

5 comments

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  • April 17, 2015 at 9:36 am
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    Strewth! That’s reversing the trend! But good luck to you. That determination deserves to succeed.

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  • April 17, 2015 at 11:00 am
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    Unless you can call in a few favours, I wouldn’t get your hopes up about finding a job.

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  • April 17, 2015 at 11:13 am
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    Good luck to John in his career and I hope he enjoys it as much as I did.
    But my own advice would be to remain out of politics as he’ll find it difficult to make contacts among politicians of all parties if they see him as a political activist.

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  • April 17, 2015 at 2:53 pm
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    Thanks for your advice Observer50.

    REGIONAL, thanks for your warning. I’m under no illusions about getting a job, after all I’m in my very, very late 30s and I’ll be going up against people who are probably younger than my socks. I’m also really bad at making tea.

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