Why Conservative?
Ruth’s parents grew up with nothing apart from strong family values and a willingness to create opportunities for themselves. They did everything they could to ensure their only daughter had better opportunities, instilling their values, a sense of financial responsibility and a strong work ethic. They taught her to believe in all forms of education and that hard work and commitment are rewarded.
All this shaped Ruth’s conservative values so after graduating with great A levels, she chose to work hard for several years to finance herself through night school to achieve a marketing degree. Thanks to her upbringing, although losing her mother too soon and experiencing redundancy, Ruth’s resilience and determination have stood her in good stead.
Professional life
Ruth’s career took her from marketing to communication and she is currently the Internal Communications Manager at a financial institute, leading the team that provides information to their employees worldwide. From consumer products to financial services, recruitment to real estate, working in the UK and Switzerland for some prestigious companies, her problem-solving skills, judgement, passion and energy have enabled her to easily adapt to a diverse range of industries. Ruth is a Certified Member of the Institute of Internal Communications (CIIC).
Proven track record
Her political journey began when, facing a lack of clarity on speeding, yellow lines and parking issues, she organised a residents’ meeting to question the Parish Council. Subsequently, Ruth was co-opted Parish Councillor and then asked to stand for election as District Councillor to continue her work supporting her local area. Ruth won 50% of the vote in that 2017 by-election, then won again, with the most votes, in an all-out 2018 election on new boundaries leading the Conservative team to a near hat trick victory, only losing the third seat by one vote.
Ruth was the Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Middlesbrough in 2019, where she beat the Brexit Party and an independent to second place, slashing Labour’s vote share by 15.2%.
In between elections, Ruth continues to campaign around the country organising action days in her role as CWO Chairman for the Eastern Region (Conservative Women’s Organisation). Now in her final year, regional membership has tripled during her tenure.
In an equally important role, as Eastern Region Ambassador for CPF (Conservative Policy Forum), Ruth is in the process of organising a six-part online policy series featuring the six regional Police and Crime Commissioners. This series is the first of its kind and CPF will roll this new concept out to other regions.
Most recently, Ruth was the co-Chair of the 2023 Eastern Region Conference in June and has organised the regional weekly Connect Calling sessions for all members since July.
Endorsements
“Ruth is a committed grassroots Conservative and has worked at all levels of the Party. She is someone who gets things done and she would make a great MP”
- Maria Caulfield, MP for Lewes, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care), and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women).
"Ruth is a seasoned campaigner. She is enthusiastic, even in the wettest of weathers, making it easier to organise and lead teams. She understands the commitment it takes to win."
- Chloe Smith, MP for Norwich North
“Ruth's strategic thinking helped me to quickly get up to speed on her local ward issues and understand the implications of transport issues across the constituency when I became PPC and then MP for South Cambridgeshire”
- Anthony Browne, MP for South Cambridgeshire
“Ruth campaigned brilliantly hard in Middlesbrough in 2019 and has fought for our party in good times and bad. She is someone who wants to make a difference and understands how to engage people to bring that change about.”
- Simon Clarke, MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland