I left the Conservatives in 1992. I had been a member for 20 years, throughout much of a career which began with scrapping buses and ended up creating 175,000 jobs. I worked my way up from the bottom with the party. Millions of us did, following Margaret Thatcher. 

But when John Major started fudging on the Maastricht treaty on the single currency, I told him I had to go. Since then this has country has stumbled on with the EU disaster through the Blair and Cameron eras. Until now. 

Brexit means everything to me. After I left the Conservatives, I spent millions on campaigns to end the influence of the unelected bureaucracy in Brussels over this great nation. In 2004 I met Nigel Farage and supported Ukip in the European elections that year. Nigel was the master communicator we needed, a man of passion, drive and bravery. That year we won 12 seats. In 2014 we won 24 seats, beating Labour and the Conservatives. That forced David Cameron to hold the EU referendum. 

For me, that referendum was the goal. That was what it was all about. And we have achieved it. What we need to do now is to make sure the Conservatives, my old party, implement the result. 

What does that mean?  The simple fact is we have to get our borders completely under our control. So we must leave the single market. Another reason to to do so is that small businesses, which account for 99 per cent of private sector companies, and which employ 60 per cent of the private sector working population, are smothered by regulations from Brussels. These are the businesses generating new jobs – not big banks. Even though many have no trade with the EU they still have to comply with endless EU regulations.

This, like so many of the powers acquired by Brussels, is astonishing. Frankly, it is shocking that it was the Conservative Party gave up all these powers to an unelected bureaucracy. 

The Conservatives can now change all this, and I want to return to the party to help them. But to do so I, like so many who voted to leave, need a clear commitment that two clear promises are going to be delivered. 

We must take back full control of our borders.  And we must leave the single market.

And:

Once these issues are dealt with I will return to the Conservatives and help them, financially if need be, to implement this programme. 

One way or another we will get this done. A nation without its own borders is not a nation. A nation which does not make its own laws is not a nation. A nation which cannot fish its waters as it wants is not a nation. A nation which has handed over its very passport is not a nation. These things matter. The man in the street wants his passport back.

I’ve never met Theresa May but she looks like a good prime minister to me. She will need to be. Society is terribly damaged. It may not seem that way in London but huge parts of the North and elsewhere are scarred. Today the Conservatives have the best chance to rebuild the nation since Thatcher. 

I am a One Nation Conservative. I come from the grassroots. I started with just £200. I didn’t go to Oxbridge. I’m not a pencilpusher from Goldman Sachs. But I have created 14 businesses and not one has gone down the pan. I reckon I’ve got reasonable judgment. My judgment is that freedom and democracy are beyond value. 

David Fuller's view

I have nothing but respect for Paul Sykes.  People like him are the backbone of nation.  Margaret Thatcher understood this.  I believe Theresa May does as well, judging from her opening speech in from of number 10 Downing Street, shortly after becoming Prime Minister. 

I think the Conservative Party will struggle if it is unwilling or unable to break free from the EU. 

(I emboldened the four sentences in the article above for emphasis.)

Here is a PDF of Paul Sykes’ article.