Barry Ingleton
Let the parties play their usual games.
Vote independent, your voice creating real local change.
Barry Ingleton
Candidate for Carterton North East
Barry Ingleton is a dedicated advocate for community voice, education, SEND, and mental health reform. As the Founder and CEO of West Oxfordshire-based Synolos CIC, he has worked in SEN since 2002 and brings over two decades of experience in teaching, leadership, and business. Synolos CIC is an active community interest company based in Witney.
Through Synolos, Barry’s organisation has directly supported over 600 young people, providing education, work skills, and mental health opportunities, a commitment that led to him being awarded Witney Citizen of the Year in 2017 for his outstanding work with young people. Barry is also the creator of The Voice of West Oxfordshire, a Facebook group designed to give local residents a space to discuss important community issues, share concerns, and engage in real conversations about the future of the area. Barry’s public profile presents these as part of his wider grassroots work in West Oxfordshire.
He believes true representation starts with listening, not just during election campaigns, but all year round. Too often, consultations and meet-and-greets feel like a pretence of listening rather than a genuine partnership for progress. True representation is proven through action, transparency, and meaningful engagement. Real leadership listens by default and acts with integrity, rather than using engagement as a publicity tool.
Barry is also the founder of the Rethinking Mental Health Together campaign, a public campaign calling for clearer and more honest language around mental health, protecting those living with serious mental illness while ensuring everyday emotions can still be heard with compassion and understanding. Public materials for the campaign describe it as being led through Synolos and tied to a wider national conversation.
He is also the author of On The Edge, a book connected to that wider public argument about mental health, clarity, and reform. Public campaign updates and outreach around the campaign explicitly connect Barry, the book, and the wider rethinking mental health message.
Barry previously stood as an Independent candidate at the 2024 General Election in Witney, where he received 350 votes, 0.7% of the vote, and in the 2025 Oxfordshire County Council election for Brize Norton & Carterton East, where he received 91 votes, 4.6% of the vote. He is now standing in the 2026 West Oxfordshire District Council election for Carterton North East. West Oxfordshire District Council has confirmed that the district elections are due to take place on 7 May 2026.
After living in Witney from 2003 to 2019, Barry now calls Shilton Park home, continuing his grassroots mission to drive meaningful change for local people and the wider community. Barry’s political site presents his campaign as focused on practical local action, honesty, independence, and putting local people before party politics.
Let the parties play their usual games.
Vote independent, your voice creating real local change.
Putting People Before Politics
I ran as an independent candidate for Witney and the surrounding towns and villages because I believe politics should serve the people, not political parties. Free from party constraints, my campaign was about listening to real concerns, crafting solutions for local challenges, and ensuring West Oxfordshire had a strong, independent voice in Westminster.
1. A Stronger NHS and Mental Health Support
Healthcare is not a privilege; it is a fundamental right. I fought for:
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More NHS appointments – Increasing access to GPs, NHS dentists, and mental health services.
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A 50-year cross-party NHS plan – To stop healthcare from being used as a political football.
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Better support for mental health – Prioritizing early intervention and understanding why mental health issues are rising.
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Increased funding for social care – Ensuring dignity for the elderly and vulnerable.
2. Education That Works for Everyone
Our education system must prepare young people for real life. I pushed for:
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A balanced curriculum – Equal focus on vocational and academic pathways.
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More support for Special Educational Needs (SEN) students – Access to the right help at the right time.
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Ofsted reforms – Making it an advisory body instead of a fear-driven rating system.
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A 50-year education plan – To ensure consistency and stop constant political interference.
3. Cost of Living and Business Growth
People deserve financial security, and local businesses deserve real support. I stood for:
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More funding for start-ups – Helping those who want to build businesses instead of forcing them into university.
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Fairer business rates – To support small businesses, local shops, and markets.
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A sustainable plan for job creation – Ensuring our post-Brexit and post-COVID economy grows.
4. Housing, Transport, and Infrastructure
Witney and the surrounding towns must grow responsibly and support the needs of local people. I campaigned for:
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More affordable housing – Helping first-time buyers and increasing social housing availability.
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Better public transport – Holding bus and rail services accountable and pushing for a joined-up national transport system.
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Stronger infrastructure investment – Roads, schools, and healthcare facilities that keep up with population growth.
5. Environmental Action Without Burdening the Poor
Climate action must be practical, fair, and effective. I supported:
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Stronger action against pollution – Holding industries accountable for river pollution levels.
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Solar panels on all new builds – Making clean energy a default, not an option.
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Balanced climate solutions – Encouraging green innovation without punishing low-income families with excessive costs.
6. Law and Justice: Putting Victims First
A justice system should protect people, not just manage criminals. I fought for:
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Harsher sentences for violent crime – Particularly for domestic abuse, sexual offences, and repeat offenders.
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Greater victim support – Ensuring those affected by crime receive proper care and mental health support.
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Better rehabilitation for ex-offenders – But never at the expense of justice for victims.
7. Political Reform: Fixing a Broken System
Westminster politics is stuck in a 100-year loop of failure. I pushed for:
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Ending party control over MPs – Stopping the whipping system that forces MPs to vote against their conscience.
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Lobbying and party funding reforms – Reducing the power of corporations and wealthy donors in politics.
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MPs to be paid fairly, not excessively – Tying MP pay rises to the lowest public sector increases.
8. Armed Forces and Emergency Services: Supporting Those Who Serve
Our heroes deserve more than just words. I campaigned for:
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Better housing for service members – Ensuring our armed forces live in dignity and security.
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Long-term mental health support for veterans – Preventing PTSD and homelessness.
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More resources for police and emergency services – To keep our communities safe and supported.
Why I Ran as an Independent
Unlike party-affiliated MPs, I had no party leader to answer to, no corporate donors pulling strings, and no hidden agenda. My only loyalty was to you, the people of West Oxfordshire. I refused to follow the broken traditions of career politicians and instead promised:e've endured for 100 years. That’s why I stood as an independent.
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