Former broker chief executive to run for Lib Dems in snap election

Insurance veteran Tom Bartleet has announced that he will be running in the upcoming general election as the Liberal Democrat candidate for South Suffolk.

Bartleet had been the owner and chief executive of Erskine Murray Insurance Brokers and also held various roles at WTW during his career.

After Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a snap election for 4 July 2024 on Wednesday, Bartleet said on LinkedIn that he would be on the ballot paper at the upcoming vote.

He explained that he started out delivering leaflets for the local elections and worked his way up to becoming the MP hopeful for South Suffolk.

“Now that the general election has been announced, it’s time to go live that I will be on the ballot paper in South Suffolk for the Liberal Democrat’s,” he said.

“I was so unhappy with the political situation here that I started by delivering some leaflets a couple of years ago for local elections just because I thought I needed to do something to make change happen.

“The behaviour of some of our elected officials we have seen would quite rightly not be tolerated in our (insurance) industry. I couldn’t just stand by and felt I had to do something.

“So, I got more and more involved, culminating in my selection as the prospective parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrat’s in South Suffolk.”

’Appetite for change’

While a general election can be unpredictable, figures show that this is not deterring insurance sector optimism about growth.

Data from KPMG UK, published on 18 March 2024, for example showed that over two-thirds of leaders would feel positive about this for the sector’s future.

Bartleet felt that there was a “real appetite” for change and that the next six weeks would be busy.

“We have had so many new volunteers come forward to help – it’s been amazing and shows that there is a real appetite for change,” he said.

“So it’s going to be a busy time for the next six weeks!”