Hitchin Candidate
Charles Bunker

Charles Bunker, Reform UK PPC, has been a resident of Hitchin since the age of five. Educated locally, he attended St Andrew’s School and Kingshott before furthering his education in Bedford. During a memorable summer, he worked as a lifeguard at Hitchin’s outdoor swimming pool.

His ties to the community run deep, with his wife Suzie being both a former pupil and teacher at Hitchin Girls' School until retirement, and their three children receiving education in Hitchin, Letchworth, and Baldock.

Transitioning from banking to becoming a qualified chartered accountant, Charles spent the majority of his career in international corporate finance, specializing in technology start-ups, including ventures in green technologies, and turnaround and recovery situations. Notably, he managed the Orchard Tea Garden in Grantchester, famed for its association with Rupert Brooke and the Bloomsbury Set.

Dedicating himself to public service, Charles served two terms as a non-executive director of the QEII Hospital in Welwyn Garden City, overseeing significant improvements in performance and efficiency. His staunch opposition to the merger of the Lister and QEII hospitals underscored his commitment to enhancing healthcare capacity within the NHS.

As the former Chairman of the Board of Governors for Regent’s College and the European Business School, Charles played a pivotal role in rescuing both institutions from bankruptcy, guiding them toward their transformation into Regent’s University. His extensive experience in the education sector grants him unique insights into the challenges facing universities today.

A founding chairman of the Hitchin and Harpenden Conservative Association, Charles witnessed firsthand the decline of the Conservative Party and subsequently embraced the vision of Reform UK. His candidacy for the Brexit Party in the 2019 General Election further solidified his commitment to advocating for political change.

Beyond politics, Charles is an accomplished author, having published four historical novels in the de Gressier series, and regularly contributes essays and pamphlets on Substack.

If you share Charles's frustration with the current state of politics and believe in the need for reform beyond the traditional two-party system, he invites you to join the movement. Volunteer and campaign with us to usher in a brighter future for Britain with Reform UK.