This is not a political office I am aspiring to, so this is not a political manifesto. The President, at least during their term of office, has to be above party politics. The President would have a duty to warn the Prime Minister if a planned piece of legislation would breach the constitution, for example, but this advice would be private.

The main qualifications for this office are two: firstly, to maintain the dignity & impartiality of the office, as the principal task of the President would be similar to the monarch's in the present system and that is to represent the nation symbolically. Whether I can perform that function is not for me to say. I only claim that I could.

The second qualification is to uphold the constitution. I can fairly claim, after twelve years of campaigning in Charter 88 for a written constitution, to be something of a constitutional expert. While many may claim that they could uphold the dignity of the office, far fewer can claim the necessary constitutional expertise. I can.

I am fit, healthy and not overweight. I am happily married to a charming, intelligent woman. I have no children, an embarrassment the current Head of State undergoes. However, the personalities of the Glucksberg family should not be an issue. (That this cannot be avoided is discussed on this link). What is at issue is whether the 21st Century should be bound by such an anachronistic institution. I do treat my step-sons and grandsons with fatherly consideration but an ephemeral president's family should not engage the attention of the press, anyway.

There is little else to say. A presidential manifesto is no place for promises or spin. To include such items would merely show an unfitness for office.

If you want to know more, you can always e-mail me.