IN THE run up to the general election, the Standard is interviewing each of the candidates in the race to be the next MP for the Cotswolds. This week, reporter Megan Archer met UKIP's Chris Harlow.

"UKIP's time has come," were the final words of Chris Harlow at the end of our pre-election interview at the party's shop in Brewery Court, Cirencester.

Born in Luton, The UK Independence Party's (Ukip) parliamentary candidate for the Cotswolds constituency Chris Harlow, 62, now lives in Woodmancote, near North Cerney, with his wife Dee.

He has lived in the Cotswolds for 12 years and admits he is passionate about his home district. Having worked in the transport industry for more than 30 years, he is now semi-retired and currently spends his time preparing for the election.

So why should people vote for Chris Harlow this May? "Because I am the only candidate that can deliver real change for the people of the Cotswolds," he said.

He added that one of his top priorities for the constituency was to sort out the infrastructure.

"As with many other rural areas, the Cotswolds has been left behind in terms of infrastructure and therefore we desperately need to invest in it," he said. "We need better broadband, mobile phone signal, flood prevention devices, improved and maintained roads."

On a national scale the UKIP candidate said he wants to see Britain leave the European Union (EU).

"I think it's no good and does a lot of harm to us," he said. "It's also extremely expensive. If we left then we would have an extra three billion pounds to put in the NHS as we would not be putting huge amounts into the EU."

He also believes he can unseat sitting Cotswolds MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, who has held the seat for 23 years. "If anyone can beat the Conservatives, it's UKIP," he said.

The party has often been the recipient of harmful criticism, with Prime Minister David Cameron recorded as saying UKIP members were, "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists mostly".

The party has also had to battle accusations that many members are sexist and homophobic after UKIP councillor David Silvester blamed the storms and heavy floods in January 2014 on the government's decision to legalise gay marriage.

Chris responded: "David Silvester was actually Conservative at the time that happened. If any UKIP member says or does anything offensive, then they are instantly reprimanded and disqualified if necessary.

"The other parties do not do that. Other parties have tolerated members being paedophiles, people committing serious offences and former members of the BNP [British National Party]. It's a disqualification for even joining UKIP if you are a former member of the BNP.

"The amount of press we get reflects that we are a threat to the other parties," he added. "They use their friends in the press to make UKIP out to be at fault in some way."

Founded in 1993, UKIP only started making waves in Britain around two years ago. Mr Harlow said since the beginning the election campaign in October last year he had held 16 meetings across the Cotswolds with around 1,000 people attending.

"We are overcoming Geoffrey Clifton-Brown," he said. "We are seeing an increase in support. The favourite narrative of the press is that we are taking votes from the Tories which we are, but we are also taking votes from other parties too. You could say that UKIP's time has come."

Mr Harlow has two children, and an "ever-increasing" number of grandchildren, with his youngest granddaughter born a fortnight ago. In his spare time he enjoys travelling, especially in Europe, and pottering around the garden.