Candidate for Devon Central
It’s not just that rural Devon needs a fair share of the national cake – though it does. Devon Central needs a voice that represents our interests. The government is chipping away at our democracy, betraying our kids and our future, failing the NHS and those in need of social care, failing British farmers, failing to halt growing inequality.
I would be honoured to represent the communities in Central Devon. I’ve taught in schools and adult education, grown and sold vegetables, been a Parish Councillor and helped start a Community Land Trust to provide low cost housing for local people. I’ve lived in Central Devon for 14 years and am a grandmother and a Mid Devon councillor.
I stand for repairing and improving our democracy; a fully public, well-funded NHS; real action on climate and ecology, better rural services and a flourishing locally based economy. I want us to clean up our rivers, support our farmers to protect nature; and move to a fairer, cleaner, safer and greener economy.
We need:
- A safer future
- Decent spending on schools, children and young people
- End to fossil fuel subsidies
- Promote green jobs and warm homes that don’t cost the earth to heat
- Democracy
- Free the Electoral Commission from shackling by government and restore its right to prosecute those who break the rules
- Democratic rights to protest and to strike should be respected
- Local councils – enough funding to maintain local services, and right to follow their consciences when deciding where to invest pensions or procure goods and services (eg avoiding fossil fuels or countries with human rights abuses). People trust local councillors more than MP’s.
- A fair voting system –The number of MP’s should reflect the number of votes for each party; a proportional voting system would make that happen, and we could vote for our true first preferences with our second preference taken into account.
- Realistic Climate Action – including insulating homes, reducing energy bills, helping with the cost of living and creating jobs as well as cutting climate impacts through flood prevention etc
- Thriving local businesses – keeping money and jobs local, and building the skills and capacity for new green industries;
- A fully public, well-funded NHS – with a joined up approach to social care, with fair funding for the NHS and all public services in rural areas
- Respect for nature, protection of rivers
- Protecting woodland and wild lands
- Supporting nature friendly farming
- Taking water companies (who paid shareholders £72 billion of taxpayers money since privatisation) into public ownership
- Better public transport and safe active travel routes for walking and cycling
- More affordable and social housing, with energy efficiency standards that keep bills down, with a fair deal for renters
- Fair benefits and pensions that keep up with the cost of living, and actually do cover the cost of essentials (UC doesn’t)
- Access to cheap renewable energy, enabling local customers to benefit from local renewable generation, with an upgraded National Grid
Every Green vote boosts the media time and funds we get, and drives these priorities up the political agenda. Vote Green!