Natalie Bennett selected by Sheffield Green Party as a candidate for Sheffield Central, kicks off her campaign with a launch event at 11am on Friday 12th May in Sheffield’s Peace Gardens.
Natalie aims to go one better than the Greens’ good second in 2015 when Jillian Creasy won a record number of votes. Natalie will be contesting the Westminster seat on a platform of:
- Brexit – holding the Government to account and not allowing precious benefits of EU membership slip away. No blank cheque to the Government to squander hard-won rights.
- Young People – scrapping student tuition fees and bringing back maintenance grants, letting people start their life without the dragging weight of debt; a decent wage for under-25s;
- A public NHS – doctors and nurses to be treated with respect and an end to privatisation in a truly national health service;
- A safe climate – addressing the urgent issue of climate change with major investment in low-carbon energy, promoting jobs in renewable energy, housing improvement schemes and agriculture.
Natalie is expected to say,
“There’s a strong desire for change in politics. Voters are seeking a politics of principle and values. With the Green Party, they’ll always know what we stand for and what we’ll stand against.
“Young people are seeking a life raft in the storm of Brexit – an MP who’ll fight to ensure their lives are not more restricted and limited than their parents’, and who’ll fight to free them from the heavy weight of student debt.
“Concern for the NHS means people are seeking an MP who’ll always fight to end privatisation, who’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with our doctors and nurses, respecting their knowledge and dedication, and demand the money they need to do their work.
“I’m meeting many pensioners who feel failed by the old politics and many, for the first time in their lives, are choosing to vote Green for themselves and their grandchildren. They’ve seen their grandchildren struggle in schools turned into exam factories, disabled people suffer from a cruel benefits system and our wildlife decimated – and they want change.
“Sheffield’s small business community, so essential to a strong prosperous economy in our city, is seeking a champion. I will speak up for them. I will demand that multinational companies that aren’t paying their way are forced to pay their taxes and treat their staff decently, making it easier for independent businesses to compete with them.”
Notes
- Meeting point for the launch is in the Peace Gardens, Sheffield S1 2HH, near to the Winter Garden.
- Natalie Bennett will be available for interviews on request.
- Nationally, the Green Party won over 1.1 million votes in the 2015 general election, higher than all previous elections together, but still only gained one seat in Parliament
- In Sheffield Central, Greens gained a clear second place in the 2015 general election and are closing the gap on Labour. Votes cast in the 5 main Sheffield Central wards in May 2016 council elections were:
Labour – 27,635
Green – 20,064
LibDems – 7,425
Conservative – 1,963
Others – 1168 - Campaign info: www.natalie4sheffield.org