The candidates speak: Simeon Hart, Green party

Green Party candidate Simeon Hart

I have many years of experience of representing people at local, national and international levels. I am committed to listening, understanding and working with people to meet their needs.

Too often plans are made with no regard to local communities. We need more democratic decision making that involves everyone — not just the politicians.

I say protect our green spaces like Foxdenton, in Chadderton, use derelict brown-field sites and empty industrial land for development. We need a planning system that works with and for local people and does not ride roughshod over them.

We need energy policies to protect consumers and the environment and the most effective way to keep homes warm and reduce bills is to conserve energy. A national programme of building insulation will cut fuel bills, combat climate change, create jobs and boost the economy. Only the Green Party says “no” to the dangers of fracking. Instead of massive subsidies for harmful fossil fuel energy and expensive nuclear power, we should invest in clean, cheaper, renewable energy to safeguard our future.

We need a fair economy not an unequal one: a real living wage of £10 an hour by 2020. We need limits on high pay and bonuses, a wealth tax on the top 1 per cent and big corporations and tough action to make sure they pay what they owe. If big corporations pay their fair share, we can afford to protect vital public services like our NHS, the police and local council services.


*ALSO STANDING: Sir Oink-A-Lot (Monster Raving Loony Party), who did not submit a statement