Cheltenham Green Party has just announced its parliamentary candidate to challenge the Conservatives at the next UK General Election.
St Paul’s resident and local businessman Daniel Wilson was selected in a ballot that was open to all local Green Party members.
The Greens have seen rapid growth in Cheltenham in recent years, coming a strong third ahead of Labour in the 2021 and 2022 elections. The party has committed to standing in every future election in the town to challenge the two-party status quo in Cheltenham.
“For too long residents in Cheltenham have felt let down and ignored by their politicians and forced to choose between two very similar parties. But now, as people feel the full force of the cost-of-living crisis and with the climate crisis on our doorstep, it is time for serious change“, says Daniel.
“The Green Party has the ideas to tackle these crises, calling for a nationwide home insulation program to cut bills, a move to renewable energy to lessen dependency on gas and oil, taking energy suppliers into public ownership and cutting the energy price tariff to deal with the huge cost of living crisis we all face this winter. The big solutions are there, but we need the government to step up.”
Daniel’s selection comes off the back of the Greens causing an upset by winning their first ever councillor in Cheltenham in this May’s local elections by taking a seat off the Liberal Democrats, followed by the defection of Liberal Democrat Wendy Flynn (Hesters Way) to the Greens.
Daniel said:
“People from all political parties are turning to the Greens because they know that we work for their community and don’t take their support for granted. I will stand up for local residents in Cheltenham and shake up the tired old “Conservative vs Lib Dem” story that has dominated politics here.“
Green Group co-leader Councillor Tabi Joy (St Paul’s) said:
“I’m really proud to support Daniel as Green parliamentary candidate for Cheltenham. Daniel gets climate and social justice issues and combines that with a track record as a successful local businessman, he would be an excellent local MP. It is Greens who offer possibilities beyond business-as-usual politics.”