I moved to Darlington in 1997.

Full statement

I worked as a senior sales manager for a national retailer before starting a family. I’m now the father of three school age children and my partner, Catriona, works in the chemical industry.

I have campaigned for environmental justice for two decades helping to set up community allotments, orchards and wildflower meadows. I coordinate an award winning road safety campaign and I work for bike hire and bike recycling groups.

I joined The Green Party when it became clear that I had been asking the wrong people to do the right thing. Now it is time to put the right people into parliament.

Darlington will benefit greatly from Green Party policies.

A fair economy - we have the skills and industry that are ready to transform our region with a stable economy that is run in everyone’s best interest. A Public NHS in national hands. The current plans to reduce A&E and maternity provision in our region are based on the fundamentally flawed STP and must be reversed. Decent housing for the Borough. New houses should be built to the highest energy efficiency levels. Better transport is needed because the 10,000 new home planned for Darlington could put 25,000 more cars on our roads. Our roads are at gridlock and air pollution levels are dangerously high. Free Education and teachers free to teach. Headteachers recently wrote to Darlington parents warning of the consequences of underfunding.