Mick Coats
Green Party
Healey Ward
As the Green Party candidate for Healey Ward I would like to put forward the following statement:
People have been let down by politicians and we all find it hard to distinguish between the main political parties. Change is needed for the improvement of the country nationally and locally.
A changing world and a changing country
Our parents and grandparents fought for basic rights - a first class publically owned NHS, free education, an affordable home, reasonable jobs - but all the other parties seem to want to weaken these rights.
In Europe the Green Party, with our allies are tackling climate change, and the greed of bankers; we oppose the renewal and expansion of nuclear weapons as well as taking action against the energy companies with their indecent haste to frack the life out of our country.
Some of our policies were once pursued by other parties, but they have long since cynically abandoned them to appease the wealthy and have lost the right to represent us.
Locally
Locally I have been involved for ten years to find a sensible resolution to the toxic mess that is the poisonous ex TBA site.
All the main parties have been in power at one time or another over this period, but have failed to resolve the situation.
The only realistic solution is not housing but is to turn the site into a country park. We need less dithering by politicians and senior council officers; replaced by action to make the site safe and for the council to take legal action against the owners and their representatives.
We also need fair and imaginative solutions to local problems.
- Any council work being carried out by contractors should curtail the use of zero hours contracts as well as a commitment to pay a living wage.
- We should not enforce the bedroom tax and look to build affordable, sustainable, energy efficient houses.
Make a difference
We are fed up with policies that tinker around the edges. We want real change that benefits people and the environment.
I am prepared to tackle issues locally, which benefit local people and the local environment in the long term.
Help us to shake things up and lets look to solve problems, not just offer excuses.
Show the main parties that it is time for change. We owe it to our children and their children to make the town a better place to live in.
The Green Party are standing seven people for election in Rochdale and also prospective MEPs for the European election. Both elections are on the same day, 22 May.
Take this opportunity to vote Green for progress.
