The Wales Green Party has just announced it will stand a full slate of candidates in Gwent for the General Election in May 2014.
Elspeth Parris recently resigned her position as a minister at St David's Church in Merthyr, to concentrate on social justice issues. She was selected as a candidate for Merthyr Tydfil on 20th October. Since then she has been the leader of the local Bedroom Tax campaign and has been supporting tenants to appeal against this desperately unfair imposition on the poorest in our community.
Elspeth said “I joined the Green Party because it became clear to me that Labour no longer offer any real alternative to the programme of austerity that has been impoverishing our people and crippling our local services."
“I’m standing as an MP for Merthyr because I want to give people something they can really believe in. When you vote Green, you get Green. Greens represent the 3 pillars of a society working for the common good – social justice, economic justice and environmental justice.”
The Wales Green Party is buoyant after gaining popularity with the public on policies such as renationalising the railways, raising the minimum wage to £10 an hour, and putting a wealth tax on the richest 1% of Britain's who own over £3million in assets.
Growth in the Wales Green party has recently soared by 76.39% since January this year.
Pippa Bartolotti, leader of the Wales Green Party explained, "Only the Green Party offers a way forward for our country without austerity. It is time that the rich started paying their fair share of tax, that banks repay us for the bailouts given to them by the Labour Government, and that we stop letting the interests of Big Business trample over the needs of people.
“It is only the Green Party who have the guts to stand up and say these things - that's why people are getting behind us and going Green. The Vote for Policies website puts the Greens well ahead on matters which have deep meaning for ordinary people – like renationalisation of the railways and keeping the NHS in public hands."
The Green Party will be producing a fully costed manifesto over the coming few months, which will include scrapping tuition fees, opposing fracking, and investing money in creating jobs and training opportunities for young people.