Andrew Bell is your Green Party parliamentary candidate for Exeter
This general election is the best opportunity ever for the Green Party in Exeter. The new Exeter constituency means that only the Greens or Labour can win the parliamentary seat. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats cannot win here.
Greens are winning in Exeter
In the May 2024 local elections, Greens came a clear second to Labour in the wards within the new constituency boundary. The Green Party is now the second largest political group on Exeter City Council with seven Green councillors. This places Greens as the main challenger to Labour in this general election in Exeter. Neither the Conservatives nor the Liberal Democrats can win here.
Polls suggest that Labour will form the next government. Our city needs an MP who is free to stand up for local people and our environment, not just stand in line to vote as they are told. And the more people who vote Green at this election, the more the next government and Labour-led Exeter City Council will have to pay attention to our vision for a fairer, greener country and city.
Green priorities for Exeter
Here are just three issues that Andrew sees as pressing issues facing Exeter that to be addressed by the next government:
Finding an affordable home: the Government needs to fund the building of new council homes, end the Right-to-Buy, allow councils to introduce rent controls on private rental properties and undertake a wide scale home insulation programme.
Fixing health and social services: ensuring everyone can access a GP and NHS dentist. A wealth tax on super-rich billionaires and multi millionaires will generate billions to properly fund health and social care services.
Cleaning up the Exe and Estuary and investing in our sewage system: Bring water companies under public control so they work for the benefit of people and nature instead of private profit.
About your candidate Andrew Bell
Andrew has lived in Exeter for over 20 years; his children were born in the city and attended local schools. He is a former teacher, education advisor on citizenship education and previously worked as communications officer to former Green MEP for the South West, Molly Scott Cato.
He has been actively involved in the local community in many different ways, from being a youth group leader to helping those in need during the Covid pandemic.
Andrew says:
“With your support, I hope to join a group of Green MPs in parliament who will work hard to push the next government for bolder policies to address inequality, the cost-of-living crisis and the climate and nature emergencies.
“Exeter has built a reputation for its research on the impacts of and solutions to the climate crisis with internationally recognised work being done at the Met Office and university. What’s absent is the political will for climate action.
“Exeter is a wonderful place to live. I would be proud to represent our city in Parliament. Over the years, Having been involved in many election campaigns, I have knocked on numerous doors and talked to hundreds of Exeter residents. It is clear Exeter has its challenges and we need a government that actually listens and responds to local needs.
“One of the things that makes our city so special is the many individuals and groups that are already working, volunteering or campaigning to make Exeter fairer and greener – from organisations helping people who find themselves homeless or in need of emergency food to those providing advice on insulating homes. These groups are helping to tackle growing inequality in Exeter, a situation made much worse by fourteen years of harsh Conservative austerity.
“Greens promise real hope and real change. I am ready to serve you as MP for Exeter!