A CONONLEY man has stepped forward to give Craven voters their first ever chance to elect a Green MP in May’s General Election.

The Green Party has selected Andrew Brown to fight the seat held by Conservative MP Julian Smith.

Mr Brown will also be up against Labour’s Malcolm Birks and Lib Dem Jacquie Brown.

Mr Smith, who will defend his seat, was elected in 2010 with 50.6 per cent of the vote.

He polled 27,684 votes, nearly 10,000 ahead of nearest rival, Lib Dem Helen Flynn.

Mr Brown has lived in the constituency for more than 20 years and is passionate about environmental issues and inappropriate planning schemes, as well as education and the NHS.

He has retired from a successful career in further education which included being deputy principal of Keighley College.