WITH the local Council elections taking place on May 6, the Telegraph & Argus has asked each political party fielding five or more candidates to tell readers why they should back their candidates.

Today is the turn of the Green Party.

The party currently has two councillors in Bradford Council, and is standing candidates in every seat in the District.

With climate change and calls for the country to reduce its Carbon emissions becoming more widespread the party hopes the 2021 elections could see more seats in the Council chamber going green.

A spokesman for the party said: “The Green Party is different.

“We’re not part of the political establishment.

“We listen to you. And we are honest about the crisis facing our country and our city.

“The Conservative Government’s ideological commitment to austerity has seen hundreds of millions of pounds cut from council services since 2010 – and our Labour council has failed to think outside of the box.

“Bradford Council is failing to tackle the fly-tipping epidemic facing our city, failing to tackle the crippling congestion that grips our roads and failing to listen to local communities when decisions are being made about the area they call home.

“Their policies are letting us all down.

“But these local elections are a chance to take a stand, to elect new councillors with fresh thinking, who can be counted on to stand up for the communities they represent.

“The Green Party believe in listening to residents and trusting local people with the power to transform the places they love – not the top down “we know best” approach favoured by the other parties.

“In the last local elections, across the country, a record number of Green councillors were elected and those Greens are making a real difference.

“Here in Bradford, The Green Party came third in the total number of votes cast in our district in 2019.

“We are so close to electing more Greens than ever before onto Bradford Council.

“When Green councillors are elected they make a real difference for their community - whether that means bringing ideas to tackle air pollution, pushing for action on litter or standing up for our local parks and green spaces.

“Electing more Greens onto Bradford Council means having champions for investment in local services, more people demanding action on youth services, and fighting to improve public spaces.

“Unlike councillors from the establishment parties, Greens are not subject to a Party whip that orders them to vote according to the needs of their party machines and their colleagues in Westminster.

“This means Greens are free to put the interests of the residents they represent front and centre.

“On 6th May, you can send a message to the other parties and to the government in Westminster, that you want that change. Real and lasting change.

“This year, make change happen. Vote Green!”

Pieces from other parties will follow in the coming days.