THE GREEN Party has announced its election candidate for Leeds North West.

Dr Martin Hemingway, currently the party’s Co-ordinator for the Yorkshire and Humber region, is an experienced politician. He was a Leeds City Councillor for 12 years up to 2002, and narrowly missed out on being elected as an MEP in 2009.

Dr Hemingway is well known in Otley where he has worked as a volunteer for an advice group. He said: “The job of an MP is to work on issues global and local. Whatever happens with Europe the effects will remain with us in the economy and society, and will need to be dealt with by all of us whether we work to Remain or not.

“Other issues come together - such as the climate emergency and the airport. An expanding airport adds to existing air and noise pollution and traffic congestion locally, and carbon emissions globally. We cannot wait for other parties to take up our policies, such as the Green New Deal we have been promoting for ten years, we need Green policies and elected Green politicians now.”