Eastbourne Green Party names its Prospective Parliamentary Candidate

Commenting on his selection Mike said, “I am delighted and honoured to represent the strongest and boldest social, climate, and environmental policies being offered to the people of Eastbourne. We may be asked to vote as early as May 2024.”

Mike, who lives in Eastbourne, believes the political picture in the town has changed since the ‘Get Brexit Done’ election of 2019. He explains, “Voters are often urged to vote for the more palatable of the Conservative or Liberal Democrat options, but polls suggest the Conservatives cannot win nationally, or in Eastbourne, so our voters are finally free to vote for what they believe in.”

Mike points out that the Conservatives lost seats in Eastbourne’s local elections and has also lost overall control of East Sussex County Council, where The Green Party now has five councillors. “It is no longer close contest in Eastbourne. Voters can finally establish a strong voice here for climate action, and for social and environmental justice.” says Mike. “We have strong hopes of winning seats in the 2025 County Council elections.”

Conservative Caroline Ansell won the seat in 2019 with a slim majority of just 4,331 votes. Current opinion polls suggest that neither of Eastbourne’s two main parties will play a role in what is most likely to be a Labour Government in 2024. Contemplating what this might mean for Eastbourne, Mike said, “Labour say we cannot afford to act boldly and decisively on the climate and social issues, The Green Party says we can’t afford not to. We need more than a ‘Changed Labour’ version of a Conservative Government.”

He adds, “COP 28 has underlined that UK and world climate problems are more urgent than ever, but none of the mainstream parties want to risk upsetting the electorate. We need politicians with bolder, braver solutions, not career politicians who always toe a party line. We need voters to be bolder and braver too. We need them to clearly demand action on climate and social issues, and to ask polluters and the wealthy to pay to put things right. A vote for the Green Party will send the clearest message to the next Government that they need to act.”

Mike has a broad experience, ranging from international retail fashion buying to running county wide mental health services in the NHS and charity sectors. He worked on Surrey County Council’s Mental Health and Social Care Joint Commissioning Board. He was a director of Surrey Supported Employment, managing government contracts to support disadvantaged people into employment. He also founded a Trade Association for Disability Enterprises across the South East.

Mike and his family moved to Eastbourne's Upperton area from Surrey in 2021. He now works prt time at Waitrose in Old Town as a delivery driver,covering the whole of the constituency. He also campaigns for climate and social justice; fighting for better public transport with Eastbourne Climate Coalition, and speaking up for minorities with Eastbourne's Palestine Solidarity Campaign.