Swindon Green party announce prospective general election candidates

Andy Bentley, who will stand in North Swindon, was the Greens’ parliamentary candidate for the same constituency in the 2017 & 2019 general elections.

Andy is Chair of Trustees for the Hreod Burna Urban Forest charity, which grows and manages a community woodland in Pinehurst and Gorse Hill, and is Chair of Swindon Humanists.

Andy Bentley issued a statement, saying: “The Green Party vision is to transform the country to tackle injustice, inequality, and the climate crisis. Again and again, our policies have been proven right, like our Green New Deal that would have saved thousands of families from fuel poverty this winter. They are policies that I truly believe in, and I want to make sure that the people of Swindon get to hear them.

“Too often, the old parties abandon honesty and integrity in favour of short-term self-interest. I'll be open and honest about the challenges we face and lay out the practical, forward-thinking solutions that the Green Party has been proposing for years.”

Rod Hebden, who will stand in South Swindon, has been a Green candidate in a number of borough-council elections.

Swindon Greens added that he also recently received the Outstanding Contribution to Swindon and Wiltshire Tech award for the Festival of Tomorrow, which he organises. Additionally, he is currently helping to lead the Save our Museum and Art Gallery campaign.

Rod Hebden issued a statement, saying: “Having raised a family and grown a business in Swindon, I know the value of community and enterprise and the importance of having a plan. Poor planning at local and national level has been disastrous for working households, and I’m committed to bringing back pride in our neighbourhoods and creating social, environmental, and economic prosperity for our town.

“It's a privilege to have been selected to represent the Green Party in South Swindon. I have lived and worked in Swindon for many years and brought up my children here. Swindon deserves better, and I'll keep on fighting for better for Swindon.”

Chris Noyce, Chair of Swindon Green Party, said: “We’re delighted that the people of Swindon will have two excellent Green candidates to vote for at the next general election. Swindon’s residents are rightly fed up with the chaos that the Conservatives have produced both in the UK economy and in Swindon Borough Council, but people are also unconvinced by a Labour Party that is not offering anything very different from the Conservatives’ failed policies.

“When people vote Green, they know they’re voting for people with integrity and a desire to change lives for the better, and Andy and Rod are perfect examples of this. They are at the heart of their communities in Swindon and will give people a real alternative at the ballot box.”