Greens launch election campaign for England in Stowmarket

The party won 12 of Mid Suffolk's 34 council seats four years ago - and is aiming to be the largest group in the district and possibly take overall control.

That prompted the party's joint leaders, Adrian Ramsay and Carla Denyer, to visit The Mix at Stowmarket to launch its national campaign and encourage local candidates.

In 2019 the Conservatives and an Independent won 17 of the 34 seats and have run the council thanks to the casting vote of the chair.

However the Greens are hopeful of winning enough seats on May 4 to run the council, either on their own or with the support of other parties.

Mr Ramsay also has an interest in the area. He is to be the Green candidate in the new cross-county border Waveney Valley seat at the next general election - and that includes much of the rural north of the Mid Suffolk district.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay is standing for the Waveney Valley seat at the next general election. (Image: Charlotte Bond)

The Greens have pledged to put housing and support for communities at the heart of their policy-making.

 Mr Ramsay said: “We need councillors and national government to work together to deliver the homes people need and can afford to rent and buy, where people need them.  

“Too many villages and towns have seen large-scale developments take place without the community infrastructure expanded alongside. 

“What we need is local councils supported to build quality, affordable housing in the right places where people live and work, with the right supporting infrastructure and local facilities. 

“We’ve seen how Green councillors have made a difference in Mid Suffolk. 

“The villages of Suffolk and Norfolk are facing the same problems as much of the rest of the country - developers being allowed to build houses local people often can’t afford and failing to ensure local services."