Our second named Candidate is Kate Belmonte.
We are delighted to announce that Kate Belmonte will be standing as your Green Party candidate for Gillingham and Rainham.
Kate has lived in Gillingham since the age of 5. As well as bringing up 2 children with her husband, Daniel, she is also well known for running an award winning local non-profit social enterprise, tasked with fighting loneliness and isolation across our towns.
Kate is a keen environmentalist and has campaigned to protect our green spaces and agricultural land in Rainham, Twydall and on the Hoo Peninsula. Kate was instrumental in saving 126 acres of prime agricultural land in Rainham.
Kate continues to work within Gillingham & Rainham's diverse communities to help prepare us for the many challenges that the climate and biodiversity crisis is bringing.
Kate is passionate about improving our communities and getting the infrastructure we need to thrive. Kate wants to bring focus to the provision of homes, health and education for all. "When the time comes, I want my children to be able to fly the nest, and be able to afford a decent, clean, warm and energy efficient home."
When told about her selection, Kate told us "I'm absolutely delighted to have been chosen to represent a party, which not only reflects my personal political beliefs, but also a party that can think creatively about the issues that face our community and find solutions that help the majority of people."
We very much look forward to a general election being called, and helping to change the way that this country does politics. Bringing back integrity and honesty to the people of Gillingham and Rainham.
Watch Kate's video statement
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Our first named candidate is Cat Jamieson.
Hi, I'm Cat Jamieson and I am honoured and proud to be your, Rochester and Strood, Green Party candidate in the upcoming General Election.
I’m really passionate about Medway. I have been active in the Community for over 20 years. I have been working with young people, setting up the Rochester Eco Hub, and being a Trustee of local charities that support children and families in Medway.
I joined the Green Party because they have the ideas, and solutions, to create a society that is fairer, greener, and capable of addressing the biggest issues of our time.
I think, we all deserve to live in a society where we are able to thrive, regardless of our background, or circumstances?
People tell me that, like me, they are really fed up with how things are. Politicians lining their own pockets, and those of their friends, whilst happily pushing people into poverty. We see governments enabling energy and water companies to make billions of pounds in profits whilst people can’t afford to pay their bills, and raw sewage is dumped into our rivers and seas.
How have we allowed this to happen?
Housing in Medway is not working. So many people have had their rents, and mortgages, put up to unaffordable levels. New builds are going up all over the place which are not affordable to most residents.
Inequality is growing. As the rich get richer, the poor are getting poorer.
Surely we shoudln’t accept this any longer?
If elected, I would call for energy and water companies to be brought back into public ownership, so they are accountable to the people they impact, and profits can be re-invested back into improving the services to the community, rather than into the hands of careless billionaires.
I would also call for an immediate introduction of rent controls, and a huge increase in council housing, to meet the needs of our residents. Surely, any new housing should be sustainable, and not built on our precious green spaces and much needed agricultural land.
The Green Party has fairness at its core. We would address inequality with things like free school meals for school children of all ages, and we would take mental health seriously, investing in services to address the huge waiting lists residents currently experience.
As you’d expect, I’m deeply concerned about the lack of action to address the climate and ecological crises. The good news is that many of our solutions to protect our environment will also improve our health and well-being too.
As we invest in Green solutions, we will create more green jobs. We will insulate homes, bringing down the cost of energy bills. We will have cleaner air, which will ensure people are healthier. We will have a reliable public transport system that works for people so they are better connected to work, friends and services. The list is endless....
It’s time to do politics differently. The environment can’t wait ,and people deserve more.
A vote for me and the Green Party will be a positive vote to say you want a fairer and greener future.
Now is the time to vote Green.
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