Green Party Confirms Theo Simon as Candidate for Somerton & Frome

Somerset-born Theo Simon has again been selected as the Green Party Candidate for Somerton and Frome in the June 8th General Election.

The southwest musician and part-time production worker from East Pennard believes that unity across traditional party divides could unseat the current MP, Conservative David Warburton.

“This election is about whether we have MPs who behave responsibly for the good of all, or careerists who play political games for their own self-interest,” he said.

“Calling this election now is the desperate act of a reckless government. The Prime Minister has broken her word in a bid to grab more power, hoping to wrong-foot opposition. The Greens in Somerton and Frome are more than up for the challenge. Our party here is active, energetic, and growing. In the last elections, we gained our first District Councillors, and we intend to win our first County Council seats in the elections on May 4th.

“As your candidate, I want to hold David Warburton MP to account. We need an MP who sticks up for Somerset, not one with a shameful record of subservience to the government whip. He has voted with them for NHS privatisation, increasing inequality, restricting renewable energy at the climate’s expense, and dragging Britain down towards the hardest possible ‘Brexit’ – all of which are bad news for Somerset. Now his government want to slash our remaining employment rights and environmental protections. I shared many hustings platforms with him in the 2015 General Election, when he didn’t declare any of these extreme positions.

“We urgently need to act together. All parties need to work to bring decency, fairness and responsibility to Westminster. This isn’t what I had planned to do for the next 6 weeks and beyond, but this may be the most important election in my lifetime.

“The Green Party have invited Labour and the Liberal Democrats to form an electoral alliance and work together in the interests of the country, but so far Tim Farron and Jeremy Corbyn have put narrow-minded party interest above their principles. In Somerton and Frome, I hope we can put aside our differences to get the strongest local candidate who stands for social justice, a healthy environment, and a co-operative relationship with our European neighbours.

“Since David Warburton became our MP in 2015, our nation has become more divided, and life has become harder for the majority of Somerset’s people. Our young people face a very uncertain future. David Cameron’s Brexit farce is becoming Theresa May’s Brexit tragedy. This government has taken a wrecking-ball to our schools, our hospitals, our social care – and the very environment we live in. We have to seize this opportunity to change direction towards a better, brighter, greener future.”