Thanet Green Party Announces Newington By-election Candidates

Thanet Green Party will be fielding Andy Jefferson and Ian Driver as their candidates in the Newington by-election on 21 January 2016. Andy Jefferson, our candidate for the Ramsgate Town vacancy, is a mature student in law and politics at Canterbury Christchurch University who lives in Ramsgate and has a daughter in her 20s. He was the Green Party candidate for Cliftonville West in the May 2015 elections, and is a keen cyclist and surfer who is passionate about the environment, especially Ramsgate’s seafront and beaches. He was brought up on a large council estate in central Kent and trained and worked as an electrician.  He has also spent time working in the hospitality industry, eventually becoming a pub landlord. Andy has had periods of unemployment and knows how hard it can be to make ends meet when living on benefits. When unemployed, Andy volunteered for community organisations in Thanet, where he developed a passion for helping people. This is what led him to get involved in local politics. Integrity, honesty and putting people first are key to Andy’s politics. If elected he will fight to revitalise Ramsgate Town Council, transforming it from a talking-shop into an organisation which is relevant to the needs of Ramsgate people and which better supports local communities such as Newington.

Ian Driver, our candidate for Thanet District Council, is a highly experienced former TDC councillor who stood as the Green Party Candidate for the Ramsgate area in the 2015 General Election. Ian is widely known and well respected throughout Thanet for speaking his mind and fighting against cover-ups, secrecy and incompetence at TDC. He trained and worked as a gardener, spent time travelling abroad and then moved into public sector management. Throughout his working life Ian has been an active trade unionist, holding various positions including shop steward, branch secretary and member of his union’s national executive. Ian’s last job was manager of Thanet Citizens Advice Bureau which he says “taught him the value of volunteering and how volunteers can turn people’s lives around”. He is married with 3 daughters and gave up this job to become a full-time carer for his disabled daughter 2 years ago. If elected, Ian will put the interests of Newington and its people first and will fight hard for a fair deal for the Newington community. His top priority is regenerating Thanet to create new jobs and training opportunities. He will also ensure that regeneration and development in Thanet will be managed carefully and sensitively so as to protect our beautiful local environment.

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For more information about Andy and Ian and our election polices please check out the following links

Thanet Greens blogsite http://thanetgreenparty.blogspot.co.uk/

Thanet Greens Facebook site https://www.facebook.com/groups/535208279955767/?fref=ts

Ian Driver’s blogsite (views expressed are his own) http://thanetgreencouncillor.blogspot.co.uk/

Contact our election agent ianddriver@yahoo.co.uk 07866588766
promoted and published by Ian Driver 45 Sea View Rd CT101BX on behalf of Ian Driver and Andrew Jefferson Green Party candidates in the Newington by-election.