Three Greens – Cllr Pete Kennedy in Stroud, Cllr Chloe Turner in North Cotswolds and Cllr Bob Eastoe in South Cotswolds – will be standing in the General Election on July 4 in constituencies that are wholly or partly within Stroud District.
Pete Kennedy is the parliamentary candidate for Stroud constituency. A qualified lawyer, he works as an adviser to the Green peers in the House of Lords and was elected earlier this month as a district councillor for Painswick & Upton. Pete was also appointed Deputy Leader of Stroud District Council at the council’s AGM on May 23.
Pete joined the Green Party in 2011, drawn to the Party’s policies for a sustainable and fair society.
He has been involved in a number of campaigns: opposing austerity cuts to public services, fighting plans for fracking, and protecting pubs as community assets. Pete is passionate about the positive change that Green policies will have on everyone’s lives.
Pete has a degree in Economics and Politics, and further qualified as a barrister in 2021.
Cllr Chloe Turner is the parliamentary candidate for the new North Cotswolds constituency.
Cllr Turner (pictured with Pete Kennedy) represents Minchinhampton on both Stroud District Council and Gloucestershire County Council.
Chloe said: “The widespread disenchantment with the Tory government among many moderate Tory voters means that the Conservatives cannot be complacent about winning the North Cotswolds seat.
“As MP, I will be a voice for nature and a champion for local issues, including tackling the decline in rural public services and the cost-of-living pressures facing so many residents.”
“Importantly, as a Green I do not have to follow a party whip so will be free to represent the concerns of residents. I will be an independent, principled MP who will work collaboratively with others, who will never be afraid to offer constructive scrutiny and to hold those in government to account.
“This year, there is a real opportunity for genuine change in the Cotswolds, for the first time in decades. It’s an exciting chance to restore trust in politics and I’m ready to be at the heart of it.”
A qualified chartered accountant by background, though politics is now her full-time work, Chloe is involved in numerous local groups and campaigns.
More details about Chloe here:
And Bob Eastoe is standing for South Cotswolds, which includes a small part of Stroud District: Kingswood, near Wotton-under-Edge, and surrounding villages.
Bob has recently retired as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of a major manufacturer.
He now wants to use his time and expertise supporting those less fortunate than himself and serving his community.
Bob is a volunteer driver for Cotswold Friends and is a town councillor in Moreton-on-Marsh.
If elected, among other things he would work to ensure that development takes into account the importance of South Cotswolds as being in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and must not degrade its surroundings.