The Harrow Times has asked each parliamentary candidate to list five reasons why they should be elected an MP at the General Election on May 7.
Here, Green Party candidate for Harrow East Emma Wallace explains why you should vote for her.
1. Invest in local public services - The Green Party is against the Government's austerity measures, which are having a devastating impact on local services. I am passionately committed to defending public services and have been protesting against the imminent closure of four Harrow libraries. I would fight to restore the public sector, ensuring local services have the resources to meet the needs of local residents. I believe in free early education, childcare and social care for the over 65s and a fully funded public library service.
2. Protect the NHS - I believe the the NHS should be brought fully back under public ownership. The Green Party is calling for the rolling back of NHS privatisation, reinstating its founding principles – truly public, fully protected, and free at point of delivery.
3. Build more social housing - Everyone has the right to affordable, secure, decent housing and the Green Party has pledged to build 500 000 socially-rented homes by 2020. These homes will be built to high sustainability and energy efficiency standards, ensuring they will be cheaper to heat and power. The Green Party will also introduce rent controls for private tenants. It is completely unacceptable that tenants in Harrow are handing over an average of 45 per cent of their income to private landlords.
4. Introduce fair wages and taxes - The Greens will introduce a wealth tax on those with assets of more than £3 million, a financial transaction tax, abolish the bedroom tax and student loans. We would introduce a living wage of at least £10 per hour by 2020 and create 200,000 jobs through investment in the public sector.
5. Tackle climate change and air pollution - I am keen to make Harrow one of London's most healthy and sustainable boroughs. I would campaign to protect green spaces, encourage pedestrian and cycle friendly zones and work towards tackling air pollution on the busiest roads in Harrow. I would fight to bring the trains back into public ownership, increasing public transport links in the borough to ensure we have a bus and train network that meets the needs of a 21st Century population.
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