The Harrow Times has asked each parliamentary candidate to list five reasons why they should become an MP at the General Election on May 7.

Here the Green Party's Harrow West candidate Rowan Langley explains why you should vote for him.

1. Close the tax loopholes and fiddles which between them rob the honest taxpayers of between £30 and £70 billion and invest in local public services. The Government's austerity measures are having a devastating impact on local services; the imminent closure of four Harrow libraries, cutting back street cleaning or anything outside the absolute core services. 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. The Green Party will  introduce rent controls for private tenants. Is it acceptable that tenants in Harrow are handing over an average of 45 per cent of their income in rent?. We are committed to build more social housing; everyone has the right to affordable, secure, decent housing. 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.

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 - Harrow could becomeone 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.