The Green Party has announced its candidate for the Central Devon constituency at the July 4 is Gill Westcott.

Gill has taught in primary and secondary schools in Devon, helped grow and market vegetables and run rural holiday camps. She helped found Cheriton Bishop Community Land Trust to provide social housing in the village.

Gill said: “I’ve lived in Central Devon for 14 years. I’ve served as a parish councillor and a district councillor and would be honoured to represent our communities at Westminster.”

Referring to the Green Party gains in the recent local elections, Gill said: “Green councillors work hard for residents, bringing more genuinely affordable and social housing, and co-operating with others to support people and businesses through hard times. The Greens also protect the countryside and nature and improve the impacts of needed development. They’re inspiring, and this is why we now have over 800 Green councillors throughout England and Wales.

“Caroline Lucas, our single MP, has been a lone voice for too long. Now it’s time for a change, with more Greens in Parliament to hold other parties to account. ‘Our national policies are popular – including taking into public ownership the water companies which have discharged huge amounts of raw sewage into our rivers.”

Gill supports the Green Party policy for a fully public, well-funded NHS, more dentists and better rural access to services.

“We need serious action to reduce the pressure of cost of living increases – including insulating cold homes to cut their energy bills,” she said. ‘”The pressure on young families is immense these days, with rising rents and mortgages and the high cost of childcare. In the last few years wages and benefits haven’t kept up with inflation. The growing levels of child poverty and reliance on foodbanks in Central Devon is a disgrace.”

Gill argues for more support for farmers to maintain their care of the countryside and grow food in challenging circumstances, with more heavy rain and more droughts brought by climate change. “Farmers need to receive a fair share of the value of their products, and deserve support for nature-friendly farming that reduces climate impacts.”