The Greens have begun their campaign in Selsdon Vale and Forestdale by attacking ‘Conservative plans to allow building all over our green spaces’
Selsdon local: Croydon Green Party’s Peter Underwood
Peter Underwood is to try again to become Croydon Council’s third Green Party councillor, after he was selected at the weekend to stand as their candidate in the Selsdon Vale and Forestdale by-election on November 3.
The by-election has been called following the death of Conservative Councillor Badsha Quadir.
Quadir was elected in May with nearly 65per cent of the vote in the two-seat ward, when the Greens doubled their vote and polled around 17per cent – a similar result to Labour.
On the same day, the Greens had won their first two council seats in Croydon, and today their party announced Underwood’s selection describing him as “a local resident who will work hard for residents and positive change in Croydon”.
Underwood stood, unsuccessfully, in Fairfield ward in the May local elections, and was the Green candidate in the South Croydon ward by-election in June, when he finished fourth.
Underwood has been a Selsdon resident for more than 20 years, and is a committee member of the Selsdon Residents’ Association, as well as working as a conservationist in places such as Kings Wood, Littleheath Woods and Selsdon Wood.
Today, he said, “I am very proud to have been selected by Green Party members to be our candidate in my home area.
“Lots of my neighbours have lost faith in the Conservative Party and I will be presenting them with a sensible and credible alternative. I live locally and I am already involved in working to improve our area. I will stand up to defend our precious green spaces from the new threats to build on them, and carry on working to make Selsdon Vale and Forestdale a happier place to live and somewhere we can be proud of.”
In their press release announcing Underwood’s selection, the Croydon Greens said, “Peter’s combination of professional, academic, and personal experience makes him an ideal person to be your local councillor. Peter spent the first half of his career working in the civil service, so he knows how the public sector works from the inside.
Fighting against the cuts: Underwood has worked in a local conservation charity for the past 10 years
“He has spent the last 10 years working for a local charity, running the local operations and engaging teams of Croydon volunteers in looking after our parks and woodlands.
“Peter studied at Oxford University and has a Masters in Business Administration, so he is equipped to deal with the political and practical problems in Croydon Council.”
The Greens said, “The real choice for residents at this by-election is either Peter Underwood or just another Conservative councillor,” adding that “so much has changed” since May’s local elections.
The Tories are due to select their candidate on Wednesday evening.
The Tories’ “appalling Mini-Budget has shocked the nation and Conservative plans to allow building all over our green spaces not only breaks their election promise but will also enrage local people who don’t want their beautiful woodlands turned into building sites”, the Greens said.
“Support for the Conservatives is dropping like a stone nationally and their plans to build on local green spaces will make them even less popular here.
“Local residents still have fresh memories of the dreadful Labour council and they are not going to vote for Labour to have any control over the council again.
“Labour has no chance of winning in Selsdon Vale and Forestdale.
“The choice for residents of Selsdon Vale and Forestdale is quite simple. Are you going to vote for the Conservatives even though they are planning to destroy our area? Or will you vote for Peter Underwood who lives locally and will work tirelessly for you and the local area?”
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Good luck. The Council really needs a shake up.
Nice to see Peter Underwood actually standing in his local area. I wouldn’t hold out too much hope with the local electorate. They only voted in a candidate that (according to Private Eye) liquidated his catering business five times to avoid demands from the Inland Revenue, National Insurance and Customs & Excise before. So scruples do not seem their strongest point in Selsdon.
What do you mean, “ according to Private Eye”? We reported Badsha Quadir’s dodgy business practices years ago… Can’t think where the Eye got their version from.
I gave you an open goal there.