Sheridan Kates

I live in Islington, right on the border of the two constituencies near Highbury Corner, and I work out of a fantastic community co-working space, Space4, in Finsbury Park. I was drawn to the Greens as the only political party in the UK that recognises that the root causes of the cost-of-living crisis and the climate crisis are one and the same. Chasing economic growth, which mostly benefits the already-wealthy, and harms our ecosystems, has led to unacceptable levels of inequality and climate instability; threatening communities, food systems and Nature at home and across the world The Green Party would work to change our collective priorities: investing in renewables and retrofitting of homes to get to net zero as quickly as we can (while lowering bills in the process through national ownership of those energy resources), addressing the housing crisis through rent and house price stabilisation, and putting care front and centre with programmes such as universal free child and elder care. Most importantly, I will fight to change the narrative in government that we don’t have the money to carry out all these important plans. The government does not have to balance its budget like a household, and has unique powers to invest in our collective futures - the real question is how to make sure we have all the people and resources needed to do what is needed, which will be possible through increasing wages and providing free training for roles where we have a labour shortage. We must harness our public money and have a much greater say in what it is used for, including preventing suppression and violence against people around the world. I am a tireless problem-solver, one whose career in building technology products over many years has taught me how to listen to people’s needs and work with them to design solutions. I would be honoured to turn those skills and energy towards serving the needs of the people of Islington North.