Green Party announces Nic Cook as candidate for Jarrow & Gateshead East constituency at the next General Election
South Tyneside Green Party
20th December 2023
I have been a dedicated member of the Green Party since joining in 2022 because I value grassroots democracy, led by the needs of our communities, embedded in environmental and social justice. I am committed to making Jarrow and Gateshead East a fair and more equal place for residents to live, work and play. I will prioritise fair access to work and housing, an inclusive economy, and community health and wellbeing. I understand first hand the negative impact a lack of access to these has on our lives. I want to making sure communities have clean air and green spaces and can leave a healthy planet for future generations. However, it is not enough to simply impose climate initiatives onto people who are struggling the most, so I will help develop community-led ways to embed sustainable solutions to climate change that work for those most affected by it.
I want to make sure that politics reflects the diversity of Jarrow and Gateshead East, and as a constituency in the region with the highest number of Disabled people in the UK, I can be a candidate that is not only representative but understands the barriers to participation faced by many. I am a solo parent with lived experience of poverty and my identity is tied into South Tyneside. As are my politics which puts people, our natural environment, fairness, and community first.
In my work for a grassroots organisation, I campaign for inclusion, accessibility, and
participation for those marginalised by local and national policy decisions, and to make sure that communities are included in the decisions that impact us. I understand the importance of community-led and voluntary sector organisations in Jarrow and Gateshead East in reaching and working with residents, and finding supportive ways of meeting the needs of those communities. In my work in the voluntary sector, I have shown expertise in building networks and collaborative ways of addressing barriers to social justice and inclusion and continue to campaign for an accessible and inclusive transport system that everyone can use.
I can be a positive voice for our community and make sure local peoples voices are heard on the issues important to them.
I believe that my skills, knowledge, and lived experience make me a positive choice as your Green Party General Election candidate for Jarrow and Gateshead East.