THE LABOUR and Green Party candidates went head to head at a hustings in Stroud this week. 

On Sunday, June 23,  a climate and nature-focussed Stroud hustings was held at the Subscription Rooms. 

The hustings was organised by the Zero Hour CAN Bill Campaign, alongside CPRE and Parents for Future UK. 

(Image: Supplied) Labour candidate for the constituency, Dursley GP Dr Simon Opher said: “It was great to see so many people who, like me, are concerned about the climate and nature emergency. 

"This election is our last chance to make the significant changes we need to make to decarbonise our energy, our transport and move the needle on restoring our climate and nature.

“To do this, we have to get the Tories out.

"We have to repair the damage 14 years of Tory mismanagement have done.

"In every area.

"From energy to education, housing, the cost of living, the NHS, policing, transport, the economy, the environment, our rivers and even our drinking water.

"It’s all broken.

“We have to act decisively and fast, with a Labour MP and a Labour government.

"Labour has a costed, solid plan to fix the Tory mess and deliver real change for people, for communities, for the environment and for future generations.

“Realistically, only Siobhan Baillie or I will be your MP next week.

"Despite what the polls might suggest, despite what Pete Kennedy might say, this is not in the bag.

"Lots of voters say they are undecided, and lots of people who plan to vote Conservative don’t like to admit it on the doorstep. 

“So there’s a real risk that if they can split the vote, the Tories could cling onto power here in Stroud, and that would be a disaster for people, the climate and nature.

"The only way to be sure of stopping them is by voting Labour. So please, vote for me, vote Labour, and be part of the change.”

Green Party candidate for the constituency Pete Kennedy said: "The Climate and Nature Hustings was very well attended and proves how much Stroud cares about a greener future.  

"Only the Green and Labour candidates turned up – showing who is really contesting the election here in Stroud this time.

"Labour are going to win this election – but Keir Starmer already scrapped the £28bn pledge to tackle the climate emergency.

"Labour have handcuffed themselves to the Conservatives’ “fiscal rules” that guarantee further austerity, spending cuts, and underinvestment.

"In contrast, the Green Party will raise tens of billions of pounds with a wealth tax on more than £10m in assets, taxing investment income equally to earned income, and making the most of cheap government loans to invest in the future.  

"The Green Party manifesto commits to massive investment in climate action and public services.

"We will bring railways, water companies, buses and the big energy companies back into public ownership so that they serve our needs, and will reinvest any profit back into the services.

"We will invest in bringing homes up to modern standards of insulation; build more green energy, and rapidly phase out fossil fuels.  

"The Greens support cross-party proposals for changing the law, including a Climate and Nature Bill, a Right to Roam Bill similar to that in Scotland, and a Rights of Nature Bill to give nature more legal protection.  

"The Conservatives have lost this election – both in Stroud and across the country. 

"There will be a new Labour government next week – and every single Green vote will send a strong message that simply "getting the Tories out” isn’t enough to solve the climate and ecological emergencies. "

The full list of candidates for the parliamentary seat for the Stroud constituency is: 

Dr Simon Opher (Labour), Pete Kennedy (Green), Siobhan Baillie (Conservative), George James (Liberal Democrats), Jason Hughes (Volt), Christopher Lester (Reform) and Saskia Whitfield (Independent)