Green Party candidate for Strangford is announced

Green Party candidate for Strangford is announced

10 February 2016

THE Green Party has selected environmental and equality campaigner Georgia Grainger to contest the forthcoming Assembly election in the Strangford constituency.

The Queen’s University student said she decided to contest the May poll because she wants to help lead what she described as the “inevitable social changes” Northern Ireland must go through to be a safe, sustainable society in the future.

Explaining she has grown up in post-conflict Northern Ireland, the Green Party candidate said she  understands politics needs to be more representative of its people and their politics.

“As Green Party equalities officer, I believe young people, women, the LGBTQ community and those with disabilities are underrepresented in Stormont. This contributes to those groups being marginalised in law and in society,” Georgia continued.

“None of the current MLAs for Strangford have voted for marriage equality every time it has been debated at Stormont. These are wasted opportunities to make Northern Ireland better.”

The Green Party candidate believes she offers people a choice to “push those issues further up the agenda.”

She added: “I was proud to be part of the recent fossil free Queen’s campaign which saw us occupy part of the university’s admin building, leading to agreement from Queen’s that it would review its current investment policy.”

Green Party leader Steven Agnew said he was delighted  Georgia is standing as the party’s Strangford candidate. 

He added: “Georgia is a fantastic advocate for equality and the environment. She would make an excellent representative for the people in Strangford and I wish her every success.”