Peter is committed to Newnham.

Full statement

Now age 29, he has lived, studied, and worked in Newnham for the past 23 years. He grew up and built large snowmen on the West fields and learnt to roller-blade around the Cavendish labs. He studied natural sciences and then a PhD in history & philosophy of science based at Clare College (also in Newnham!). For work, his job is documenting and researching the history of innovation in Cambridge.

Peter wants to work for Newnham. As Chair of the Clerk Maxwell Road Residents’ Association, Peter is passionate about understanding and representing residents’ wishes for the future. Serving his local community has been extremely rewarding and this motivates his desire to help tackle broader county-level issues. In particular, his priority is to make Cambridgeshire a model for building a sustainable future.

“I was shocked to learn that there are 61 County Councillors for Cambridgeshire, and not 1 of them is Green. The authorities are not taking the climate seriously. It is the elephant in the room. Who is going to speak out? Having witnessed the effects of the climate crisis here in Newnham, I am determined to make green growth a priority!”

Peter is forward-looking and not anti-growth: he wants to facilitate green growth. The idea of ‘growth’ which dominates discussion in the news seems to mean green death: prioritising short-term maximisation of profits for large corporations and turning green spaces grey. Rather than measured in profit, green growth is measured in terms of green space and biodiversity, sustainable buildings and transport.

Cambridgeshire is growing: in the long run, green growth is for everyone.