Cllr James Abbott is the Green Party candidate for Witham constituency at the General Election to be held on Thursday 4th July 2024.

Full statement

14 years of Conservative rule has caused decline for our country on so many levels:

The NHS has been grossly underfunded. The planning system has been become the plaything of big landowners and developers, where more and more greenfields are being built on, but the need for truly affordable housing for local people, to rent or buy, is not being met. Protection of the environment has been weakened, resulting in the loss of so many hedges and trees and the scandal of sewage pouring into rivers. The Conservatives have also failed to have a balanced transport policy, spending the Lion's Share of available funds on roads, generating ever more traffic and ever worse congestion - and failing to maintain roads and pavements properly. Potholes have become a serious problem in many areas. For many local people, the Cost of Living remain a major concern, while at the same time under the Tories, the top earners in society have greatly increased their wealth.

If elected as the MP for Witham my focus would be local - helping people with their issues whenever I can, as I do now as a councillor, and working hard to secure investment in the constituency to improve services. A top priority remains as it has been for many years - a Community Hospital for Wiitham town that would serve nearby villages as well.

Whilst I support improvements to the A12 and A120 to make them safer, this should be done by avoiding taking large areas of countryside. Transport funding needs to be rebalanced - such as the proposal by our I&G councillor Group at Braintree District Council to deliver Dutch-style off-road cycling and walking routes to link the towns and main villages.

I would work with local communities to oppose unsustainable development. Many areas of the constituency are being targetted with proposals for more quarries, the Rivenhall Airfield waste incinerator, major off-line road developments and the "New Towns" which we helped to fight off a few years ago - but may return. The largest of these at 'West Tey' would have resulted in urban sprawl from Stanway to Coggeshall and Feering. Housing is needed - but the focus should be affordable housing for local people, where councils genuinely work with local communities to agree the best locations for housing - and employment.

There is also the threat from National Grid to build a line of 50 metre pylons through Braintree District, from Surrex near Coggeshall, through Feering and Kelvedon parishes, then through Rivenhall and Silver End parishes and on to pass near Faulkbourne, White Notley and then through Fairstead parish. I am supporting the campaign for an offshore grid instead - to avoid causing so much damage to the countryside. I support offshore wind development, but connections need to be C21st, not C20th.

Many voters want to see protection and enhancement of nature and clear policies to tackle climate change, not yet more unsustainable development. The Green Party has a strong set of policies which can be seen on-line in our Manifesto, from the need to make sure new development includes solar panels, to new legislation to give space for nature and a major investment programme in home insulation.



James has stood as a Green candidate at every General Election since 1992 and has been a Braintree District Councillor continuously since 1999, representing Silver End & Cressing ward. He is currently Deputy Leader of the Independent & Green Group (I&G) at BDC, which is the main opposition to the Conservatives.

James has also been a parish councillor in Rivenhall continuously over the same 25-year period and was the County Councillor for Witham Northern division from 2013 to 2021.

He holds a science degree and is a former national Green Party Spokesperson for Science & Technology, and also Climate Change. A campaigner since the early 1980s, James has supported many causes and has been involved in many issues, including planning, transport, energy, health, animal welfare, waste/recycling, climate and protecting the countryside and habitats, particularly trees and woodlands.

James lives in the Witham constituency with his family. He went to school in Witham and then Colchester before studying for a degree in Astronomy at UCL. He has previously worked as an archaeologist and ran a gardening and landscaping business for 30 years. He writes articles and gives talks on astronomy, green politics and the environment.

James has been involved in nature and rewilding projects for over 40 years and is currently supporting local projects for wildflower meadows, ponds and new woodland.

Promoted by Philip Hughes on behalf of James Abbott all at 163 Honeysuckle Way, Witham Essex CM8 2YD