I am proud to be selected to stand for the Green Party in the area where I already work as a local Councillor.

Full statement

I’m standing to be your MP because we need real change, and the other parties just aren’t offering that.

We need significant change to restore our public services, especially our NHS. We need to end the failed privatisation experiment and return the focus to providing a public service, not making a private profit.

We also need significant change on the protection of human rights, in the UK and across the world. We need politicians who will stand up for what’s right, not breaking the law. And when we see other countries breaking international law we should be part of the prosecution not making pathetic excuses to defend them.

I am also standing to be your MP because I want to be a voice for local people and fight to improve our area, particularly our beautiful green spaces. MPs from other Parties are told what do and what to say by their Party bosses. Greens aren’t like that and I will be free to speak up for you.

The Greens have already overtaken the Conservatives in much of area and we are the real rivals to Labour. I have shown as a local Councillor that I will stand up for local people and I will do so as your MP.

About Ria Ria was born and raised in Croydon and is Croydon’s youngest and first non-binary councillor. They are a councillor for Fairfield, Croydon’s town centre and was the Chair of the Streets and Environment Scrutiny Sub-Committee for the previous two years, as well sitting on the Governance and Audit Committee too. Within the Green Party of England and Wales, they are the Equalities & Diversity spokesperson and a committee member of the Green Party’s Campaign’s Committee.

Here in Croydon, Ria is a trustee and director of Croydon Pride and the Fuel Poverty Director for Croydon Community Energy, organising their energy advice sessions. She also volunteers at Croydon Urban Mushroom Farm, which is in Fairfield and a part of Croydon Circular Economy.

Before being elected Ria studied Psychology at university and was involved in various Green Party liberation groups, as well as campaigns for migrant justice, LGBTIQA+ rights and climate action.