THE man bidding to become a Green Party MEP for the North West heads to South Lakeland this week.

Peter Cranie will meet with other local Green Party supporters on Thursday February 20 at 11am in the Birdcage on Finkle Street.

Other residents are invited along as Mr Cranie discusses this year's European elections and seats due up on South Lakeland District Council.

Later that day at 7pm, Mr Cranie, from Liverpool, heads to Ulverston for a talk at the Coronation Hall.

Entitled 'What can Europe do for us?' it will look at the work of the Green Party's existing MEPs and his campaign to become the region's first Green MEP.

His talk will cover issues like green jobs, regulation of the banks, protecting public services, investment in public transport, human rights and Green proposals for reform of the EU.

Mr Cranie is a further education lecturer in social care at a college in Lancashire, and has a wife and young sons.

Gwen Harrison, Kendal Green Party co-ordinator, says: “We’re seeing a sharp rise in membership of the Green Party locally. Voters may be interested in a new perspective on critical issues such as the growing inequality between rich and poor, and tackling climate change.

"The Green Party can bring fresh ideas and new voices into South Lakeland District Council and will give the South Lakes community more choice when they go to vote."

Mr Cranie, the prospective MEP candidate said: "As we've seen in the past few weeks, climate change is already here. It's affecting people in Kendal and across the north west.

"Meanwhile social inequality is growing at an alarming rate. Currently none of the three traditional main parties are coming forward with practical solutions to address these problems.

"Only the Green Party recognises the need to tackle these pressing social and environmental issues in tandem, rather than as isolated, unconnected problems."

He continued: "I'm looking forward to meeting people in Kendal and Ulverston to listen to their views on Europe, the Green Party and our policies on environmental and social issues.

"The Greens are the fourth largest group in the European Parliament and so I'll be explaining the work that Greens are already doing in Europe and making the case for people to elect the first Green MEP for the north west!"

Chris Loynes of Ulverston Green Party, said its branch had been 'very active' in campaigning for town centre traders and against the building of a supermarket.

"We've been vocal in opposing the underground dumping of nuclear waste in west Cumbria and argued for the repowering of local community owned wind turbines.

"On transport we've lobbied for the electrification of the Barrow line and improvements to our overcrowded service and on housing we're keen to see empty homes and brownfield sites used, rather than new building on the greenbelt."