Ute's turn if you want to - Greens select Ladywell candidate

From the Green Party team:

Lewisham Green Party have chosen former Ladywell councillor Ute Michel to be their candidate in the upcoming Ladywell by-election.

After the resignation of one of the newly elected Labour councillors for Ladywell, the by-election on November 4th will be a chance for the Greens to regain one of the council seats lost to Labour in the elections last May, when the party missed out on winning a seat in Ladywell by just 65 votes.

Ute Michel was a Ladywell councillor from 2006-2010 and was chair of the ward assembly. Accepting the party's nomination as by-election candidate, Ute said:

"I worked hard over four years to help individual residents and the local community, and I would be honoured to serve Ladywell again."

As a councillor, Ute supported local opposition to a betting shop in an area already full of bookies, and campaigned successfully to avoid cuts to social care services. She played a leading role in making Green amendments to Lewisham Council's budget and challenged council proposals. Outside of politics, Ute has worked as a research assistant in the European Parliament and for disability organisations and now works in the NHS.

Ute has the backing of the Green Party's national leader, Caroline Lucas MP, who made history in the recent general election by becoming the first Green MP in Britain. She said:

"As a councillor Ute Michel worked tirelessly for the people of Ladywell and worked tirelessly for a greener and fairer borough. I urge the people of Ladywell to vote Green on November 4th and re-elect Ute as their local councillor."

Darren Johnson, Green councillor for Brockley, said:

"This by-election will be a straight fight between Greens and Labour - the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives were a long way behind last time. Quite a few people voted Liberal Democrat last time, expecting a new style of politics, but many are feeling betrayed that the Lib Dems have gone into a cuts coalition with Conservatives. If just a few dozen people switch over from Liberal Democrat to Green then Ute Michel can win in Ladywell and give residents the strong voice they deserve."