The General Election
has seen 21 candidates, representing five parties, who took the Fields In
Trust's Parks Protector Pledge during the election campaign returned as Members
of Parliament.
Fields in Trust
launched the Parks Protector Pledge last month alongside the Pledging to Protect manifesto,
which set out how candidates could work to champion, protect and support parks
and green spaces both nationally and locally if elected.
All candidates were
invited to take a six-point pledge, and over 250 candidates in more than 200
constituencies across the UK responded positively.
The Pledge invited
prospective MPs to commit to:
- Value parks and green spaces
for their contribution to multiple policy agendas.
- Champion the important public
service parks and green spaces provide locally.
- Advocate for policies that
safeguard parks and green spaces across the country.
- Endorse the legal protection
of my local parks and green spaces.
- Encourage sufficient and
equitable provision of parks and green spaces for all.
- Support community volunteers
on parks and green spaces.
Each point of the
pledge is discussed in more detail within the Pledging to Protect manifesto
the organisation published for the General Election.
The 21 candidates,
listed below in constituency order, who took the Parks Protector Pledge and have
been returned as Members of Parliament:
- Mark Tami (Lab) - Alyn and
Deeside
- Yasmin Qureshi (Lab) - Bolton
South East
- Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Lab) -
Brighton, Kemptown
- Caroline Lucas (Green) -
Brighton, Pavilion
- Bob Neill (Con) - Bromley and
Chislehurst
- Daniel Zeichner (Lab) -
Cambridge
- Henry Smith (Con) - Crawley
- Sarah Jones (Lab) - Croydon
Central
- Helen Hayes (Lab) - Dulwich
and West Norwood
- Richard Thomson (SNP) -
Gordon
- Tonia Antoniazzi (Lab) -
Gower
- Derek Twigg (Lab) - Halton
- Wes Streeting (Lab) - Ilford
North
- Ed Davey (Lib Dem) - Kingston
and Surbiton
- Karl Turner (Lab) - Kingston
upon Hull East
- Ian Byrne (Lab) - Liverpool,
West Derby
- Luke Pollard (Lab) -
Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
- Fleur Anderson (Lab) - Putney
- Clive Betts (Lab) - Sheffield
South East
- Chris Loder (Con) - West
Dorset
- Sarah Atherton (Con) -
Wrexham
Fields in Trust said
it will support each of these MPs in keeping the pledge that they have made to
their electorate by providing policy briefings, advice and evidence on local
provision and the impact of parks and green spaces directly to them during their
time in Parliament, in addition to its role on the Government-convened Parks
Action Group.
The organisation is
also inviting all newly elected MPs, who did not take the pledge during their
election campaign, to sign-up to the six points now that they have been
returned as their local community's representative in Westminster.
The Revaluing Parks and Green Spaces
research found that the Wellbeing Value associated with the frequent use of
local parks and green spaces is worth £34.2 billion per year to the entire UK
adult population. In addition, these spaces are estimated to save the NHS
around £111 million per year based solely on a reduction in GP visits.
The Fields in Trust Green Space Index
shows that provision is not equitably distributed, however, with 2.60 million
people not living within a ten-minute walk of a park or green space and all of
London, the North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber falling short
of a minimum standard of provision.
All candidates
standing in next year's London Assembly election will be invited to take the
pledge, as will those standing in the 2021 elections to the Scottish Parliament
and Welsh Assembly which both have devolved responsibility for parks and green
spaces.
