Underestimate me at your peril says Green Party runner for Cambridge and Peterborough mayor

The Green Party has unveiled Julie Howell as its candidate to run as mayor of the new Combined Authority for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

The official announcement was made by Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales with Caroline Lucas, on Thursday, January 19.

He said he was glad the Greens could put a woman in the race.

“We know that the other parties are putting forward no such alternative,” he said. “Some of the press have talked about how they’re male, pale and stale. Julie is none of those things.”

Julie is a councillor for two areas of Peterborough and has previously worked as a disability rights campaigner. She lives with multiple sclerosis.

“My background is not just as a parish councillor. I’m very involved with my local community, but my background is campaigning,” she said. “I’m a disability rights campaigner of some note. I have six lifetime achievement awards.

“I’m particularly known for the work I did around the internet when it was new.

“I was in the top 50 most influential people in new media, with Steve Jobs on one side and that guy from Microsoft on the other,” she smiled.

“I’m used to being up top working on very, very big global issues.”

She highlighted housing and infrastructure as priorities, but more immediately the emphasis was on getting a high turnout for the May 8 poll.

In terms of growth, the Green message is one of caution.

“We should grow mindfully,” Ms Howell said. “We should be aware of the impact of growth on all of our communities so we don’t have deep divides.”

Community is her focus, saying that she will be seen by all communities in the lead-up to the election when out canvassing.

She said: “Yes, I’m from Peterborough, that’s where I lay my head at night, but we have Green parties across Cambridgeshire and you will see me out with them because they have the local knowledge here.

“I know we have an independent candidate who is struggling with ‘How do I be everywhere at once?’ – well, it’s not a problem for us in the Greens because we are everywhere all at once.

“We have very active parties in each of the seven areas around Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and I rely on them to tell me the issues, introduce me to the local people and tell me where I need to go.

“We need to be where nobody has been so that we’re talking to people and making them feel included. Nobody can be omnipresent, it’s just not possible, but we can when you’re part of a big network as a political party. An advantage we have is that we can be on the ground all at once.”

Ms Howell added: “I’m looking at the other candidates and what they have to offer and what they’ve done, and I can see ways that I’m stronger, I can see ways that they’re stronger – we bring different things. Underestimate the woman from Peterborough with MS at your peril because I’m not new to this.”