Ellie Chowns (an MP to restore political trust)

Dr Ellie Chowns MP (she’s a doctor of philosophy) has recently become one of the four new politicians representing The Green Party in the House of Commons. Unlike many MPs (who just study politics, work as an intern and then get elected), Ellie has form!

She lives in the area she represents, and her children grew up playing for local sports teams. After working for various charities on public health, road traffic reduction and peace, she also helped to tackle fuel poverty in London, before working for an international development charity in Hereford.

Before becoming an MP, Ellie took a PhD on rural water supply, and was a university lecturer. After going into local politics, she held the cabinet portfolio for economy and environment and working alongside others (of different political parties), they put £3 million into creating wetlands, and lobbied government to enforce legislation.

She has also helped to set up community car-sharing pools, provided free weekend buses and ran a Shop Local card scheme, that gave all residents a gift card to help support indie business.

When elected as the local MEP, she donated half her parliamentary salary to local charities (and sets aside a portion of her MP salary to help local qualifying projects).

Ellie’s latest project is helping to save the River Wye from sewage pollution. She wants support for nature-friendly farming and help for farmers to sell more local organic produce, including to schools.

You see – there ARE good MPs around, if you seek them out! Unfortunately the mass media does not seem that interested in them.