Claire Sheppard is the Green Party candidate for the Lambeth and Southwark constituency in the upcoming 2024 London Assembly elections. She is positioned ninth on the Green Party's London list.
With a background in market research and a personal journey marked by significant health and social challenges, Sheppard is a latecomer to politics, motivated by her experiences and a desire to represent underserved communities.
Claire Sheppard's political journey began in response to a series of personal and health challenges. Despite holding a degree in politics from the late 1990s, she initially felt that her working-class background limited her opportunities in the political arena.
Her perspective changed dramatically following a cancer diagnosis in 2015, which coincided with the birth of her son. Her treatment experience, amidst striking junior doctors and a direct view of the Houses of Parliament from St.
Thomas' Hospital, inspired her to actively participate in politics if she recovered.
Sheppard made her political debut in the December 2019 General Election as the Green candidate for Camberwell & Peckham, where she competed against Harriet Harman. She achieved a significant milestone by placing 16th among 469 Green candidates nationwide, doubling her vote share in the constituency, and being one of the 29 candidates who saved their deposit.
In the 2020/2021 GLA elections, Sheppard was the constituency candidate for Lambeth and Southwark. She achieved a historic result by finishing second, the highest ever for a non-Tory or Labour candidate in these boroughs, with 19.7% of the votes.
This success was attributed to extensive campaigning and community engagement efforts.
In 2022, Sheppard ran in the target ward of Nunhead and Queens Road in Southwark, where she increased the Green vote by 199%. Despite not winning, the significant increase in votes demonstrated the growing support for her candidacy.
Sheppard plans to continue her efforts and aims for a win in the 2026 elections.
Outside her party activities, Sheppard advocates for more female participation in politics through the "Elect Her" initiative. She promotes involvement especially for women with caring responsibilities, believing strongly in the need for their representation in all government levels, including the London Assembly.
One of Sheppard's proudest achievements is co-founding Nunhead Knocks, a community support group during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group played a crucial role in supporting vulnerable community members by providing fresh food, running a food bank, and delivering necessities to those in isolation.
The initiative later adapted to help residents during the cost of living crisis by distributing grants for essential needs. Claire Sheppard represents a blend of grassroots activism and a genuine commitment to social and environmental justice.
With a background that combines personal resilience and community-focused action, she continues to work towards a stronger representation of diverse voices in London's political landscape. Her candidacy is driven by a passion for public service and a dedication to improving the lives of her constituents in Lambeth, Southwark, and beyond.
The Green Party stands as a unique political entity that emphasizes an interconnected approach to social, environmental, and economic issues. This manifesto outlines the party’s commitment to transforming society for the betterment of both the planet and its inhabitants.
The party views social, economic, and environmental challenges as interconnected and believes that resolving one requires addressing them all together. Success is not solely measured by economic indicators but also by the quality of life, including personal freedom, social equity, health, and ecosystem health.
Humanity's survival is dependent on biodiversity and the sustainable use of finite physical resources. Every individual, including future generations and other species, has a right to basic material security.
A healthy society is built on voluntary cooperation among empowered individuals, without discrimination. Decisions should be made as close as possible to the affected individuals to promote accountability and participatory democracy.
The party seeks non-violent solutions that consider minority and future generation interests. Change can be achieved through various methods, including lifestyle changes and direct action, as long as they align with core principles.
Humans are part of and depend on the natural world, which has suffered significantly from human activities. Traditional political and economic approaches are seen as destructive, emphasizing the need for a shift from growth-driven policies to those focusing on sustainable well-being.
Proposes a society where individuals coexist with nature and each other in mutually beneficial ways, stressing empowerment over dominance. Values the diversity of human relationships with each other and the environment, advocating for a balance of various life-enhancing processes.
All policies and actions should aim for sustainability, ensuring that resource use and environmental impacts are within the planet’s capacity to handle indefinitely. Calls for urgent action to address climate change and biodiversity loss, emphasizing ecological and egalitarian solutions.
Advocates for replacing GDP with indicators that reflect true progress towards ecological sustainability and human well-being.Supports the enhancement of rights and freedoms, balancing individual actions with the health of society and the planet.
Promotes more democratic processes at all levels of government and society to ensure fair and inclusive decision-making. Supports measures to address inequality and ensure all citizens have access to necessary resources without compromising ecological integrity.
Encourages a shift in cultural values towards sustainability, cooperation, and respect for diversity. Engages in both global initiatives and local actions to implement its principles, aiming for a broad-based transformation across all sectors of society.
The Green Party's manifesto presents a radical rethinking of political, social, and economic systems, aiming to create a fair, sustainable society that respects the interconnected nature of global challenges. Through a combination of policy reform, cultural change, and grassroots action, the party seeks to redefine progress and ensure a viable future for all inhabitants of the planet.