The former Mayor of Chippenham has been announced as the Green Party parliamentary candidate for the area.

Declan Basely is now seeking to represent the Chippenham constituency in parliament.

He will be hoping to sway voters towards the Green Party at the general election on Thursday, July 4.

He said: “I’m incredibly proud to have been selected as the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Chippenham, my election onto Chippenham Town Council back in 2021 shows that we have been recognised locally for our commitment to creating a fairer, more sustainable society that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.

Wiltshire Times: Mr Basely has been the Mayor of Chippenham since 2023.

“It has been the honour of my life to serve my community, I have worked tirelessly to make my hometown a better place for those who live there and for those who will one day inherit it from us.

“I want to bring my passion and dedication to Westminster where I will be a voice fighting for progressive change.”

Mr Basely has spent his life in the town and has pushed for the council to declare an ecological emergency, encouraged Wiltshire to allocate housing for refugees, supported the creation of warm rooms in the town, and petitioned for more public convenience facilities.

He has previously described himself as the “first openly gay mayor” in Chippenham, as well as being the youngest person to hold the title, being 27 years old at the time.

The candidate has worked with charitable groups such as Zero Chippenham, Doorway and Avon Needs Trees.

He said: “I want to help negate the catastrophe that will come from inaction on climate change, and push for democratic and political reform to permanently stop the crises gripping our country.

“I’m ashamed of the state of British politics today; I know we can do better, and I believe we deserve better.

“The Green Party are the only ones presenting a viable alternative to the current neoliberal model of society; our commitments to growing democracy, transitioning to renewable energy, properly funding the public sector, ending discrimination, and appropriately taxing the wealthy will improve society so that it works for us all.

“I fervently believe that if we can dream of a better world then we can create one.

“It just needs your support to make it happen.”