He’s the popular Green Party candidate that even Tories want and support.

Now, Arnold Warneken hopes to outpoll his party in what is traditionally a safe Conservative area.

Electoral Calculus still predicts a Tory hold, with Sir Alec Shelbrook being elected to the new constituency of Wetherby and Easingwold, and Labour remains tipped to come second and Reform UK third.

But Green Party candidate Arnold Warneken says he has “lots of support” as he “cares about the community.”

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Arnold was drafted in at the last minute, after the previous candidate Anna Jacobs pulled out last week for personal reasons. And he could deliver change, as he has before. He was launching his campaign in Wetherby today (Tue).

Harrogate born-and-raised, Arnold attended St John Fisher School and became interested in the then Ecology Party (which later became the Green Party) when he read the manifestoes of all the political parties when at university, finding he was most aligned to Ecology.

Arnold has lived and worked near Wetherby for 40 years, running Goosemoor Oraganics, an organic food growing and distribution business. He is also involved in Naturaw, a dog food company at Thorp Arche Trading Estate, which recently won a King’s Award for Sustainability.

York Press: Arnold Warneken

He is currently North Yorkshire Councillor for Ouseburn, Chair of Tockwith Parish Council, and lives in Cowthorpe, all within the constituency.

The experienced politician was first elected in 1991 to Harrogate Borough Council, taking the seat from the Conservatives, after being approached by locals, including Tories, to stand.

In May 2022, he was elected to North Yorkshire County Council in the Ouseburn Division, which also sits in the constituency, gaining a massive 69% of the vote.

Arnold has stood in Westminster elections 3 times before, once in Harrogate, and twice in Selby & Ainsty, where in last July’s by-election, he came third out of 13 candidates, beaten only by Labour and Conservatives.

He said: “Wetherby & Easingwold is a completely new constituency, bridging 2 local authorities, and so it will need a competent MP to satisfy the differing needs of the urban and rural communities. For the last 2 years I have acquired a reputation of getting things done where others give up. I have tackled residents’ problems and achieved many positive results.”

And it is this, Arnold says which has given him “lots of support from non-party members.”

He told the Press: “People are recognising that they want politicians that are there all-year round. They don’t just want to see them at election time.”

The Conservatives are ‘out of touch, and people 'can’t see the difference' between them and Labour, he continued.

Arnold also explained: “The issues I have failed to fix are those where government policies are to blame, and that is why I want to be a Green voice at Westminster, to put an end to austerity, and to hold the new government to account, preventing any further U-turns on people- and planet-centred policies.”

“Green policies are made to benefit ordinary people, whilst safeguarding our natural environment which we depend on for our food, clean air, safe housing, jobs, and recreation. The NHS, Special Needs education, our public transport system and our utility companies are on their knees after 14 years of underfunding, asset-stripping and privatisation.

“Green policies would be funded by taxing the fossil fuel companies and other polluters who have made vast fortunes at the expense of our health and our climate. The super-rich will also be expected to give a very small extra percentage of their wealth.”

Promising to listen and learn, and represent people ‘at whatever level’ Arnold added: “I’m here for everybody.”