Ian Driver Selected as Green Party Parliamentary Candidate for Thanet South

Thanet District Councillor, Ian Driver, has been selected as the Green Party’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Thanet South constituency.

Well known in Thanet, Driver has a reputation for speaking out against incompetence and mismanagement at Thanet Council, including his exposure of the secret TransEuropa Ferries  £3.4 million debt scandal and his opposition to the Pleasurama development which has blighted Ramsgate’s Seafront for 10 years.

“I love living in Thanet. I’m passionate about the place and its people and I believe that there is fantastic future for the area ” said Driver. “I want to give Thanet South a strong voice in Parliament to make sure it gets the maximum possible resources and support from the Government I will also work hard  to encourage businesses to invest here. With a strong economy we can begin to tackle the unacceptable levels of poverty, deprivation and the desperate shortage of decent affordable  housing which have plagued Thanet South for too long”.

“I also want to continue the important work started by outgoing MP Laura Sandy’s to build  a Green economy in  Thanet South based on sustainable  development principles.”

As Chairman of Thanet Council’s Scrutiny Committee Driver  launched a major  investigation into the raw sewage pollution of Thanet beaches in 2012, for which Southern Water is now facing prosecution. He helped to set up and played a leading role in  the successful campaign to stop the export of live animals for slaughter, from the Port of Ramsgate. His peaceful direct action, against Thanet Council's ban on public filming of its meetings and his complaint to the Government about TDCs secrecy, helped to persuade Secretary of State Eric Pickles to change the law to force Councils to allow filming. Driver is currently campaigning against "fracking" in East Kent, including plans to drill for methane gas at Woodnesborough in the Thanet South constituency.

Driver lives in Broadstairs with his wife, who used to be former Thanet South MP Johnathan Aitken's hair stylist,  and three daughters. He used to manage the Thanet Citizens Advice Bureau and is now a carer for his disabled daughter. He lists his interest as music especially soul, reggae, dance and indie. He is learning to play the guitar and his idea of a good night out is a couple of beers and a curry with friends.