Larry Sanders, who serves as health spokesperson for the U.K. Green Party, will stand in the election to replace the former prime minister, who stood down after losing the EU Referendum, as MP for the Witney constituency in Oxfordshire, southern England.
The Greens are expected to campaign for the seat on the issue of opposing NHS privatization.
Sanders said: "The major political parties are in disarray. The policies of the last 30 years, shifting resources and power from the majority to the richest, culminated in the illegality and greed which crashed the economy in 2008. The Green Party has pledged to make Britain a fairer and less divided nation.
"We need to show that we don't want Britain to be the most unequal country in Europe. We don't want unmet health needs to increase when we already have too few doctors, nurses, and hospital beds.
"We don't want the Government to impose unworkable contracts on 50,000 precious doctors, when it is clear that the supposed reason for the contract, a seven day hospital service, can't be done at present funding.
"This is a rich, capable and decent country. We can do better."
Sanders has lived in Oxford since 1969 and has extensive experience as a local councillor.
But he faces a tough fight in the polls, set for October 20. The Green Party came fifth with 5.1 percent of the votes in the 2015 General Election.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Josh is a staff writer covering Europe, including politics, policy, immigration and more.
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