Ahead of the general election on Thursday, July 4, the candidates for South and West Dorset have spoken to The Echo about why they should get your vote.

Kelvin Clayton, Green Party parliamentary candidate for West Dorset:

"This is the third General Election I have contested for the Green Party.

"I am currently a councillor on Bridport Town Council, and, until recently, a councillor on Dorset Council.

"Prior to entering politics I was a firefighter for 17 years.

"On leaving the Fire Service I went to university as a ‘mature student’ and then re-trained to become a careers adviser.

"My priorities would be affordable housing, water quality and our climate crisis.

"I would fight for new developments not to be built on greenfield sites, and to focus on delivering one and two bedroom affordable properties.

"We also need to ensure that all our homes are warm, dry and insulated.

"I would fight to prevent sewage being dumped into our rivers and sea and would support the public ownership of our water companies.

"And, of course, I would fight to make the government listen to the scientists and to start taking climate and environmental issues seriously."