Hasting Green Party has agreed to stand down their candidate in Hastings and Rye in a bid to help the Labour Party unseat Amber Rudd.

The local party came to this decision on the condition after Labour’s candidate Peter Chowney has agreed to a number of pledges, which include supporting proposals for electoral reform and will opposing new runways at Heathrow or Gatwick.

Conservative opponent, Rudd, is currently Home Secretary and has voted consistently to cut welfare benefits, including housing benefit, disability benefits and tax credits.

Although at a national level, Labour have said they will contest every seat in the country and ruled out a “progressive alliance”, some deals have been made locally. Julia Hilton, the candidate the Greens had chosen to contest the constituency said “we believe that this election represents a cynical attempt at a power grab and that progressive parties need to unite to oppose another five years of Tory government.” At the last general election, Rudd won the seat with just less than 5,000 votes, Labour’s candidate came in second. The Green candidate received 1,951 votes.

Elsewhere members of Richmond & Twickenham and Kingston Green Parties have voted to endorse Liberal Democrat candidates Sarah Olney for Richmond Park and Vince Cable for Twickenham.

In exchange for the Greens standing down their candidate in the constituency, Chowney, has also promised to oppose fracking, support the development of a low carbon economy and support the Hastings and Rye fishing industry by campaigning to reallocate the UK’s fishing quotas in favour of boats of less than 10 metres.

Chowney said:

“I welcome the decision of Hastings Green Party not to stand a candidate in the upcoming general election. The country cannot afford another five years of Tory government, and progressive parties need to work together to ensure that doesn’t happen. Amber Rudd has consistently supported policies which go against the interests of the majority of people in Hastings and we need to do everything we can to make sure she loses her seat”

.

As you’re here, we have something to ask you. What we do here to deliver real news is more important than ever. But there’s a problem: we need readers like you to chip in to help us survive. We deliver progressive, independent media, that challenges the right’s hateful rhetoric. Together we can find the stories that get lost.

We’re not bankrolled by billionaire donors, but rely on readers chipping in whatever they can afford to protect our independence. What we do isn’t free, and we run on a shoestring. Can you help by chipping in as little as £1 a week to help us survive? Whatever you can donate, we’re so grateful - and we will ensure your money goes as far as possible to deliver hard-hitting news.