The global climate emergency, and not local issues, is at the top of the agenda for the Green Party’s parliamentary candidate.

Henry Gent, standing in the East Devon constituency, has the bigger picture in mind, saying he is focusing 'the greater good of the environment and society'.

The Green Party's election manifesto outlines plans to spend £100 billion a year cutting greenhouse gas emissions, eliminating them by 2030. (The Government's target is 2050).

The party's policies on the economy, industry, transport, housing and agriculture have been drawn up with that goal in mind.

Remaining in the EU is also integral to the party's 10-year plan to tackle climate and ecological breakdown. It favours a second referendum to decide the way forward on Brexit, in which it will campaign for Remain.

Mr Gent said: "It's very disappointing that the Brexit debate is delaying climate change action.

"But it's worse than that because to really face up to the challenge of climate change you need to be a fairly big trading bloc to make really big changes, and Europe is in a position to do that."

Given the Green Party's commitment to keeping Britain in Europe, there has been some surprise that, in East Devon, it has not entered a Unite to Remain pact with the Liberal Democrats. This would mean agreeing not to stand against the strongest pro-Remain candidate, who, in East Devon, is arguably the Independent Claire Wright, who came second to the Conservative Sir Hugo Swire in each of the last two elections.

Mr Gent said he would have been happy to reach an agreement if one had been found which 'made sense'.

He said he would be delighted if Cllr Wright won with a big swing against the Tories, but that he does not think that will happen.

His own party's priority is to get as many votes as possible, everywhere in the country.

"Every vote for the Green Party strengthens the party and the Green cause in terms of money, and the number of party political broadcasts we get, and media attention," he said.

"The Green Party needs to be on the ballot paper because we do have a climate change emergency and people want to see the Green Party there, and they want to be able to give the clearest possible indication of where they stand."

The candidates standing in East Devon are: Simon Jupp (Conservative), Henry Gent (Green), Claire Wright (Independent), Peter Faithfull (Independent), Daniel Wilson (Labour) and Eleanor Rylance (Lib Dem).