Green candidate hoping to unite Kettering as she bids to become constituency's first female MP

The mayor of Kettering says she hopes to unite the constituency after being selected as the Green candidate at the next general election.

Emily Fedorowycz will try to unseat incumbent Philip Hollobone (Con) and become Kettering’s first female MP when the nation goes to the polls, widely expected to be this autumn.

She has been a councillor on North Northamptonshire Council and Kettering Town Council since 2021, fighting to save Weekley Hall Wood and meadow, and became Kettering’s first ever Green Party mayor last year at the age of 29.

And she now wants to help build a ‘better Kettering’ and be the area’s voice in Parliament.

Emily said: “Building a better Kettering will take effort from all of us. I have been overwhelmed with the support of people asking me if I would stand – it’s been incredibly humbling.

"I’ve had support from all sides, with a lot of Conservatives who have been saying to me they have nowhere for their vote to go and Labour voters saying they are frustrated with Labour backing down from their promises.

“This makes me so sad for all those people who really want to vote but have nothing they feel they can vote for, so I want to give people something. I would love to help put Kettering on the map.

"Having a Green MP would get us a lot of attention and certainly give us a louder voice in Westminster. If people were to choose me to represent them, I would look to use that attention to drive inward investment and push for a better future for all of us.”

Emily’s confirmation as the Green candidate was announced at noon on Saturday (March 30) at a gathering around the clock tower in Kettering’s town centre. Rothwell resident Keith Patrick rang a bell three times, shouting “hear ye, hear ye”, before making the announcement, with the clock tower location chosen symbolically because time is ‘running out’ to tackle big urgent issues.

Among the former Bishop Stopford School pupil’s priorities, if elected, is addressing the cost-of-living crisis and helping families use renewable energy to bring down energy costs.

She also wants to protect British countryside, invest in transport infrastucuture, revitalise town centres and make sure everyone has access to good schools, healthcare and jobs that pay well.

She said: “I hope to be the candidate who can unite Kettering.

“It’s time to put party politics aside and focus on the things that really matter.”

Emily grew up in Kettering and returned from from university to work at a magazine company, but said she became disheartened seeing her hometown go downhill with litter, a dying town centre and less to do for young people.

She started litter picking and going to council meetings, asking for improvements, before being elected as a councillor for the first time in 2021.

She has also helped run events like Kettfest, as well as setting up town centre festivals and the Love Food festival at Wicksteed Park, and has worked to pull together resources for mental health support.

Emily said: “I got elected as a local councillor nearly three years ago to make a difference and we have done a lot in that time, but I am continually finding that the big issues people really care about can only solved at the top level.

“We need to be more inclusive, more accessible, and get people feeling like they can make a difference – because they can. Building a better Kettering is going to take effort from all of us, but I want people to share in an exciting vision, help shape it and come with me on this journey.

"I promise to represent you with honesty, integrity - and something that has been lost from politics - trust.”

Other candidates confirmed to be standing against Philip Hollobone in Kettering include Rosie Wrighting (Labour), Daniel Monie (Reform) and Matthew Murphy (SDP).

Chris Nelson withdrew from the running to be the Liberal Democrat candidate after 'intolerable' abuse about his stammer.