AS part of our build-up to the General Election on May 6 the Times Series is featuring a candidate profile for each of the main candidates in the three constituencies in the borough.

Today we focus on Donald Lyven, the Green Party candidate for the Finchley and Golders Green constituency.

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WITH many areas of politics tainted recently in the eyes of the electorate, the Green Party Candidate for Finchley and Golders Green believes he can bring “integrity” to Westminster.

Keen conservationist Donald Lyven is standing for election in the constituency where he has lived since 1965 and said a vote for him would be a vote for the ordinary man who could change the look of politics.

He admits he has “never had a burning desire to become a politician” but gladly accepted the challenge and to the question “What can you bring to politics?”, the 53-year-old added: “Integrity.

“I am an ordinary bloke and parliament is stuffed full of ex-lawyers, bankers.

“I know many people, met many people of many different cultures and I know they enjoy living in Barnet. There's nothing wrong with this place. It's really good.”

Mr Lyven, a decorator by trade, says he has always been interested in politics and has worked as an agent for the Barnet Green Party.

He said he grew up “fighting injustice”, has marched on demonstrations against the Iraq war, and said has welcomed the planned changes to the expenses system which has blighted the last parliament.

One of the big issues he is campaigning on is housing in the borough and has regularly protested against the Brent Cross Cricklewood development.

He said: “Housing is a big issue in lots of places where there is overcrowding. And I would try and stop these development schemes that try to pack three times as many people on the already overcrowded places of the borough.

“It seems unfair there are people living in mansions with huge gardens and they are building rabbit hutches.”

He said the Green Party is not a one issue party, although he believes the climate concerns are still prominent in politics and need addressing properly.

His aim is to ensure more people are more “environmentally aware” and are working to lower carbon footprints. He said: “People are aware of green issues, because of recycling, but that is through the EU telling the council we have to recycle, but Barnet could still do more.

“So there is lots to be done on a local level. Nationally we need to be consuming less.

“What worries me about the development at Brent Cross is the incinerator will be run by burning rubbish where as the idea should be to not produce the stuff in the first place.”