General election 2024: South West Norfolk’s Green candidate Pallavi Devulapalli pledges to fix ‘broken’ feeling in the area

It has been a busy few weeks for South West Norfolk’s Green Party candidate, Pallavi Devulapalli.

Not only does she work as a GP in Downham and Lynn as well as serving as a borough councillor, but she is also the party’s national spokesperson.

That means that since the general election was called, she has also been involved in trips to London to face the national media and explain its health manifesto.

But don’t be fooled into thinking this distracts from her focus on issues in our area - far from it.

As well as seeking funding to help tackle environmental issues, she also wants to boost healthcare - and the conditions the industry’s staff work in.

Meanwhile, improving public transport for rural residents and ensuring new housing schemes come with adequate infrastructure are high on her agenda.

Speaking to the Lynn News, Ms Devulapalli says: “In Parliament, I wouldn't hesitate to speak up - and I would certainly collaborate with other MPs to try and maximise gains for South West Norfolk, but also indirectly for the whole country.

“I'll try and influence planning legislation so that it actually works for communities around the country.

“I'll obviously champion the NHS and and ask for better dentistry, for reform of the dental contract, and for having more resources within the NHS.”

Ms Devulapalli represents the Airfield Ward on West Norfolk Council, which covers the likes of Marham, Runcton Holme, Crimplesham, and Shouldham - where she lives.

Through her work as a GP, she has learned plenty about many of the healthcare problems facing our area.

When the general election comes around on July 4, she will be among eight candidates hoping to beat Liz Truss.

They include Independent James Bagge, Labour’s Terry Jermy, Lorraine Douglas of the Communist Party of Britain, Josie Ratcliffe from the Liberal Democrats, the Heritage Party’s Gary Conway, Earl Elvis Of East Anglia from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, and Tobias McKenzie from Reform UK.

She has joined a growing list of candidates who believe that South West Norfolk is in need of a change. This will be her second time standing at an election, having done so for the first time in 2019.

“I think we've had an MP who came from somewhere else. I don't believe that she actually gets the area, understands what's what,” Ms Devulapalli says.

“We've not had any attention given to us. So many residents have said that they've written to her and had very indifferent or generic responses from her staff.

“They're feeling betrayed and they really want to see change. They want to see some proper action, and the news every day is just so disheartening.

“Nothing seems to actually work. It's really feels broken at the moment, and people are feeling that.

“I think there is a lot of mood for change. I mean, there are some people who always want to change anyway, but I think more people now are wanting to see a fresh face representing them.”

At the heart of Ms Devulapalli’s morals is a belief that we should be doing all we can to protect the environment.

She insists that the UK should be spending money to combat climate change now, rather than facing even higher bills down the line if things get worse.

Predictions for how Norfolk may fare are “scary” in her mind, due to the fact that it is a low-lying county.

“Climate change is here now and people in South West Norfolk are feeling the effects,” she says.

“Streets are getting flooded routinely now, even homes are getting flooded - and they don't get any help from any government agency.”

Meanwhile, she believes there needs to be a mandate for more social housing in the area - and also describes planning legislation as “outdated” due to homes being built without proposals for additional schools, GP surgeries or dentists.

Ms Devulapalli has had people come to her as a GP for help with dental problems, but she is unable to help them - and she puts this down to the current government being unable to draw up a suitable dental contract with the NHS.

Also at the top of her agenda is boosting public transport in the constituency, which she describes as “almost non-existent”. She has raised the issue with the borough council’s environment and community panel.

“We haven't got a single bus going from Marham to Downham. How can that be right?” she asks.

“We've got RAF Marham there, it's a huge rural pocket, and there is no bus to the nearest market town, which is the logical place that people would go for their shopping, for leisure activity.

“This is all pulling us back from being as happy, as healthy and as economically vibrant as we could be, because huge chunks of the population are straight away denied access to all these things.

“So if you put public buses in so that people could actually get on them and go places, then they would be more independent.”

On top of that, Ms Devulapalli has developed a keen interest in farming in recent years - and is concerned by reports that Norfolk’s soil is effectively turning into sand.

She therefore wants to champion the issues in our area and help to have farming “restored to its proper place in society”.

Ms Devulapalli tells the Lynn News that if elected as South West Norfolk’s MP, she would like to continue as a borough councillor but may not be able to due to the time constraints of the role.

However, she confirmed she would certainly have to press pause on her job as a GP - although she would try to do just enough to keep her registration in place.

“I think being an MP would be a such an honour and a privilege, and I would absolutely want to do it justice,” she says.

“I've lived here more than 20 years, and I think I can say with a little bit of confidence that I've got to know the pulse of the place, and I really like it. I think people are happy to be quiet and low-key, but they do know what's important for them.

“Please vote, because voting is so important. That is people’s democratic right and that is a clear signal that they can send to Westminster of what sort of MP that they would like to represent them - to choose someone local and to choose someone who will actually speak up for them without fear.

“As a Green MP, I would be an independent person. I'm not bound by a party whip, so I would be able to represent them fully.”