Greens launch biggest general election campaign ever

6 April 2010

Today, as the prime minister asked the Queen to dissolve parliament in preparation for the general election, the Green Party announced it would be launching its biggest ever campaign for a UK general election, with a record number of Green candidates - and for the first time ever, with a real chance of a Westminster breakthrough.

The Greens point to powerful indicators that their support is on the rise around the country. Last year the Green Party's Euro-election vote-share increased by 44% compared with the previous election, while in the county council elections the Greens broke through onto four more councils where they previously hadn't been represented. In the Euro-elections the Greens finished ahead of Labour in two complete regions (South East and South West) and defeated the Conservatives in a number of cities, ranging from Brighton and Hove and Oxford in the south, to Norwich in the east, and Liverpool and Manchester in the north.

A party spokesperson said today:

"This year, for the first time ever, more than three hundred Green candidates will contest a UK general election. And for the first time ever, leading pollsters are predicting a Green Party breakthrough.

"Party leader Caroline Lucas is contesting a seat in a city where the Greens have outpolled all other parties in every city-wide election since 2005, where the Greens leapfrogged both Labour and the Conservatives in the most recent by-election to win hands-down, and in a constituency where the Greens hold more council seats than any other party. Unsurprisingly both YouGov and ICM, not to mention local bookmakers, have backed Caroline Lucas to become the Green Party's first MP.

"Party deputy leader Adrian Ramsay is contesting Norwich South, in a city where the Greens have twenty councillors, and have outpolled all other parties in every city-wide election for the last three years - a city where in last year's Euro-elections the Greens finished thousands of votes ahead of second-placed Labour.

"Darren Johnson, the party's trade and industry spokesperson, is contesting Lewisham Deptford. Johnson is one of the most recognisable members of the Green party due to being a thrice-elected member of the Greater London Assembly as well as a Lewisham councillor of eight years. He secured the highest vote of all 54 Lewisham councillors on the Council. Johnson is currently Chair of the London Assembly as well as Deputy Chair of the Environment Committee."

"In places like Brighton, Lewisham and Norwich, voters have become used to seeing Greens elected in large numbers, so the normal squeeze of tactical voting doesn't apply. These are cities where members of the public have seen Green councillors in action over many years, pursuing Green Party policies than have won re-election and a steady increase in council seats. We don't underestimate the challenge, but these are places where the Greens are fighting to win."

 

"Fair is worth fighting for"

He concluded:

"This week the Greens are putting the finishing touches on a fully-costed manifesto which will undoubtedly appeal to a wide sector of the voting public.

"Under the slogan ‘Fair is worth fighting for' the Green Party's manifesto will challenge the consensus among the big three parties that spending cuts as necessary. The Greens will be offering an investment package for massive job-creation to see off the recession once and for all, and we will show how to pay for it. We'll also show how to protect and improve the NHS, and how to give British pensioners the best deal on offer."

 

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