Green Party celebrates steady progress in local elections

4 May 2012

The Green Party of England & Wales has called yesterday's local elections a day of steady progress for Green politics as it made breakthroughs onto new councils and defended seats in strongholds against Labour.

At the time of writing (8.30AM) with results in from more than half of England's councils, the Green Party has made a net gain of four seats across the country, including holding all their seats in Norwich against a strong Labour challenge.

Greens gained seats in the West Midlands and the South in places such as Reading, Nuneaton, Worcester and Dudley.  The three seats in the West Midlands were taken from the Conservatives with big swings to the Greens.

Councillor Andrew Cooper, Chair Association of Green Councillors, said the results showed the party was gaining wider appeal and that where Greens have got elected and stand on their record, voters like what they get and re-elect them.

"This is a party coming of age, which is showing that when it gets stuck into local issues like housing, it can actually make gains and then hold on to them despite the swings of the big three parties."

More results are expected later today followed by the count for the London Mayor and Greater London Assembly with the result expected this evening.   Jenny Jones is the Green candidate for mayor.

The party contested 943 seats in 119 councils and was defending 22 seats they already held.

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