The Green Party’s membership passed 17,000 today. A Green surge has seen national membership grow by 23% in the first five months of this year.
The Green Party, which outpolled the Liberal Democrats in the May 22 European Elections in terms of both MEPs (returned three to one) and total vote (1.2million to 1.09million), is on track to pass 20,000 members by the end of the year.
Membership has surged most strikingly in the Yorkshire and Humber and North-West regions, which have both seen membership upticks of more than 30% since the beginning of the year.
Molly Scott Cato’s successful election campaign to become the first Green MEP to represent the South-West (SW) saw membership rise by 13% in the SW region in May alone. The Green Party gained 11.2% of the vote in the European Election in the South West, taking the sixth seat out of six. The share of their vote rose from 9.3% in 2009.
Scott Cato, who will officially take up her position in the European Parliament in July, said:
“Our ‘people before profit’ policies really resonate with voters who are seeking out a Party which truly represents their values. Many now find those values best represented by the Green Party.”
Tom Beckett, Fundraising and Operations Director, said:
“These across-the-board membership rises clearly demonstrate that more and more people appreciate that the Green Party is the only party committed to delivering real change for the common good.
“The Green Party warmly welcomes all the new members. Members are the lifeblood of the Green Party, a truly democratic party which allows members to help form policy at both Spring and Autumn Conferences.”
Green Party policy is made at Conference. All Green Party members are able to propose motions for Conference.