The Green Party has changed the political landscape in Bristol, having reached a key milestone to put it on course to win its second parliamentary seat at the next general election, after record gains have seen it become the joint biggest party in the city.
The Greens won a massive 24 seats in Bristol over the weekend, including 13 gains. The party also won nearly all the seats and almost half of the votes overall across the Bristol West constituency.
It means the Bristol Green Party now has a total of 24 seats on the council - the joint highest with Labour.
This follows the party’s success in the mayor results, where it achieved its first ever second place, and strong showings in the metro mayor and PCC elections.
Councillor Carla Denyer, who was returned in her Clifton Down seat with a hugely increased majority and came second in the 2019 general election in Bristol West, said:
“Bristol is showing once again that it is a Green city and it is long overdue for it to have a Green MP.
“When the next election comes we will be ready to win in Bristol West, to make sure that Bristol gets the Green representation in Parliament that it deserves.”
Mayor runner-up Sandy Hore-Ruthven said:
“This is a historic result for Bristol and for the Green Party nationally. It’s the first time we’ve come second in an elected mayoral race and shows the extraordinary strength of Green support in our great city.
“The huge swings towards Green candidates in the council elections shows how we are now clearly contesting power with Labour across the city.”
The party made breakthroughs in Lawrence Hill, Bedminster, Eastville Lockleaze, Easton and Central where they took seats from Labour.
Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said:
“The incredible gains we have seen in Bristol show that the city is ready to elect a Green MP.
“It is clear that the people of Bristol see Green politics as the future, and I’m delighted that we will now have the strongest Green voice we have ever had on the council."