Leader congratulates Green Party election candidates

17 November 2012

Green Party leader Natalie Bennett has congratulated Green Party candidates who yesterday made a strong showing in parliamentary by-elections, and in the Bristol mayoral and Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

Natalie said: “In the Bristol mayoral election, Daniella Radice and her team rang a strong campaign, attracting a great deal of media attention and setting the agenda on many issues from the living wage to local bonds.

“As the only female candidate in a field with 14 men, she was particularly strong in working with the Fawcett Society and other women’s groups in promoting more women becoming involved in politics,

“She attracted 5.9% of first preference votes, just 1% behind the Liberal Democrat candidate, in a city where Liberal Democrats make up the largest group on the council.”

In the parliamentary by-election in Cardiff South and Penarth, Anthony Slaughter, who is chair of Gwyrddio Penarth Greening (GPG) , won 4.1% of the vote, 2.9% up on 2010.

Natalie said: “In visiting Penarth with Anthony, I saw how his work with GPG has supported local shops and businesses, and promote environmentally friendly measures in the area – and saw how the Green Party in Cardiff and the region is strongly promoting our distinctive policies against the Severn barrage and the Cardiff incinerator.”

In the parliamenrary by-election in Manchester Central, Tom Dylan, former mayor of Norwich who now lives in Manchester, won won 3.9% of the vote, up 1.9% on our vote in the electorate in 2010.

Natalie said: “It is clear that Tom’s work in campaigning on creating new, green, jobs, and getting Manchester’s economy moving again had an impact.”

In the Corby parliamentary by-election, the Green Party stood in the seat for the first time.
Jonathan Hornett won 1.1% of the vote.

Natalie said: “This was a very creditable showing in a new area where the seat was hard-fought between the sitting Tories and the Labour victor.

“I was pleased to be able to visit Corby to support Jonathan’s campaign, and to see a local party growing with the campaign.”

Natalie added: “The Green Party has traditionally struggled to poll well in byelections, and in growing our vote in all three by-elections, in two traditionally strong Labour cities, and in a Tory-held area in Corby, we’ve shown that there’s growing support for our range of policies, from renationalising the railways to making the minimum wage a living wage.

Police and Crime Commissioners

The Green Party’s local parties took different positions on the PCC elections. The Green Party was not in favour of these elections.

Natalie said: “We don’t agree with the principle that one politician of one political colour should have control over a regional police service covering large and diverse areas, but in different local areas the local circumstances meant local parties chose to make different choices over whether to not comment, to back a standing candidate, or in the case of Cleveland, so stand a candidate, our prominent local councillor Joe Michna.

Natalie said: “Joe won 13.7% of the vote – strong support for his policies, which included strong support for more support for victims of crime, and more “bobbies on bikes”, to help make police accessible to the public.”

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