Local Elections: The Surge Is On! Green Party Gain Ground Across Britain

24 May 2014

 

* Greens now the official opposition in Liverpool, Solihull, Islington, Lewisham and Norwich

* Greens surge in Bristol

* Greens make first-time breakthroughs in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Epping Forest, Babergh and the Wirral  

 

The Green Party has gained 23 seats at the Local Elections as it continues to go from strength to strength. Greens are now installed as the official opposition in Liverpool and Solihull, Islington and Lewisham in London, and remain the official opposition in Norwich. 

The 23 gains means the Green Party now have 162 councillors on 56 councils. The strong results saw Greens secure a presence on seven more councils (Epping Forest, Wirral, Worthing, Babergh, Islington, Lambeth, and Newcastle-under-Lyme). 

In Bristol, Greens made massive progress, holding one seat and gaining two seats. The two gains were secured with over 45% of the vote. 

The rock solid Locals showing confirms pre-election day reports of a ‘Green surge’ and, if voting trends are replicated at the European Elections, puts the Green Party firmly on course to send more MEPs to Brussels in the European Elections. The Green Party has two MEPs - Jean Lambert, London, and Keith Taylor, South-East – and is looking to double or treble that number at these elections.

Reacting to the results, Natalie Bennett, Green Party Leader, said:

“These excellent Local Election results confirm what I have been hearing on the campaign trail; voters vote for Green councillors because they know they work tirelessly to serve their communities.   

“Voters are sick and tired of the same old business-as-usual politics and they are voting Green because they know that a Green vote is a vote for real change for the common good. They are realising we are the party offering the most just and sustainable future for the whole of Britain and the planet.” 

Breakthrough first-time Green council seat wins occurred in Epping Forest (Steven Neville, Buckhurst Hill East) the Wirral (Pat Cleary, Birkenhead and Tranmere), Worthing (James Doyle, Central), Newcastle-Under-Lyme (Wenslie Naylon, Keele) and Babergh (Robert Lindsay, South Cosford).

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