In a historic electoral victory, amid a record-breaking local election campaign, the Green Party has this evening not only emerged as the largest party on Bristol City Council, but has also won every available seat in their target parliamentary constituency of Bristol Central.  

Across the city, the Green Party has won 34 seats in the city’s local elections, strengthening their position as the largest party in the city and supporting the polls’ suggestion that Bristol could elect its first ever Green MP. Today’s gains also see them become the largest group of Green councillors to ever be elected at a local election in the UK. 

Carla Denyer, the Green Party Co-Leader and parliamentary candidate for Bristol Central, commented on the success in the city: 
 
“At this election the people of Bristol have turned to the Green Party to deliver the change that this city needs.  

“The people of this city know that we don’t have to accept politics as usual – something better is possible if we vote for it.”

The Green Party dominance at the city’s local elections is another sign that the Greens are on track to win their top General Election target of Bristol Central where party co-leader, Carla Denyer, is the candidate. Greens won all 14 council seats in the new Bristol Central constituency. 

Denyer continued:   

“As MP candidate for Bristol Central at the coming General Election, I’m looking forward to giving Bristolians another opportunity to demonstrate their values by voting for real change and hope at the national level.” 

The victories come alongside what pollster Sir John Curtice described as “spectacular gains” in seats across the UK from Newcastle to Exeter. The Party is now setting its sights on securing 4 Members of Parliament including in the new seat of Bristol Central where Greens now hold 14 of the 14 councillors. 

Co-leader Adrian Ramsay welcomed the record results across England, including earlier becoming the largest party on Hastings Borough Council. He said:  

“We went into these elections with a record number of Green councillors.  

“We’re emerging with a new, even higher record.  
 
“I know Carla will be a great MP for Bristol if elected at the next election.

“But this isn’t just about what it means for the General Election, it’s also what it means for those people who live in areas where Greens have power.

“We’re now the largest party on key English councils including not just Bristol but also Hastings, East Hertfordshire, Babergh, East Suffolk, Mid Suffolk, Lewes, Folkestone and Hythe and the Forest of Dean.”   
 
He continued: 

“These record results represent a seismic shift in English politics.  

“Voters are increasingly turning to the Greens because we offer a real alternative, with sensible and practical policies to tackle local and national issues such as the cost of living, the housing crisis, underfunded and run-down public services and the terrible state of our rivers.”   

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3 May 2024

The Green Party has gone from the fourth largest party on Hastings Borough Council to the largest party. Greens won 9 of 16 seats up for election (56%), up from just 1 seat the last time these were contested (2021). This leaves Greens with 12 councillors (+8), Labour 8 (-2), Indy 7 (=) and Conservative 5 (-6).  

Responding, Green Party Co-Leader Carla Denyer said, 

“This is an absolutely spectacular result for Hastings going from the 4th largest party on the council to the largest.  

“We’ve gone from 4 to 12 seats and it stands as a tribute to the fact that when people elect Greens, and see how hard we work for them, they want to elect more.  

“Green Councillors are already in power in Hastings and will now be able to deliver more with a stronger and bigger Green group. As with dozens of other councils where Greens are in administration they can deliver real change for their residents.”  

At the time of writing (18:30) Greens have gained 38 councillors and are on track for a record number of councillors by the end of the weekend of around 800 on over 170 councils. Greens have also made breakthroughs onto new councils including: Newcastle, Sefton in Merseyside, Redditch in Worcestershire, Bolton and in South Norfolk where the Green gain toppled the Council control from Conservative to No Overall Control. 

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3 May 2024

Reflecting on early local election results, Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said: 

“Green councilors are being elected in ever higher numbers across the country and are ready to deliver for their communities. 

“We have won our first councilors on Newcastle Council, and our first councilors on Sefton and Redditch, taking seats from Labour and the Conservatives 

“We won two new seats on South Tyneside from the Conservatives and Labour. 

“And we gained seats In Exeter, Peterborough and Colchester with many of our target seats only set to declare later today. 

“North and South, East and West, Greens are winning the trust of voters fed up with the chaos of the Conservatives and the U-turns of Labour. 

“We are winning because our message of hope is being heard by new groups of voters. In these elections we have argued for practical solutions to the cost of living crisis, the climate crisis and the cuts to public services, that are clearly resonating with voters.

“More results like this later today and over the weekend and we can be confident that we have the firmest of foundations for our General Election campaign when we are going to do everything we can to get at least four Green MPs elected to Parliament.

“We’ve worked hard for these early breakthroughs and we’ve also been working hard to emerge as largest party in Bristol, Worcester, Stroud and Hastings – the results of which we will see over the next two days.

“We could achieve a record number of seats in Bristol and emerge as the largest party to lead the next administration as the Elected Mayor post is coming to an end following a city-wide referendum – but it is going to be close.” 

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3 May 2024

Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer responded to the first council elections results: 

“I’m delighted to see the first ever Green Party councillors elected to Newcastle City Council which show that voters are increasingly putting their trust in Greens to deliver a fairer, greener country. 

“In Byker ward in Newcastle, the Green candidate, Nick Hartley, won over 50 per cent of the vote. And in Elswick ward, Khaled Musharraf was elected with notable movement of Muslim voters from Labour to Green. 

“The Newcastle gains from Labour come alongside two stunning gains in South Tyneside – one from Labour and one from the Conservatives. 

“These results show us reaching new areas of the country – and we are achieving that because our message of hope is being heard by new groups of voters. 

“In these elections we have argued for practical solutions to the cost of living crisis, the climate crisis and the cuts to public services, that are clearly resonating with voters. 

“We have some big results to look forward to in elections being counted throughout the weekend, including in Bristol, where we have a Green target seat for the General Election, but already this is proving a very positive night for the Greens. 

“More results like this and we can be confident that we have put down the firmest of foundations for our General Election campaign when we are going to do everything we can to get at least four Green MPs elected to Parliament.” 

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2 May 2024

As polls closed across England in the local elections, Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said: 

“It has been a wonderful experience to be out on the doorstep listening to voters and understanding why their concerns over the cost of living, cuts to local services and the climate crisis are turning into votes for the Green Party. 

“I want to thank every single voter who has gone to the polls today to vote for a fairer, greener country. 

“Our fantastic volunteers and candidates have been out knocking on doors, listening to voters and responding with a positive vision of what their Green vote would mean. 

“As counting begins, I look forward to another record night for the Green Party. We have increased our councillor numbers at each of the last four elections – and I believe we can do so again. 

“That will lay the firmest of foundations for our General Election campaign when we are going to do everything we can to get at least four Green MPs elected to Parliament. 

“We know that having a Green in the council chamber or in Parliament delivers for people, the community and the planet.” 

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