5 May 2023

• Greens win majority control of a local authority in the UK for the first time
• Mid Suffolk win lays foundation for new MPs at General Election
• Could become largest party in East Hertfordshire with 15 gains and two holds so far
• Largest party in Forest of Dean with 15 seats so far
• Largest vote share in Worcester, gaining four seats and defying predictions Labour would take overall control of the Council
• 126 net gains nationally – 96 gains from Conservatives
• Breakthroughs in North East Derbyshire, Sevenoaks, New Forest, Southend-on-Sea, Havant, Erewash, Worthing, Staffordshire Moorland and South Kesteven where Green candidate has ousted Conservative Council Leader and Greens have taken three other seats off the Conservatives
• Cementing position as opposition in Labour strongholds of South Tyneside and Exeter

Speaking from the victorious count for Mid Suffolk council, Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“Let the significance of this result sink in – this is not only the first time ever that a Green Party has taken majority control of a local authority in the UK, but the first time anywhere in Europe.”

Ramsay, who is parliamentary candidate for the new Waveney Valley constituency on the Suffolk/Norfolk border, said:

“This paves the way for success in the general election next year in Waveney Valley. Greens have taken majority control of the main council in the area, as well as winning all four seats in the two East Suffolk wards in the constituency (Bungay and Halesworth).

“Just a few months ago, a by-election saw us become the largest party on Bristol City Council.

“If these results are replicated in a General Election, we will be well on the way to my co-leader Carla Denyer being elected in Bristol and myself elected in Waveney Valley.”

Councillor Andy Mellen, leader of the Green councillors on Mid Suffolk District council, said:

“This result shows there is a real appetite for a party of sensible, practical people who are committed to making positive change in their community. That’s why so many people voted for us. 

“We thank everyone who voted for us and put their trust in us to get things done.

“We are excited about the challenges ahead and feel there is a great deal we can achieve now that we control the Council, especially in areas such as housing, planning and making the Council more accessible.

“This isn’t a protest vote. Greens have steadily been building a presence here over many years. They have a track record of getting things done and that’s what people voted for.

“With such high support in Suffolk, we now have a great opportunity to get Adrian Ramsay elected as a Green MP at the next General Election to support the fantastic work Caroline Lucas is doing at Westminster.”

The Mid Suffolk result comes after a day of strong results. Ramsay said:

“In East Hertfordshire we have seen monumental gains, taking a previously safe Conservative council into no-overall control – and we could yet become the largest party there.

“It is clear that the Conservatives are crumbling and the sooner we have a general election the better. 

“Voters are fed up of this Conservative government and are turning to the Greens because we offer a real alternative, with hard-working local councillors and sound practical policies to tackle local and national issues such as the cost-of-living crisis, housing, underfunded and run down public services and the state of our rivers.”

ENDS

For further information or to arrange an interview please contact the press office on press@greenparty.org.uk or call 0203 691 9401

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5 May 2023

Early overnight local election 2023 results show:

• 20 Green gains overnight
• Early projections point to well over 100 seat gains
• Largest vote share in Worcester, gaining four seats and defying predictions Labour would take overall control of the Council
• Breakthroughs in Southend-on-Sea, Havant and South Kesteven where Green candidate has ousted Conservative Council Leader and Greens have taken three other seats off the Conservatives
• Cementing position as opposition in Labour strongholds of South Tyneside and Exeter

Commenting on the state of play in the early hours of Friday, Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said:  

“Early results indicate that the Conservative vote has plummeted, and Labour has not made the gains it had hoped for in many areas. This reflects what we have heard on the doorstep. Greens are gaining from a deep dislike of the Tories and Starmer’s uninspiring Labour. But it is also clear that voters have responded positively to our practical solutions to meet concerns on issues such as the cost-of-living crisis, housing, underfunded and run-down public services and the state of our rivers. 

“Most of our key target seats will be declaring later in the day and we remain optimistic of significant gains to come. But so far, we are making gains from both the Conservatives and Labour and breaking onto new councils including Southend-on-Sea, Havant and South Kesteven. 

“In a sign of what’s to come later in the day, we have cemented our position as the official opposition on South Tyneside and Exeter Councils. While in Worcester we achieved the largest vote share of 29%, gaining three seats from Labour and one from the Conservatives, defying some pundits’ predictions who had expected Labour to take overall control of the Council.”

ENDS

For further information or to arrange an interview please contact the Press Office 0203 691 9401

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3 May 2023

The Green Party has slammed Labour over its U-turn on a pledge to abolish student fees, something that was in Labour’s 2019 election manifesto and Keir Starmer promised to support during his leadership campaign [1]. 

Co-leader of the Green Party, Adrian Ramsay, said:

“This is the latest U-turn from Keir Starmer’s Labour and this time it’s students who are paying a heavy price. The Green Party thinks tuition fees should be scrapped and grants restored. 

“Higher education is a public good and should therefore be properly funded by Government. Students in England pay some of the highest fees in the world, while in Scotland, Germany and Sweden university education is free. This shows that the whopping £9000 charge for students, introduced by the coalition government and now backed by Labour, is a political choice. Publicly funded higher education is not only possible but essential to a society committed to equality and social mobility.”

Co-chair of the Young Greens and a student at Oxford University, Kelsey Trevett, added:

“This U-turn from Labour is deeply disappointing but is exactly what we have come to expect from Keir Starmer’s Labour. It is no surprise that the architects of tuition fees won’t commit to their abolition, and for millions of students, this solidifies what we already knew: Labour is not on our side. Sky-high tuition fees are adding to the yawning gap between the generations and the growing sense of injustice among young people.”

Notes

1. Labour set to ditch pledge for free university tuition, Starmer says – BBC News 

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19 April 2023

The Green Party has reiterated its call for a rapid transition away from fossil fuels as climate activists gather in London this weekend [1] and said a vote for the Greens in the local elections next month is a vote for climate action.

Several high profile Greens will be speaking during the four days of action, taking place from Friday 21 April to Monday 24 April, which have been organised by Extinction Rebellion with the support of many leading environmental charities and civil society groups. The organisers have said the event will be peaceful and non-violent.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“While the Green Party cannot speak for the organisers of this event, it is clear that we share their aim of moving beyond fossil fuels.

“Our climate is facing breakdown and nature is in freefall. Those in power should be taking decisive action now. The fact they aren’t doing is why events like these, and getting Greens elected at all levels of government, is so important.

“At the Green Party, we share the positive and ambitious vision of those joining this event, but our route to action is through electoral politics. We share their main demand that we get serious about transitioning away from fossil fuels.

“We also share the frustration at a government failing to quickly move us to net zero and instead take us in the wrong direction by granting permission for a new coal-mine, giving a green light to more oil drilling in the North Sea and investing billions in new roads. 

“That’s why we desperately need more Green politicians both in parliament and running local authorities across the country, pushing for urgent action on the climate and ecological emergency.

“On May 4th millions of people will have the opportunity in the local elections to vote for a political party that places the climate and ecological crisis front and centre stage. A vote for the Green Party is a vote for climate action.”

ENDS

Notes

1 https://extinctionrebellion.uk/the-big-one/

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11 April 2023

Responding to strike action by junior doctors, co-leader of the Green Party Carla Denyer, who has today joined junior doctors on the picket line, said:

“Junior doctors are absolutely right to call for their pay to be restored to pre-austerity levels. Most people clearly agree that it is unacceptable for junior doctors to work ever longer hours while being asked to accept a real terms pay cut. A new poll shows 54% of the public back junior doctors taking action, while only 26% oppose [1].

“Years of government underfunding has pushed the NHS to breaking point and resulted in poor pay, thousands of unfilled vacancies, declining working conditions, overworked staff, and stretched capacity. Strike action by junior doctors and other health service workers is the inevitable consequence.  

“The Green Party is committed to a properly funded NHS. We would increase investment by at least £6bn each year and ensure junior doctors and other health workers are decently paid. And to tackle the fact that one in three hospital beds in parts of England are occupied by patients well enough to be discharged but unable to access social care [2], we would also provide free social care. 

“Health and social care, free at the point of use, could be funded through a wealth tax on the richest 1%, a single unified income tax – raising an additional £24 billion – or adding a social care levy to a more progressive tax system. Failure to provide adequate funding for decent health and social care is a political choice.”

Notes

1. https://news.sky.com/story/politics-latest-junior-doctors-beginning-96-hour-walkout-as-industrial-action-to-last-until-saturday-12593360?postid=5759113#liveblog-body 
2. Up to one in three English hospital beds occupied by patients fit for discharge | NHS | The Guardian

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