24 April 2019

The Green Party has today announced its lead candidates in all 9 English regions and Wales to fight the European elections. The list includes: Molly Scott Cato, MEP for the South West and Brexit spokesperson, who has consistently championed a People’s Vote within the European Parliament; Magid Magid, outgoing Lord Mayor of Sheffield who banned Donald Trump from the city; Gina Dowding, Lancashire councillor and prominent anti-fracking campaigner at Preston New Road; Alex Phillips, Deputy Mayor of Brighton and Hove and Scott Ainslie, a councillor in Lambeth who made his name fighting housing demolitions.

 

The Greens will fight the election under the banner ‘For now. For the future’ and will highlight a policy platform which says ‘Yes to Europe, No to Climate change.’

 

The Green Party is the UK’s biggest pro remain party in the European Parliament, and have led the calls for a People’s Vote across the country. In Westminster, Caroline Lucas has been the driving force in Parliament and has consistently held the government to account.  The Green Party are the most credible option for those who want to remain in the European Union and the most likely to deliver the change necessary, and the natural home for those who want to see urgent action on climate change.

 

But beyond Brexit, the Greens are the only party fighting on a remain platform which consistently champions free movement and clean energy, while opposing austerity and climate damaging infrastructure. The Greens come without the need for a rebrand and name change to erase their history.

 

Molly Scott Cato MEP, lead candidate for the Green Party in the South West region, has said the Green Party are the real party of change with a strong track record on changing Europe.

 

Molly Scott Cato said:

 

‘Polls show that Greens are the most popular pro-EU Party standing in this election and Green votes are more likely to send pro-EU MEPs to Brussels than votes for any other party. We are unflinchingly pro-European. We have led the national movement for a people’s vote and unequivocally defend freedom of movement – the right to study, work, travel and love across our continent.’’

 

Magid Magid said:

 

‘Remaining in Europe is priority, particularly for young people. We must protect our right to freely move across 27 other European countries. But this election is also massive chance to do politics differently and to make real change.

 

‘Greens don’t just want to remain in the EU, we want to transform it. Green MEPs will fight for serious climate action, to protect migrant rights and build a shared, equal future for all our constituents and all Europeans. Green MEPs will stand for your future. Elect Greens and we will deliver on the defining issues of our time.’

 

Full list of Green Party candidates:

Eastern

Catherine Rowett

Rupert Read

Martin Schmierer

Fiona Radic

Paul Jeater

Pallavi Devulapalli

Jeremy Caddick

 

East Midlands

Kat Boettge

Gerhard Lohmann-Bond

Liam McLelland

Daniel Wimberley

Simon Tooke

Carl Benfield

 

London

Scott Ainslie

Gulnar Hasnain

Shahrar Ali

Rachel Collinson

Eleanor Margolies

Remco van der Stoep

Kirsten de Keyser

Peter Underwood

 

North East

Rachel Featherstone

Jonathan Elmer

Dawn Furness

 

North West

Gina Dowding

Wendy Olsen

Jessica Northey

Geraldine Coggins

Rosie Mills

Astrid Johnson

Daniel Jerrome

James Booth

 

South East

Alexandra Phillips

Elise Benjamin

Vix Lowthion

Leslie Groves Williams

Phelim Mac Cafferty

Jan Doerful

Larry Sanders

Isabella Moir

Oliver Sykes

Jonathan Essex

 

South West

Molly Scott Cato

Cleo Lake

Carla Denyer

Tom Scott

Martin Dimery

Karen La Borde

 

Wales

Anthony Slaughter

Ian Chandler

Ceri Davies

Duncan Rees

 

West Midlands

Ellie Chowns

Diana Toynbee

Paul Woodhead

Julian Dean

Louis Stephens

Helen Heathfield

Kefentse Dennis

 

Yorkshire and the Humber

Magid Magid

Alison Teal

Andrew Cooper

Louise Houghton

Lars Kramm

Ann Forsaith

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18 April 2019

The Green Party welcomes the European Elections and the enthusiasm being shown for them by those who, like us, believe we must do everything possible to stay in the European Union. The Green Party is the largest remain party in the EU Parliament, with the largest number of MEPs and is currently the lead remain party in the polls. We are the most credible choice for pro-EU voters. 

In terms of joint lists, the deadline for formal arrangements passed before the EU Council meeting on 10 April, which granted the “flextension” that makes fighting the European elections possible. As far as informal arrangements are concerned, no party has made any approach to us about them, and claims that we have turned down overtures are untrue, since none have been made. We understand, however, that Change UK has in any case ruled them out.

While we agree with other remain parties on continued membership of the European Union, we have fundamental ideological differences on other issues – not least on the urgent priority of bold action on the accelerating climate crisis, and on major economic transformation.

The European Parliament elections are conducted under a proportional system, meaning that, unlike the UK parliamentary voting system, you are much freer to vote for what you believe in. In the last European Elections The Green Party finished 4th, above the Liberal Democrats, and had 3 hard working and effective MEPs elected. 

The Green Party is clear that our country’s best future lies within the EU, with as many Green MEPs as possible elected to help bring about the improvements and reforms to the EU that we believe are necessary. We understand why many people voted to leave. The status quo is intolerable and we are pushing for the reforms necessary in both the UK and the EU to make a transition away from the current system – one which fails us all so badly, and hits the most vulnerable hardest. 

We welcome the votes of all pro-EU voters to help us to achieve this aim, as well as those who are more skeptical about the EU, but realise that Brexit is a recipe for chaos.

We stand firmly against the rise of hate, and we reject the rhetoric and dog-whistle politics used to stoke further division.  

Our energies, and those of all those who support remaining in the EU, are now best spent actively campaigning to maximise the pro-EU vote and resisting the rise of the far right.

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16 April 2019

Today, Greta Thunberg, the Swedish climate activist, will address the Environmental Committee of the European Parliament from 14:00 to 15:00.

Coinciding with this visit, the Green Party of England and Wales MEP for South-West England Molly Scott Cato has helped launch the Greens/EFA 10 priority measures to save the climateincluding measures to finance the transition to a Green economy.

Scott Cato said:

“It’s not enough to simply champion climate activists like Greta Thunberg, as policy makers we must follow their example. The IPCC report tells us we have less than twelve years to solve this problem so the time for platitudes is long over.

“The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament have proposed a bold ten point plan to radically reduce CO2 emissions and shift Europe to 100% renewable energy within a generation. We want Europe to stop subsidising fossil fuels, to support a just transition and to completely rethink our energy and agricultural sectors.

“With Brexit dominating so much of the discourse back home, British MEPs have a duty to take the lead on the fundamental crisis of our times.”

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11 April 2019

The Green Party has responded to news there will be European Union elections will be held on May 23 unless the Prime Minister can pass her Brexit deal in Parliament.

Sian Berry AM, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said:

“This is the moment to tell the establishment what kind of Britain we want to be. The Green Party is ready to fight the EU elections, mobilise one of the strongest pro-EU movements anywhere and champion a fairer, greener more democratic EU.

“We will not let the Government downplay how important these elections are. This isn’t just about the European Union – it’s about the country we live in. One thing we can agree on is that our politics is broken, and has failed to fix the intolerable inequality and insecurity which caused the Brexit vote. A vote for the Greens is a vote against this chaos, a vote for change, a vote to remain and a vote for an open and confident Britain.”

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9 April 2019

* Green Party set to launch biggest ever local election campaign

* Party will pledge to give communities control of local land

* Jonathan Bartley: “This will be our biggest ever local election campaign – and I’ve never seen Greens so ready to win.”

* Sian Berry: “Green councillors will always work to put land in the hands of communities who know best.”

The Green Party will promise to give local communities the first say on how land in their area is used as it launches its biggest ever local election campaign today.

Sian Berry, co-leader of the Green Party, will pledge to give communities the first chance to buy local land that comes up for sale by extending Scotland’s Community Right to Buy policy [1] to England and Wales.

She is expected to say Greens “believe local decisions should be made by the communities that know them best” and that Community Right to Buy would “help bring land back into use where it is being neglected and hoarded by people who are hanging on for profits”.

The Green Party will also pledge to give communities and councils the power to stop landowners sitting on or neglecting land by following Scotland’s lead and introducing Compulsory Sale Orders [2], enabling abandoned land to be brought back into community ownership.

Berry will make the promises at the launch of the Green Party’s local election campaign in Trafford [3], where Greens have helped the local community save playing fields from being turned into unaffordable housing that wouldn’t meet the community’s needs.

The Green Party is this year fighting its biggest, strongest local election campaign ever with 2595 candidates standing for election across the country, as the party works towards its ambition to have a Green on every council.

Last year the Green Party elected a record number of councillors onto a record number of councils [4]. Since then it has added to its numbers further with a total of 178 Green councillors now elected across England and Wales.

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, is expected to say:

“The Government has failed local communities. While Westminster crumbles and the political establishment tears itself apart, ordinary people are paying the price. Local services have been decimated and the most vulnerable worst affected.

“Up and down England and Wales local Greens are filling the gap. While Conservative and Labour candidates are getting doors slammed on them, more and more people are seeing that Green councillors work in and with communities to win the change they need.

“This will be our biggest ever local election campaign – and I’ve never seen Greens this ready to win and take us one step closer to having a Green on every council.”

Sian Berry, co-leader of the Green Party, is expected to say:

“Across the country local Green councillors are empowering local communities, like here in Altrincham where Greens and the community saved children’s playing fields from being turned into unaffordable housing.

“The Green Party believes local decisions should always be made by the communities who know their needs best, and that communities should get first say on how local land is used. That’s why today we promise to give communities the right to buy any land up for sale, as well as the power to force landowners to sell neglected brownfield land.

“Green councillors will always help bring land back into use where it is being neglected and hoarded by people who are hanging on for profits – and in the hands of community groups, and parish and town councils who will use them for the common good.”

Michael Welton, Green Party candidate for Altrincham, said ahead of the launch:

“Local action to protect our green spaces is at the core of Green Party values. Our councillors will always support groups like the one here at Cow Field. We are fighting to save a place where people of all ages come together to play games, walk the dog or just take time out to relax in nature.

“Green space brings communities closer together and we will work to ensure that the community in Altrincham can have their say on how local land is used.”

Notes:

1. https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/farmingrural/Rural/rural-land/right-to-buy/Community

2. https://landcommission.gov.scot/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/CSO-Proposal-final.pdf

3. Green Party co-leaders Sian Berry and Jonathan Bartley will launch the Green Party’s local election campaign at 11am, Tuesday 9 April 2019, in Oldfield Brow Recreation Ground, Stokoe Avenue, Altrincham, Trafford, WA14 4L.

4. https://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2018/05/04/green-co-leader-wins-lambeth-council-seat-in-record-breaking-elections/

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