Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MP

Please go out and vote ‘Yes’ in Thursday’s referendum on bringing in the Alternative Vote electoral system.

Don’t think about Clegg – do it for Caroline Lucas and to get more Greens into parliament.

We know from proportional voting in London mayoral elections that when people have two choices a large percentage are ready to vote Green as one of their options. For instance, in the last mayoral election, 25 percent of people in East Finchley ward voted for Green candidate Sian Berry as either their first or second choice. In several other Barnet borough wards around 20 percent chose Green as their first or second option.

Of course full proportional representation would be better than AV but if AV fails to wins a majority ‘Yes’ vote the prospect of proper PR at national level will recede even further into the distance. A ‘No’ vote to AV would enable Cameron to claim: “People don’t want electoral reform”. And judging by his behaviour during the AV campaign, that’s exactly what he would claim.

So vote ‘Yes’ for Caroline and vote ‘Yes’ to snub Cameron and to show that the people really do want electoral reform.

Our bid to fly a kite to the height of the proposed incinerator chimney really irked the Brent Cross Cricklewood developers

Barnet Green Party would like to thank everyone in the borough who voted Green in the national and local elections last week and we would particularly like to thank the dozens of people who helped out, some of whom contacted us out of the blue.

The number of Green votes in the Barnet borough elections almost doubled from 11,637 in 2006 to 20,388 this time, which would have entitled us to several councillors under a proportional election system. Unfortunately, the current winners-take-all system continues to deny us any seats on the council, demonstrating at a local level the urgent need for major electoral reform.

Thankfully Caroline Lucas managed to win the Greens’ first ever parliamentary seat when she triumphed in Brighton Pavilion constituency, while across the country additional Green councillors were elected in Bristol, Cambridge, Reigate, Reading and Rochford in Essex, though the vagaries of the dreadful voting system and linking of the parliamentary and local elections meant we lost a few seats on some councils in London.

“As I monitored the count for East Finchley, the ward where I was a candidate, I saw that an enormous number of people had voted for names from two or three different parties, rather than backing three candidates from a single party. Judging from my strolls around the marquees where the votes were tallied, the trend was the same in other wards,” said Barnet Green Party press officer Andrew Newby.

This proves that a large proportion of people in Barnet borough really would like to see a balanced council, with a fair representation of all the political parties rather than the overwhelmingly Conservative administration that we are lumbered with.

Let us hope that the new British government, in whatever shape it may take, brings in a truly proportional voting system for local councils as well as for parliament.

Meanwhile, Barnet Green Party will continue to campaign on the many urgent local issues, not least our efforts to persuade the council to adopt a 20 mph speed limit in all residential streets in the borough. This would not only reduce accidents but make side streets more pleasant to walk or cycle along, improving people’s quality of life and boosting community spirit.

We will very much need your help in future and hope you will continue to support us as we begin preparations for the next major electoral challenge, the London Assembly elections in 2012, when we and activists across London will be fighting to increase the number of Green members of the London Assembly. Greens have played a key role in shaping policies on the assembly and could have even more influence if we win additional seats.

Caroline Lucas delivers her keynote speech at The Arts Depot in North Finchley

A photo slideshow of the Green Party Conference including Caroline Lucas’ rousing keynote speech at the Arts Depot in North Finchley can be viewed here.


Caroline Lucas’ speech can be viewed here

BBC News report of the Conference here

Here are links to reports in the local press, The Hendon, Finchley, Barnet, Potters Bar, Edgware, Mill Hill Times
Keynote speech by Caroline Lucas in North Finchley promises Green Party action on inequality

Green Party conference held in Finchley

Caroline Lucas and Alex Phillips

Greens in Brighton and Hove are jubilant at winning the strategically important Goldsmid by-election in Hove, taking the seat from the Tories.

The result sees the election of the first Green councillor, Alex Phillips, from Hove to Brighton and Hove City Council and deprives the Tories of their majority on the council.

Caroline Lucas, national Green Party leader, said, “This is a spectacular win.

“It signals an unstoppable surge to elect the first Green MP at Westminster, whenever Gordon decides to go to the country.

“With this result, we’re on the threshold of taking Green politics to the heart of Westminster.”

Alex Phillips said, “Thank you to all the voters who put their faith in me. It’s a ringing endorsement of Green policies and the work of Green councillors locally.

“I will be hardworking and unswerving in my task of representing local people and delivering positive Green change.”

“Hopefully this means we can put pressure on the Tories and concentrate on our policies of a 20mph speed limit and introducing a living wage, which is more than the current minimum wage.”

Councillor Bill Randall, convenor of the Green councillors on the city council, said, “With my council colleagues, we’ll be reviewing the options and consulting our membership to ensure that we get the best, greenest deal for local residents. Between us we will do what is right in these very difficult times.”

Alex won 38.5% of the votes -an increase of 17% over the last time the seat was contested with a swing of more than 12% from Labour to Green.

Full result

GRN 1,456 – 38.5% (+17.6%) GRN GAIN FROM CON

CON 1,104 – 29.2% (-0.9%)

LAB 816 – 21.5% (-6.8%)

LD 280 – 7.4% (-7.32%)

UKIP 129 – 3.4% N/A (others 6% last time)