Can Darren Hall break new ground like Caroline Lucas did in Brighton?
Can Darren Hall break new ground like Caroline Lucas did in Brighton?
At the recent local elections in May, the Green Party in Bristol got a nice surprise. They came first in the Bristol West constituency going by the popular vote across the council wards, with a lead of 2 per cent over Labour.
Yesterday they announced as their candidate for Bristol West, Darren Hall, the man who won Bristol its European Green Capital Award 2015 and who runs the city’s Big Green Week festival.
To get the seat, he’ll have to take on incumbent Liberal Democrat Stephen Williams MP, and Labour’s Thangham Debonnaire, who is also standing.
According to the Green Party, “the contest is likely to be a closely fought three-way marginal, based on recent local election results showing the Greens are currently in the lead with 28 per cent support across the constituency, followed closely by Labour with 26 per cent, and 24 per cent going to the Lib Dems.”
Greens have six councillors across the city after making gains in May.
Hall, who now edits Good Bristol magazine, said:
“Bristol has always been a community that wants to stand on its own two feet. Only a Green MP can truly deliver a leadership that doesn’t conform to old party lines, that is democratic, that doesn’t let people down, that listens. As an MP, I would stand up for the people and interests of Bristol at all costs, rather than having to toe any party line.”
“Greens have been working alongside Bristol’s creatives and green experts for over 20 years to mould a vision for a more sustainable future for our city, but without an advocate in Westminster we are unable to make the vital changes we need. I’m excited to be starting out on this campaign to help us engage with innovative solutions on how to make Bristol work.”
Can he break new ground like Caroline Lucas did in Brighton? It will be an interesting race to watch next year, that’s for sure.
51 Responses to “Could this be the next Green MP?”
Kay
There are a number of obstacles for a would-be Green MP, but if she or he is to be elected anywhere then Bristol West it is. Encouragingly, the South West elected a Green MEP while a few more councillors took their seats in Bristol, possibly on the back of the collapse of the Liberal vote. .
The main obstacle is that the Green Party is seen as a ‘single issue’ organisation.
In fact (and I only looked into this when I was considering how to vote last May) the Greens have a coherent set of positions and policies beyond the strictly green. While I disagreed with some positions and would be happy to sign up to others, I was surprised at how far the Green party had come: it was the only party on the ballot paper to offer a radical left alternative to the mainstream consensus.
I voted for a Green MEP as (a) a protest, ‘none of the above’ (b) because I thought the Green candidate had a slim chance of making it in the context of the public’s dislike of politicians (c) because some of their social and economic policies, as opposed to their green policies, were in tune with my own world view.
It strikes me that the Green party is in urgent need of rebranding before the electorate take notice. I doubt whether this can be achieved before next May.
subtleknife666
“the Green’s next MP”
So, you’re suggesting that there is only one Green in the UK? And that he or she may be able to elect an MP?
Or are you just illiterate berks?
Andy
“Labour” are not a single issue party who stand for workers’ rights. “UKIP” are a single issue party, but this isn’t seen as an obstacle.
The Greens aren’t a single issue organisation, but any rebranding, particularly a simple name change, would struggle to encompass the full range of values and policies of the party. Who would vote for “The Environmentalist Socialist Socially-Liberal Republican Democratic Peaceful Party”? And that was still only a fraction of it!
The Greens don’t need a rebranding, they just need more coverage and publicity. Kay obviously worked hard to look at each party’s policies and make an informed choice, but the majority of voters don’t do that. Green voters currently have to work harder because of the smaller platform. Giving coverage to a wide range of the Greens’ policies and values would do far more than a rebrand ever could.
sarntcrip
I HOPE THEY DO BUT T DILODGE THETORIES NATIONALLY LABOUR NEEDS TO TAKE CIIES LIKE BRISTOL
Primeval Mudd
sarntcrip, any seat won by the Greens will be a seat saved from Tories, Lib Dems or UKIP. Surely it’s better to have a Green MP in it than a right-wing Labour careerist.