The Green leadership has thrown its support behind progressive alliance-building
The Green Party will not be standing in the Richmond Park by-election, after members in Kingston voted to back the Liberal Democrat candidate on Thursday night.
The decision follows Richmond and Twickenham Greens’ decision on Wednesday to stand aside for the Liberal Democrats’ Sarah Olney, in the hope she has a stronger chance of defeating incumbent Zac Goldsmith.
The constituency spans two local Green Party groups — meaning the final decision hinged on Kingston Green Party’s vote on Thursday evening.
The move followed talks over the past few days between senior Green Party figures — including the leadership — and the local parties, with Caroline Lucas MP and Jonathan Bartley seen as strongly supportive of the local members’ decision tonight.
Lucas and Bartley made building progressive alliances a key plank of their leadership election platform this summer.
Welcoming the news, Bartley commented:
“This is no normal by-election. A regressive alliance of the Tories and UKIP are working together to re-install a pro-brexit MP who just ran a racist campaign to be Mayor of London.
“The decision not to stand has been made because a majority of local party members believe that a win for a non-Conservative candidate would be a blow to the Tory’s hard Brexit, and dent their damaging plans for post-referendum Britain.
“Of course we have big policy differences with the Lib Dems – and I joined many others in marching against the coalition government – but they are simply the only chance we have at this moment to narrow the Conservative’s majority.
“I’d now urge Labour to join us in forming a progressive alliance against the forces of Conservatism and narrow-mindedness. Chances like this don’t come about very often – so let’s use this opportunity to kick back against the Tories.”
Richard Bennett, Chair of Richmond & Twickenham Green Party, said:
“Desperate times call for bold measures and I am very pleased that we have reached this decision in the national interest.
“We welcome local Liberal Democrats recognition that in the 2018 council elections they need to work with us, including standing with us in a progressive alliance in some wards, to ensure people get the best chance both of Green Party representation and of a council not controlled by the Conservatives.
“Now it is down to the Labour Party to step up to the plate. Moments like this don’t come along very often – but they require the will of all parties involved to realise their potential. Let’s not waste this chance.
“We hope this approach breaks the mould of old adversarial politics and sets us on the way to a better democracy – as people from all parties have been calling for – with a more representative Parliament and Government.”
The influential left-wing think tank Compass had previously called for the Greens and Labour to stand aside in the constituency to give Sarah Olney the strongest chance of defeating Goldsmith – with the Lib Dems running on a clear anti-Brexit ticket.
The Green decision will be seen as firing the starting gun for ‘progressive alliance’ talks with the Lib Dems for the next council elections and the General Election — both in London and elsewhere.
Left Foot Forward has obtained the full statement sent to local Green members on Thursday night:
Dear all,
Kingston GP has agreed to stand down in the Richmond Park by-elex this evening.
I expect there will be some further discussion now around the process we go through in future, when arranging electoral alliances with local parties.
Kingston Green Party continues to support the goal of a Progressive Alliance in 2020 to defeat the Conservatives and bring about a fairer voting system. We trust that the gesture of standing down in order to defeat Zac Goldsmith will build confidence in the possibility of a Progressive Alliance.
We welcome the fact that, in the last 24 hours, local Liberal Democrats have given a commitment to open discussions over possible alliances for local elections in 2018.
Kingston Green Party calls on Richmond Park Labour Party to follow suit in the hopes of defeating Zac Goldsmith and building towards the Progressive Alliance in 2020.
Following the by-election, we will continue campaigning to build a strong Green voice in the borough of Kingston and nationally.
Josiah Mortimer is a contributing editor at Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twitter.
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4 Responses to “BREAKING: Green Party won’t stand candidate in Richmond Park – backing Lib Dems instead”
Mick
Well, THIS will send shockwaves! Their voterbase of three rather mangy cows, a dachshund named Colin and a small hen in its late forties will just be left rudderless.
Still, it must take whackjobs to know some, as it is ranted: “This is no normal by-election. A regressive alliance of the Tories and UKIP are working together to re-install a pro-brexit MP who just ran a racist campaign to be Mayor of London.”
Poor snowflakes. It was bad enough the public defied them over Brexit, but a fellow politician AND a Tory takes the cake! Especially when now-typical Islamofascist links of Labour people get exposed!
Show some love! As the loony toons in the Left do! They’re always sanguine!
Ben Samuel
We are the only party with an plan to take rail into public ownership and cut bus fairs 7% sorting out Richmond and Kingston’s unsustainable transport system.
Steve Peers
Since the Greens got 6% of the vote last time, this is a significant decision that could possibly swing a close race. What a shame that people like Mick above feel a need to resort to personal abuse rather than engage in civil debate.
Mick
As the article itself recalls, as I quoted, it was the Green end which indulged in petty attacks and name-calling. They just want Goldsmith defeated, against the will of the electorate given the result last time.
The Greens are loopy. I suppose you’d expect that, with its MP having the flair for being arrested, its policies of legalised pimping, legalised membership of the IRA or Al Qaeda, or having no immigration controls coupled with mandatory high-tax and high benefit dependence.
All the COULD do is hope their skeleton voters could be used to help the chances of other lefty parties just a tad more sensible.