Why Caroline Lucas has my Vote (1)
A Press Release from Caroline Lucas floated its way into my in-box yesterday. It provides ample illustration of (one of) the reasons I intend to vote for her:
“We need to double the number of Councillors we have over the next few years. We need to find the next generation of Green councillors.
“We need to create the next Green success, like Norwich, Brighton, Lancaster and Oxford.
“Where we are established like Liverpool, Bristol, Cambridge and Solihull, we need our council groups to grow and set the agenda. We need to give Green councillors the help to succeed.
“Rural successes in Stroud and St Ives need to be repeated.
“Many cities, like Newcastle, Durham and Cardiff could easily have Green councillors and Green MPs. We need people to join and help us win elections to these councils.
“We need new members to join, and we need to actively invite community activists to join. The Green Party is the natural home for anyone who stands up for their local community, local jobs and services: that’s what the Green Party is all about.
“Often the best way to fight for your local community is to get elected and hit your opponents where it hurts: in the ballot box.”
This is all perfectly true. Local politics affects people as much as anything that occurs at a national level, and often faster and more visibly. If we want to change lives, then we need to win seats on councils across the country.
And if we want to make that change national, then we still need to build that support up locally. People will only vote for Green MPs if they know Greens will make their lives better; and, in many ways, the best way to show them that is to break into the council chamber and stand for them. Our strongest hopes for the next General Election - Brighton Pavillion, Norwich South, Lewisham Deptford - all have highly active and vocal council groups. Voters give Greens a chance on the council, and then they cast their verdict in subsequent elections, local and national. So, if we want MPs, we need councillors first.
Lucas clearly understands that. Her site suggests she knows what the Green Party must do if it’s ever to enact the radical policies that make it different; get Greens in office. That task needs work from the grassroots to convince voters to back us, as this release argues.
Also; that bloggers received this release is instructive, I feel. The leadership elections have been very good to Greens with an interest in the new media. Both leadership candidates maintain blogs or interactive websites, as does Adrian Ramsay and most GPEX candidates. The past week saw Jim Jepps host online hustings for GPEX positions and the leadership. So, the candidates have been willing to engage their electorate in detailed and meaningful dialogue, over the internet; a far cry from the token YouTube videos Labour’s deputy leadership elections last year produced. I feel encouraged.
Another fine post, Mr Johnson. I feel encouraged too - here’s to a Greener parliament and Green council chambers across the land!