Greens make further gains in East Anglia

01 May 2008

Norwich makes history - Greens largest opposition party - 3 gains and top of the poll across city.

The Green Party has increased its number of councillors once again in Eastern Region. With some results still to come in, the Greens have so far gained 3 seats on Norwich City Council and taken their first seat on Cambridge City Council.

There are now 13 Greens on Norwich City Council, making them the largest opposition group - the first time this has happened in the UK. The party missed out by just 1 vote in 1 seat in 2007 on achieving this aim - last night the same seat saw a Green majority of 501.

In Cambridge, former European Lead candidate Margaret Wright secured the first ever Green seat on the city council with a comfortable majority. In Colchester, a hoped for first win did not materialise although the Greens remain in second place in Castle ward and strengthened support in Wivenhoe Quay ward which is now a 3 way Con-Labour-Green marginal.

The success of the Greens in Norwich extended beyond winning seats. Adding up all the votes across the City, the Greens were the largest party, providing further evidence of the surge in support for the party and the prospects for a breakthrough to Westminster. Cllr. Adrian Ramsay is the Green Party Parliamentary candidate in Norwich South and is aiming to unseat former Home Secretary Charles Clarke MP at the next general election.

The Greens stood 170 (*) candidates in the 6 counties that make up Eastern Region, including full slates in Norwich, Colchester, Cambridge, North Herts, Watford, St. Albans and Waveney. Green candidates stood in over 40% of the seats being contested - a record for the region.

Green Party policies include:

Opposing Post Office closures and supporting new branches;
Campaigning for higher levels of recycling and opposing Tory plans for waste incineration;
Supporting proposals for renewable energy to help combat dangerous climate change;
Opposing airport expansion at Stansted, Norwich and Luton;
Lobbying for improved public transport and safe routes for cycling and walking;
Calling for reductions in Labour Government imposed development targets;
Ensuring that new development is truly sustainable, not "false eco-towns";
Supporting genuinely affordable housing for need;
Opposing all major new road building, but instead investing in the railways and road safety;
Supporting campaigns to save the NHS from privatisation;
Supporting the retention and development of local non-acute community hospitals.

Notes:

*Including 3 co-incident by-elections.

Eastern Region is rapidly becoming a major growth area for the Greens, who have expanded their number of principal authority councillors from just 2 in May 1999 to 26 (with results still to declare) in May 2008.

The Greens are also gearing up for the County Council and European Elections in 2009, with Cllr. Dr. Rupert Read being tipped to become the region's first Green MEP.

For further information:

Eastern Region Green Party Press Office Cllr. James Abbott 01376 584576 mobile 07951 923073
Eastern Region Green Party Election Agent James Youd mobile 07761 242146
Euro 2009 Lead Candidate (and for Norwich) Cllr. Dr. Rupert Read 01603 219294 mobile 07946 459066
Cambridge City Councillor Margaret Wright 01223 362128