Great Green Success at the Elections of 2nd May 2019

Press Release from Eastern Region Green Party

Release Date: 3^rdMay 2019

For immediate release

Eastern Greens hail local election results their most successful in history

The Green Party in the Eastern region is celebrating its most successful local election results in its 47-year history with 44 seats won.

The party has seen a record number of new seat gains across the region, including the first ever Green councillors in Colchester, Fenland, Breckland, East Herts and West Norfolk, and winning seats from Conservative group leaders in both Colchester and the newly merged council of East Suffolk.

In Suffolk Greens won 20 seats, while in Essex the total won is 8. Notable successes were in Braintree, where Greens gained five seats to reach a total of six; in East Suffolk there were four wins; and there were further gains in Norwich, Peterborough, and Epping Forest. In Mid-Suffolk, the number of Green councillors doubled from 6 to 12.

Robert Lindsay, a Suffolk County councillor and newly elected to Babergh Council, said:

“We’re delighted by the results across the region. This is the result of hard work, all year, every year by all our grass roots campaigners. The way the Green Party works means Green candidates and campaigners are independent minded and expected to earn their support by working to make their community better and to put residents they represent front and centre.”

“We are already well on the way to being a thorn in the side for councils that are one party mini-states across the region and our credibility in local government will stand us in good stead for the coming European elections.”

Catherine Rowett, the lead Green Party candidate for the European Parliamentary elections heads a list of seven candidates that includes Rupert Read: an internationally renowned climate campaigner; Martin Schmierer: the current Lord Mayor of Norwich; Fiona Radic: a leading anti-Brexit campaigner from Peterborough; Paul Jeater: a politics teacher from Essex who heads the Eastern Region Green Party; Pallavi Devulapalli: a doctor in General Practice in West Norfolk; and Jeremy Caddick: the Dean of a Cambridge college who campaigns on pay inequality and investment transparency.

Dr. Rowett, who is a Professor at the University of East Anglia, is quick to point out that the Eastern Greens were only 1% away from electing an MEP in 2009 and 2014. Because the European election is decided by a form of proportional representation, we stand a very good chance of winning this time.

She sends this message about the Green commitment to Europe:

"By voting Green the voters in the East of England can send a clear message that they want the UK to Remain in the European Union. Green MEPs make a positive difference to people’s lives. As your representative in Europe I will press for urgent action on the climate emergency and for a fairer economy. Vote for a positive future on 23rd May - vote Green."

Before the Election

As we prepare for the elections on 2nd May 2019 the names of Green Party contacts/candidates in priority areas in the Eastern Region will appear below.

Please contact your local green campaign managers/candidates to offer support in the run-up to the 2nd May elections so that we can get a record number of Green Party councillors elected to improve the lives of all residents, strengthen the fight against social injustice and environmental degradation, and confront the climate emergency.

Contacts for Council Elections on 2nd May 2019

Babergh – Robert Lindsay Robert Lindsay (Robert.Lindsay@greenparty.org.uk)

Bedford – Ben Foley (ben@foleyhouse.me.uk)

Chelmsford – Paul Jeater (pauljeater@btinternet.com)

Colchester – Blake Robert (blakeroberts1993@outlook.com)

Dacorum, Hemel Hempstead – Mark Rutherford (markrutherforduk@gmail.com)

Epping Forest – Dave Plummer (dave.plummer@efgp.org.uk)

Mid Suffolk – John Matthissen (john@suffolkgreenparty.org.uk)

Norwich – Phil di Palma (phil.dipalma@norwichgreenparty.org)

Peterborough – Nicola Day (nic@postmaster.co.uk)

Southend – James Vessey-Miller (vessey@outlook.com)

Suffolk Coastal - Rachel Smith-Lyte (coordinator@suffolkcoastal.greenparty.org.uk)

Waveney – Graham Elliott (graham@phonecoop.coop)

Witham – James Abbott (james.abbott@greenparty.org.uk)

News from North Hertfordshire and Stevenage Green Party

There is a full list of all Green Party candidates for council elections in North Hertfordshire and Stevenage on their website at https://northherts.greenparty.org.uk/candidates/. You can contact them at nhandsgreenparty@hotmail.com or on their FaceBook Page.

News from Peterborough Green Party

There is a full list of all Green Party candidates for the Peterborough Council Elections on their website at https://peterborough.greenparty.org.uk/news/2019/03/25/greens-announce-candidates-for-thursday-2nd-may/.

News from Dacorum Green Party

Dacorum Green Party has announced the Green Party candidates for the local elections on May 2nd 2019. If you live in these wards, get in touch and lend a hand to get more green councillors elected.

Dacorum Borough Council

Boxmoor – Shereif Hassan – sherief.greenparty@sherief.co.uk

Boxmoor – Bernard Hurley – greenactivist@keemail.me

Boxmoor – Robert Theophile – robertgreenparty.theo@outlook.com

Adeyfield East -Sam Deering – info@dacorum.greenparty.org.uk

Bennetts End – David Lillywhite - info@dacorum.greenparty.org.uk

Berkhamstead Castle – Paul de Hoest - info@dacorum.greenparty.org.uk

Berkhamstead East – Rebecca Mckenzie - info@dacorum.greenparty.org.uk

Berkhamstead West – Mary Hardinge - info@dacorum.greenparty.org.uk

Bovingdon, Flaunden & Chipperfield – Wiebka Carr - info@dacorum.greenparty.org.uk

Chaulden & Warners End – Sam Buckton - info@dacorum.greenparty.org.uk

Gadebridge – Suzanne Watts - info@dacorum.greenparty.org.uk