Highs and lows: Green party
It may be one of the oldest national environmentalist parties in the world, but the Green party of England and Wales has still not yet elected an MP. It is pouring its resources into three key seats: will any of them, including Caroline Lucas’ in Brighton Pavilion, see the Greens make the breakthrough? Follow their trials and tribulations throughout the campaign here.
High
February 19th: Lucas rallies the troops – Activists at the party’s conference in north London were encouraged towards a “historic breakthrough” by Lucas, who said Norwich South, Lewisham and Cambridge were all potential breakthrough seats for the party.
High
March 15th: Over 300 candidates confirmed – With 279 candidates already selected and more to come, the Greens were able to boost an electoral presence they have simply not had before. London Greens will contest every seat in the capital, with the south-west the strongest of the regions.
High
March 26th: Heathrow’s third runway ‘dead’ – Greens celebrated as a high court ruling set back the development of a third runway for years – demonstrating the effectiveness of the environmental lobby.
Low
March 31st: Climategate report rubbished – MPs undermined Green arguments by criticising the University of East Anglia over the scientists at the centre of the ‘climategate’ row. Climate scientists were criticised, however for being secretive about data showing a link between human activity and global warming.
High
April 13th: Bookmakers back Lucas – Paddy Power placed the odds at 4-7 in favour of the Green party getting their first Westminster seat.
High
April 21st: London manifesto launch – The Greens’ chief hope in the capital, Darren Johnson of Lewisham and Deptford, got a boost from his party’s London manifesto launch. It included a £6 billion jobs programme.
