The Green Party has made history by winning four seats in the general election. The party took Bristol Central off Labour, two seats in the former Conservative leaning Waveney Valley and North Herefordshire and retained Brighton Pavilion. The party says that the quadrupling of Green MPs is the result of solid and positive campaigning on the ground in all the target constituencies, a campaign supported by hundreds of volunteers who “relentlessly pounded the streets for months and weeks” in the run up to the general election.
Carla Denyer, the new MP for Bristol Central, said:
“The Green Party has made history. First and foremost, we say thank you to the voters who have put their trust in us. This is an incredible breakthrough, quadrupling our number of MPs. These victories, together with a doubling of our 2019 vote share to over 7% and the fact we came second in 39 seats in England and Wales, shows clearly that people have embraced the chance to choose real hope and real change right across the country, in both urban and rural settings.
“I am so delighted that voters in Bristol Central have chosen me to be their MP. This was a hard-fought battle, and I pay tribute to Thangam Debbonaire for her time as a hard-working MP here.
“I love this city. Bristol is different, distinctive and dynamic and I feel deeply honoured that so many voters have chosen me to represent them in parliament.”
Adrian Ramsay, who won in the new seat of Waveney Valley said:
“This is the first time someone other than a Conservative MP has represented this part of the country. With a Green MP, Mid Suffolk District Council having a Green majority and Greens being elected to councils across the region, the map of East Anglia is being redrawn. Gone is the sea of blue to be replaced by swathes of Green.
“I will be an active local MP, focused on representing Waveney Valley while pressing the new government to be bolder on the action needed to restore public services and defend the environment.”
Ellie Chowns who also won her seat from the Conservatives in North Herefordshire, said:
“It was clear that the Conservatives had become deeply unpopular, but this result had more to do with the Greens’ positive offer, one which looked at how investment in our health, care and dental services, affordable housing as well as our commitment to cleaning up our rivers and addressing the climate and natures crises can improve the lives of everyone.”
“Our role now is to challenge the Labour government to be better and we will strive to do that every day.”
Sian Berry, who retained Brighton Pavilion, where Greens have held the seat since 2010, said:
“I am so delighted that voters in Brighton Pavilion have chosen to keep their city Green, electing a Green MP for the fifth time in a row. I am hugely proud of this city and its desire to challenge the status quo.
“It is also fantastic to know that we have quadrupled our number of MPs and that I will be working alongside three amazing colleagues. That’s four times the influence and energy to work constructively with the new Labour government on some of our shared goals while pushing them to be bolder where we think their ambition is lacking. Greens will be pushing the policies for a fairer economy, to mend our broken public services, and for serious action on the climate and nature crises.
“We pay tribute to the hundreds of volunteers who came from far and wide and relentlessly pounded the streets for months and weeks in the run up to the general election. Thank you for your incredible support – these results would not have been possible without you.”
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