24 Jul 2009

Greens win by-election in shock defeat for Tories

GRN 1,456 - 38.5% (+17.6%) GRN GAIN FROM CON

CON 1,104 - 29.2% (-0.9%)

LAB 816 - 21.5% (-6.8%)

LD 280 - 7.4% (-7.32%)

UKIP 129 - 3.4% N/A (others 6% last time)



*Hove election win opens way to Westminster victory*
24 July 2009

Greens in Brighton and Hove are jubilant at winning the strategically
important Goldsmid by-election in Hove, taking the seat from the Tories.

The result sees the election of the first Green councillor, Alex
Phillips, from Hove to Brighton and Hove City Council
and deprives the Tories of their majority on the council.

Caroline Lucas, national Green Party leader, said, "This is a
spectacular win.

"It signals an unstoppable surge to elect the first Green MP at
Westminster, whenever Gordon decides to go to the country.

"With this result, we're on the threshold of taking Green politics to the
heart of Westminster."

Alex Phillips said, "Thank you to all the voters who put their faith in
me. It's a ringing endorsement of Green policies and the work of Green
councillors locally.

"I will be hardworking and unswerving in my task of representing local
people and delivering positive Green change."

"Hopefully this means we can put pressure on the Tories and concentrate
on our policies of a 20mph speed limit and introducing a living wage,
which is more than the current minimum wage."

Councillor Bill Randall, convenor of the Green councillors on the city
council, said, "With my council colleagues, we'll be reviewing the
options and consulting our membership to ensure that we get the best,
greenest deal for local residents. Between us we will do what is right
in these very difficult times."

Alex won 38.5% of the votes -an increase of 17% over the last time the
seat was contested with a swing of more than 12% from Labour to Green.

Full result

GRN 1,456 - 38.5% (+17.6%) GRN GAIN FROM CON

CON 1,104 - 29.2% (-0.9%)

LAB 816 - 21.5% (-6.8%)

LD 280 - 7.4% (-7.32%)

UKIP 129 - 3.4% N/A (others 6% last time)

2 comments:

Tony Greenstein said...

I agree it's good news Derek, though Brighton Greens aren't the most left-wing bunch!

However I would caution against extrapolating from the local council to parliamentary seats. People are prepared to vote Green for the council but not for national politics. There are also deep swathes of Hove which are bedrock Tory and it is a certainty, especially after the local New Labour MP Celia Barlow was caught out doing her home up in the expenses scandal that the Tories will romp home.

A better possibility will be Brighton Pavilion where the Greens came second in the General Election.

Derek Wall said...

I think you may have caught me out confusing Hove with Brighton!

I still think it bodes well for the General Election for Brighton Pavilion....I don't think the Green Party is quite in the running for Hove at the General Election.

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