As the year comes to an end, thoughts turn to politics in 2009. The next big electoral test for the Green Party is in less than six months - the European Elections. Proportional representation at this election means that every vote counts.
To get our region's first Green MEP we need only win over a few thousand voters from each of the LibDems, Labour and UKIP. In total we should only need 10% of the vote. It is that simple.
We are looking to gain votes from all sides. We expect to win a lot of votes that the LibDems got in 2004 - we have come a long way in this region since then, and they have slipped back. But we also expect to take Labour votes, with the government unpopular and partly responsible for a dreadful recession. Conservative-leaning voters who actually want to CONSERVE things -- rather than to rip up the countryside and pollute the wholoe country, as Conservatives do when they are in power -- would be well-advised to support us...and UKIP won two seats last time! We are aiming to take at least one of those.
The key issue for me is the need for a 'Green new deal' - a green jobs revolution to stabilise the economy, stop the spectre of mass unemployment, generate long term savings (on fuel, for example), and help our environment in the process. We will also be talking quite a lot in the campaign about British Green Party MEPs' strong record on ethics and integrity, how to end the wasting of time and money in Strasbourg, and the scandalous amount of corporate lobbying in Brussels.
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