The co-leaders of the National Green Party, Caroline Lucas and Jonathan Bartley, have written to the leaders of the Labour and Liberal Democrats urging them to unite to stop the Tories ‘wrecking Britain’. Lucas and Bartley are calling for a meeting between party leaders to discuss ways to beat the Tories at the General Election and deliver a fairer voting system. We are waiting to see if there is any interest from Labour and Liberal Democrats.
Stroud District Green Party has confirmed that locally Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud Green Parties have also opened discussion with local Labour and Liberal Democrat parties. This follows a suggestion by Molly Scott Cato MEP on national radio last week; that if in Gloucestershire rather than splitting the vote, Labour concentrated on Gloucester, the Liberal Democrats in Cheltenham and the Greens in Stroud, it would be possible to elect one Green, one Liberal Democrat and one Labour MP, rather than the current three Conservatives – to the benefit of everyone.
In a nutshell, the Stroud, Gloucester and Cheltenham Green parties are prepared to co-operate, but it cannot be one sided. So the question for Labour and Liberal Democrats, is whether they are prepared to engage!
In the meantime, we have the best candidate in Stroud Cllr Sarah Lunnon, who was selected earlier in the year in case of a snap election, who is primed to be elected to Parliament and is raring to go.
But until May 4th, she will be campaigning hard to get Eva Ward in Stroud Central , Rachel Smith in Minchinhampton and Alan Mossman in Painswick and Bisley elected to the County Council.
The Green Party has a positive vision for the future of this country, a fairer more equal society and a tolerant, outward looking Britain.