A Day in Brighton

After being up to an hour late I didn't really know what to expect when I entered Brighton. A group of activists from South London had met Cllr Simon Williams at the station already, I managed to make my way to the Brighton Green Party headquarters and as soon as I entered the office I was immediately hit by the scale of the operation, the professionalism of the party and just how organised the campaign was.
A couple of friendly activists helped me sort myself out and took me to where I was supposed to be, firstly helping to hand out the local Green Party newspaper, "GreenLeaf". I was lucky enough to meet the hard working MEP Caroline Lucas who was down to give her support to the Brighton campaign.

After handing out a few newspapers I met up with local activist Dave Walsh and a fellow traveler, Andrea Hughes, down from Lewisham for the day to deliver GreenLeafs. I spoke to a couple of residents who seemed very happy to be getting Green Party literature and wished the party well.
The Brighton Greens are a beacon of what a successful Green Party grouping is capable of, the candidates at last General Election in all 3 Brighton seats saved there deposits, with Cllr Keith Taylor taking 22% of the vote. Currently they have 6 local councilors and significant gains are expected by the party and independent onlookers (yet Labour leaflets still insist the Greens can't win!). With only 6 councilors they have still been able to put a lot of pressure on the Labour council, such pressure has led to the greening of developments, fairer secondary school admissions process, ensuring children from poorer families get the chance to go to the best schools in the local area and much work has been done to help protect small and independent traders in the town.
The Brighton Greens show that a Green vote is not a wasted vote, this is why I urge all voters disillusioned with Blair's Britain in Croydon to vote for real progressive and positive change in your local community. Help us elect YOUR first Green Councilor in Croydon... Lewisham and neighbouring Lambeth have both done it and so can you. Next time anyone from Labour tells you a Green vote is a waste, point out to them the success of the Greens in Brighton!
I also urge all local Green Party members to make the journey down to Brighton for an afternoon and help out with some leafleting or canvassing.... I assure you it will not be a wasted afternoon!


Martyn Post

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Tags brighton, greenparty