BJ is PM today

BJ is PM today.
If the EU doesn't re-open the Withdrawal Agreement and he fails to suspend parliament to leave without a "deal" (both of which I believe will happen) then Boris has to push the most radical right wing and populist policies possible to keep Brexit voters content in advance of the next General Election. His appointments indicate this. That way he'll nick some of those Brexit Party votes to stay in power.
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Tags croydon, greenparty

Green Wave all across the country

1. A couple of weeks back, I was lucky enough to be standing for election when the wave rushed through the country. A record number of councillors were elected locally and nationally. Greens jumped from 178 to a dizzying 362 councillors. Regrettably, it was bad luck that this alliterative alignment of circumstances - namely Brexit bollocks and climate catastrophe - didn't occur when I was a target candidate in Croydon and Sutton!
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3. The ward on Regiate and Banstead council I was standing in polled the following:

1. Chipstead, Kingswood and Woodmansterne

Tim Archer	Conservative	1422
Simon Parnell	Conservative	1277
Maria Neame	Conservative	1207
Shasha Khan	Green Party	642
Eileen Hannah	Liberal Democrat	545
Gerry Heaver	UKIP	367
Ian Thirlwell	Labour	357

1. Only the top three candidates were duly elected as councillors so I missed out, but the results were amazing. Greens doubled the number of councillors on Reigate and Banstead to six to become the leading opposition party. The target seats were all comfortably won. The Tories dropped to 29 seats.

Alongside Green Councillor Jonathan Essex. Photo taken just outside the Count. At the time we were hopeful that all six target councillors were elected.

1. My old campaign aide, Martyn Post, sent a succinct and precise explanation of the Green Wave in a Whats App message:

• Dissatisfaction with the two main parties (Brexit shambles)
• Remainers turning out, with left leaning remainers choosing Green over Labour
• Good local camapigns with activists who joined during the green surge and stayed
• Extinction Rebellion 's recent highlighting of climate change and need for action

I saw a tweet by London activist Benali Hamdache (copied and pasted below). His explanation covers five areas:

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2. 5) We selected community champions So many of our candidates have been active locally for years. They’ve built networks. They’re well liked. They’re invested in where they live.

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3. Benali Hamdache‏ @greenbenali May 3
   

   4) Finally a spotlight XR & the People’s Vote have finally given the Greens air time. We’ve been able to capitalise on key issues that we’re authentic and trusted on. Fair coverage during the Euros should do the same

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4. Benali Hamdache‏ @greenbenali May 3
   

   3) it wasn’t all Brexit Lots of wards Greens have won in are deprived or neglected. Greens have worked hard to connect with communities that felt poorly served by elected figures. For lots of areas they’ve never had regular ward campaigns. Greens were there as local champions

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5. Benali Hamdache‏ @greenbenali May 3
   

   2) The time was right Brexit has shook loose party loyalty in a way never seen before. Remainers and Leavers we’re absolutely sick to death of the main two parties. Greens used the time to actually engage with local communities and win voters over

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6. Benali Hamdache‏ @greenbenali May 3
   

   1) The professionalisation of the Party is here. Finally we have the membership, the experience and the funds to put together serious campaigns. Our field staff team are excellent and deserve a lot of plaudits today

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Candidate for Chipstead, Hooley and Woodmansterne

I received an email from Inside Croydon asking if I knew of any former Croydon candidates standing  on the local elections. *London doesn't have any elections in 2019. I sent this reply:

Yes, I am one of those ex-Croydon now standing for Reigate and Banstead council. My home ward is Chipstead, Kingswood and Woodmansterne.

I've lived in Woodmansterne - which has a railway station actually in Croydon - for three years now.

Greens actually get elected in these areas! This is down to hard work and recognition for ther hard work. There are three Greens elected here in Redhill East (2) and Earlswood & Whitebushes(1) wards.

I haven't had an opportunity to get out that much but the activists tell me canvassing returns suggest the Green vote stronger than ever.

The local agent told me she expects turnout to be low as Conservative voters stay away because of Brexit. The local MP Crispin Blunt - a Leaver - took the unprecedented step of putting out a statement asking voters not to punish local Tory councillors because of Brexit. Local Tories have stopped canvassing because of the doorstep fury they have received over the issue.

https://www.blunt4reigate.com/news/local-elections-2-may-eve-poll-statement

Green canvassers are still noting concern about affordable housing and Green Belt development on the doorstep, but also for the first time Climate Change is being mentioned as an issue. Extinction Rebellion, Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough have pushed the issue to the fore of voters minds.

Given there are three councillors to be elected this time around, it will be interesting to see how the results pan out in my ward as the only party putting up three candidates are the unpopular Conservatives. Other parties such as Greens or UKIP could benefit from split votes.

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WIll this all end in Civil War? It can't do.

Today my family and I are going to the the Peoples Vote March in Central London. I am not paid up member of the 2nd referendum brigade because I am more concerned about how we heal the divisions that have become so starkly noticeable as a result of Brexit.

We went to the previous rally and I felt the mood was more disillusionment with Brexit, because if there was a referendum and a Remain type option won - it will only anger those that voted LEAVE in June 2016.

I met, by chance, a consultant who works for financial institutions. Presently these institutions are  looking for guidance on what is likely to happen with regard to Brexit. This senior individual noted many similarities with Trump in USA and Brexit in UK. I jested with the consultant that in years to come, maybe we will look back at this time whilst in the midst of a civil war, wondering why we didn't do more to bridge the two sides of the Brexit debate. To my surprise the consultant didn't dismiss civil war out of hand.

Surely we can't end up in a civil war. Civil unrest, maybe. Brexit headbangers are openly ringing up radio stations such as LBC and talking up civil unrest if Brexit doesn't happen in the particular way they want it to happen; On the Today Programme on yesterday, Nigel Farage used the word 'fight' with regard to  defending Brexit when being interviewed by Mishal Husain; and countless MPs are being called traitor by Brexit headbangers outside the Houses of Parliament. Are these the the early signs of something more frightening. I keep hearing the army are on standby.

I was talking to an Egyptian friend of mine, he made the observation that civil unrest starts when a rally or march gets attacked by the opposite side. Could this happen today??

Interestingly, a Professor of Political Economy has noted similarities between the Brexit divide and the English Civil War. They are mainly geographical, but the semblance is apparent in other elements.

The above is all hypothetical, but sometimes I wonder how is this going to end?


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Tags croydon, greenparty

Media just as much to blame for the Brexshit we're in.

Brexiters who are in the media or national politics are either stupid or pandering to their audience. So say I! Those who are radio presenters are essentially audio journalists, much like a reporter for the Daily Express. The readership of the Daily Express expects an anti-immigration slant OR pro-Brexit twist so the reporter writes a story to fit.

The same HAS to apply for radio presenters. They are in the numbers business. A commercial radio station is almost entirely interested in listening figures. No listeners = no advertising revenue.

I remember Iain Dale back in June 2016 maintaining a position of 'undecided' on the IN/OUT question. He finally backed Leave - at least publicly. At the time I thought this wasn't an action based on sound logic, unless one has calculated that for commercial reasons it would be better not to lose your audience.

So, when Danny Dyer famously blasted David Cameron I scanned the debate with interest, especially when Iain Dale tried to make capital out of it. I might be wrong about Dale in my assertion but I doubt it. In he full exchange he tries add weight to 'idiotic tweet' jibe at me.

Take a look at @IainDale's Tweet: https://twitter.com/IainDale/status/1012685399666429953?s=09


------------------------------------------------ Tags croydon, greenparty

Election results from 2018

Private Eye

The result in Beddington North was quite a surprise to many observers. Councillor Nick Mattey, formerly a Liberal Democrat, latterly a Green managed to get re-elected as an Independent with two other councillors. This news also managed to get into Private Eye magazine (above).

I chatted to Nick Mattey (his graphic above - poor spelling of my name) throughout the campaign. Our involvement in the Stop The Incinerator campaign has resulted in a friendship.

Independents getting elected in London is an amazing phenomenon. However, the election of these three in Beddington North was not a complete surprise:

1) Nick Mattey has been an active councillor in Beddington North. People know him. He has fully canvassed the households in the ward. If he wasn't a sitting councillor it would have been almost impossible to achieve success.

2) The Lib Dems in Sutton are serial leafleters around election time. Nick managed to orchastrate a campaign which exceeded the Lib Dems in terms of sheer volume and cost. I know he spoke to the Electoral Commission to work out how he could spend his way to success.

3) Voters are cynical about politicians more than ever before. Voters are learning that voting for a political party doesn't mean 'X'. It could mean 'Y'. For example, if you are a BREXIT voter, which political party represents your voice? The people of Beddington North have experienced deceit on an unprecedented scale. It was logical to turn to three residents who, total combined, have lived in the ward for many decades.

The 1.96 per cent votes I polled was to be expected given Green votes were probably going to the three Independents. This coupled with the fact that I don't actually live in the borough and both Labour and the Conservatives threw everything at the ward to win these three vulnerable Lib Dem seats suggests the result was fair.  On average Green candidates polled between 2 and 3 per cent in Sutton.

Election count at Westcroft Leisure Centre

I took the above picture at the Count. Nick Mattey is in the foreground. You can see the other tables have finished counting but because of the Independents - bundled in with the split votes - the counting continued long after other wards had declared.

Meanwhile,

CHIPSTEAD, HOOLEY AND WOODMANSTERNE

TIM ARCHER - CONSERVATIVE - 1357

PETER PARROTT - LABOUR - 276

CHRIS HOWELL - LIB DEM - 196

SHASHA KHAN - GREEN - 183

JAMES CLACK - UKIP - 122

The result in Chipstead, Hooley and Woodmansterne was completely expected. The Tory won by landslide. Interestingly less than 100 votes separated the other candidates.

Scoring a similar margin of victory to the Conservative was the irrepressible Jonathan Essex in Redhill East ward. He is one of the legends in the UK Green party. More good news was the election of Hal Brown in Earlswood and Whitebushes. Full details here.

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Beddington North AND Chipstead Hooley and Woodmansterne

Full list of candidates for Beddington North

I've been leafleting with colleagues in Beddington North ward in London borough of Sutton. As usual the Lib Dems are manically leafleting the ward to hold onto their three councillors. The result this time is uncertain. My logic is that if people are concerned with the incinerator, which is located in the ward, they shouldn't look further than someone who has fought 10 years to to stop it. The above newspaper article is from 2009 and I am using it at a basis for the final leaflet. Labour and the Tories also think they will win this ward. Basically, everyone standing genuinely thinks they can win and this will lower the threshold to finish in the top three.

Anti-incinerator campaigner Nick Mattey is standing as an independent with two others and he is throwing everything into the campaign. Nick is bit like Marmite, not everyone's favourite yeast base spread.

I bumped into him when leafleting and it was good that we still have good respect for each other even though we in a battle to win the seat.

Me and Nick Mattey

I am also standing in Reigate and Banstead council elections in my home ward.

Tags croydon, greenparty

Incinerator burns

Photo credit: Peter Alfrey

I can't begin to explain how sad this image makes me feel.

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Tags croydon, greenparty