Proportional representation letters in the local paper

19.05.10

Dear Editor (Croydon Guardian) - above left

Thank you to all the discerning readers of this paper who voted Green on May 6^th. You all voted for what you believe in. Now that the dust has settled, analysis of the council and general election results shows that both the Conservative and Labour Parties successfully reminded their traditional voters, “If you don’t vote for us, the other lot, - the party you really don’t want - get in”. This is best demonstrated by the Labour doorstep slogan, “Vote Green, get blue.”

We heard throughout the election campaign, and the hallowed leaders TV debates’, that we need a new politics. Yet, Labour and the Conservatives benefit from using the politics of fear to win seats, especially in an area like Croydon which is split geographically into a red north and blue south. Its is clear the only solution to our archaic and unfair voting system is genuine proportional representation. This will add value to every vote in the borough. Rather than bouncing back and forth between dictatorships of one shade or another, Croydon would have a more consensus-oriented system, where every serious issue is debated widely and the general public is much more engaged.

Closer examination of the council elections shows that Labour has one councillor for every 4670 votes cast, and the Conservatives one councillor per 4839. Meanwhile the Green Party polled 31470 votes for zero seats; the Lib Dems faired even worse. We need proportional representation now!

Yours sincerely

Shasha Khan

Croydon Green Party

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21.05.10

Dear Editor (Croydon Advertiser) - above right

On Election week, a letter (on this page) from Mr. Bowker from Thornton Heath noted the turnout in the local elections would double because it was “more than 100 years ago, if ever, that the local elections in London were last held on the same day as a general election,” and he wondered “how this will effect the result”.

Well, we now know Croydon is now split geographically into a red north and blue south because the big two successfully deployed the politics of fear.

Conservative and Labour Parties successfully reminded their traditional voters, “If you don’t vote for us, the other lot, - the party you really don’t want - get in”; and this tactic had an additional affect of shoring up their vote in the locals, too.

It is clear the only solution to our archaic and unfair voting system is genuine proportional representation. This will add value to every vote in the borough and engage the general public in between elections. Moreover, closer examination of the local elections shows that Labour has one councillor for every 4670 votes cast, and the Conservatives one councillor per 4839. Meanwhile the Green Party polled 31470 votes for zero seats; the Lib Dems faired even worse. We need proportional representation now!

Yours sincerely

Shasha Khan

Croydon Green Party

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Letter sent to the papers thanking Green voters

Dear Editor

On behalf of the three Green Party Parliamentary candidates and our 70 local election candidates, may I through your letters page thank all the Croydon electorate who came out and voted on May 6th, and especially those who voted Green. The response to the televised leaders' debates clearly led to much tactical voting, yet so many of you still voted with the courage of your convictions. Hopefully with a reformed electoral system next time round, we will achieve more than just one Green Party MP at Westminster.

Thanks are also due to the Electoral Services staff at the Town Hall. They had two major elections to manage simultaneously and worked all hours of the day and night to ensure their smooth running, whilst remaining unfailingly helpful and courteous.

Yours sincerely

Bernice Golberg
Croydon Green Party Election Agent

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Thoughts on the May 2010 elections

Minutes before this photo was taken (6.05am, Friday 7th May), Caroline Lucas was duly elected MP for Brighton Pavilion

RANDOM THOUGHTS ON THE LOCAL AND GENERAL ELECTIONS

• My own vote in the 2007 Bensham Manor by Election was 240; in 2010 it is 1194. I guess this is recognition of three years of local activity. Our realistic local ambitions revolved around ensuring everyone in the borough could vote Green, and this was achieved through the full slate. If the local election was not on the same day as the General Election I may have got in.
• My everlasting memory of the 2010 General Election took place at 6.05am on the morning after the day before. Whilst on stage for the declaration of results for the Croydon North constituency, with Bernice Golberg (Croydon Green Party’s super-agent), we spotted the results of Brighton Pavilion come through on the TV screens around the room….AND HOW WE REJOICED ON THE STAGE AND ON THE FLOOR, whilst Labour MP Malcolm Wicks berated the Conservative candidate Jason Hadden.
• Finally, people around the country will get to see there is visionary alternative to the almost identical LibLabCon trick, and that you can put forward sustainable and progressive solutions to the problems we all face. Solutions that do not put profit before people or planet.
• I am my worst critic normally BUT I could even see that whilst nationally our vote took a squeeze, the Green vote in Croydon held up fairly well. Gordon Ross’ vote in Croydon South was 1.74% from a standing start (no candidate stood in 2005). As far as I can make out, the Green vote in Croydon North (1.97%) was the highest for any outer London borough.
• The Presidential style leaders' debate had a major influence on both the General and Council elections. The apparent self interest nature of politicians from Conservative, Labour and Lib Dem parties had been exposed in the MP expenses scandal. To counter widespread disillusionment, the three parties leaders turned this election into and ‘X’ Factor style affair, billed as Brown V Cameron V Clegg, switching the emphasis to the personalities rather than parties. The fact that there was little choice between the three on either social or economic spectrum was largely accepted by the media. Suddenly people were engaged again. The stay at home Labour voters in Croydon North, of which Bensham Manor is one of the 8 wards, got to see Dave Cameron in action for 270 minutes beside Gordon Brown, although they would have needed just 2.7 minutes to reach this conclusion: If they failed to vote, David Cameron – who clearly didn’t look, think or talk like them - could end up as their next Prime Minister. However, not for over 100 years (and possibly more) had the local elections in London fallen on the same day as the General Election. This meant the turnout in the ‘locals’ doubled automatically. Hence, Labour regained the seats they lost north of the borough and the Conservatives south of the borough were re-elected with even bigger vote shares – the TV debates conversely shoring up the anti-Brown vote. WE NEED PR!!!!!!!!!
• I spoke to a residents in Bensham Manor on the night of one of the TV Leaders debates who told me their votes will be decided on the performance of the three leaders on show. I asked if this would apply to the council election as well, to which they replied “yes”. I then spent about 15 minutes explaining everything they needed to know in order to at least make an informed decision about how best to use their council votes.
• One Labour councillor commented, "you’ve done very well in Bensham Manor", referring to all the posters, "you have built up a presence in the area". The fantastic thing about the campaign is that it stirred those living in Bensham Manor into greater activity. They realise that it has been the Green Party that has been knocking on doors throughout the year, supporting and informing local people. Those that were previously just passive voters asked if they could put up a poster; those that were active supporters became members; those that were just members have become candidates. I am very positive about the future.

by Shasha Khan

Green Party candidate for Croydon North

Green Party candidate for Bensham Manor ward.

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Local and General Election results.

Plenty of thoughts running through my head. Until I get a chance to put them down, here are a couple of links:

Full local results can be viewed on the Croydon Council web site and a summary of all the parliamentary seats the Green Party contested can be viewed here.

Green Party percentages in the local elections in Croydon

Bensham Manor - 15.87% (North)
Thornton Heath- 10.93% (North)
South Norwood- 10.33% (North)
West Thornton- 8.54% (North)
Upper Norwood- 8.40% (North)
Sanderstead- 8.33% (South)
Waddon- 8.16% (South)
Selhurst- 7.91% (North)
Ashburton- 7.77% (Central)
Woodside- 7.59% (Central)
Kenley- 7.58% (South)
New Addington- 7.27% (Central)
Shirley- 7.16% (Central)
Norbury- 6.96% (North)
Heathfield- 6.58% (Central)
Croham- 6.57% (South)
Fairfield- 6.23% (Central)
Addiscombe- 5.70% (Central)
Broad Green- 5.38% (North)
Coulsdon West- 5.13% (South)
Purley- 4.83% (South)
Coulsdon East- 4.55% (South)
Selsdon & Ballards- 4.04% (South)
Fieldway- 2.82% (Central)

I also recommend John Cartwright's web site.
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Tags croydon, greenparty

Letter on council elections

Dear Editor,

It is very important that the local elections in Croydon on May 6^th do not get overshadowed by the General Election on the same day. Presently, there is a fixation on the Westminister parties that are contesting the national elections, especially with regard to the TV leader debates. In actual fact, there is very little to choose between Tory, Labour and the Lib Dems, when one considers their social and economic leanings. Here in Croydon, the third party is not the Lib Dems but the Green Party. The Lib Dems are putting up 46 candidates in the borough. This compares to the 70 candidates the Green Party is standing for council – a full slate. This dramatic rise from 19 in 2006 reflects a growing support, confidence and interest in the Croydon Green Party. Voters are becoming more acutely aware that a principled party, fighting for a fairer Croydon is needed, because a council made up entirely of Tories and Labour is unhealthy for local democracy.

Candidates standing for the Green Party come from all backgrounds. For example, Esther Sutton, standing in Fairfield, is the award winning landlady of the Green Dragon pub; Andy Bebington, standing in Shirley, is the Chair of Croydon Citizens Advice Bureau; Elizabeth DeZoysa is Treasurer of Norbury Residents Association; and Esther Obiri-Darko, standing in Thornton Heath, is the partner of bio-truck explorer Andy Pag. All our candidates recognise that thriving communities within Croydon are dependent on principled politicians who choose: local independent shops above branded supermarkets; measures to ensure we build are a caring society - one that is fairer; and finally, a greener local economy that will withstand the pressures of a future of ever increasing energy prices.

Yours sincerely

Shasha Khan

Green Party candidate for Croydon North and Bensham Manor ward

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Croydon Guardian coverage

Given that the Lib Dems have only 46 candidates standing and the Greens have 70, the Croydon Guardian rightfully see the local elections as threeway battle between the Tories, Labour and the Green Party.

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Coverage of the full slate

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Which party will get your vote on 6th May?

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Tags croydon, greenparty