The Green Party General Election candidates covering the BaNES area, Dom Tristram (Bath), Edmund Cannon (NE Somerset and Hanham) and Martin Dimery (Frome and East Somerset) were all present for the launch of the national Green Party campaign. The launch took place in Bristol, where the party now leads the Council after winning every seat in the Bristol Central constituency.
Co-leader, and parliamentary candidate for Bristol Central, Carla Denyer told the audience:
“Across the country, people now have the chance to vote for real hope and real change.
“Our politics is broken, our public services are on their knees and people are worse off now than when the Conservatives came to power 14 years ago.
The case for change is obvious, but it has to be real change that offers real hope. Half measures and broken pledges will not do.
“The Conservatives are clearly on their way out of government, but Labour is failing to offer the real change needed.
“We have the practical solutions to the cost-of-living crisis, building new affordable homes, protecting our NHS from creeping privatisation and cleaning up our toxic rivers and seas.”
Co-leader Adrian Ramsay, who is standing in the new Waveney Valley constituency on the Norfolk/Suffolk border, said:
“After so much damage by the outgoing Conservative government, we need more than a few tweaks from a new Labour government. Green MPs will push the next government for bold action to achieve the real changes that are needed to confront the big challenges our country faces.
“Over the past five years, we have increased the number of councillors five-fold. Greens have dramatically increased our number of councillors elected, from here in Bristol, to councils across Waveney Valley and from Newcastle to Hastings.
Martin Dimery, the Green candidate for Frome And East Somerset, said:
“With the Greens leading the way on the Somerset Council election results in the Frome area, we’re hoping to be able to build on our growing support in BaNES to win the seat in the new Frome and East Somerset constituency which incorporates Radstock and Midsomer Norton. Canvassing, so far has been really encouraging.”
Edmund Cannon, the candidate for NE Somerset & Hanham, said:
“While desperately needing a radical change to address the challenges facing us today, neither the Labour Party nor the Liberal Democrats have shown any real interest in giving us that possibility, especially in this new constituency. This election gives voters in this area a chance to show that their support for the Green Party as we show that we have answers to questions that the old parties would rather ignore. As a professional economist, I could bring the technical skills needed to get a better housing policy, a better NHS and better regulation of our water companies.”
Dom Tristram, the Green candidate for Bath, said:
“This election is a chance for voters all over Bath and NE Somerset to make an active choice for real hope and real change. With the collapse of the Conservative vote we know that voters all over our area can vote freely for the change they want to see. We need Green MPs to make sure that a Labour government is kept in-check and make sure that the vital changes people and the planet need are not forgotten.
“Bath and NE Somerset saw record Green results recently in the local elections and the Greens and the Lib Dems are now the only parties with councillors in the city. We know the Lib Dems are likely to win in the general election, but the most powerful message voters can give is to put Greens in second place.
“Much as Green MPs can influence a Labour government, if the Lib Dems know that their main competitor in Bath is the party that has the strongest message on the environment, putting public services back into public hands, and putting an end to the politics of austerity, it is likely to influence how they act in parliament and on the council.
“For the first time in many years the polls show that the Conservatives cannot win in Bath. There’s no need for a ‘tactical’ vote. This is the time to vote for what you believe in.”