It is not just in Britain that we Greens are moving forward
Readers, I am pleased to say that not just in Britain, but also British Commonwealth nations (many of which still have first-past-the-post electoral systems), Green Parties are moving forwards and making strides.
The state of Victoria, Australia, held a legislative election yesterday, which resulted in the Liberals losing power after only one term, a significant blow to Australia's rabidly anti-green, neoliberal Prime Minister, Tony Abbott (now ex-Liberal Premier of Victoria, Denis Napthine, was overheard blaming Tony Abbott for his defeat, apparently). More importantly, though, our Green counterparts in Australia won their first assembly seat in the division of Melbourne, covering an area Adam Bandt (the only current Green MP in Australia's federal House of Representatives) represents. I give my thanks to the successful Australian Green in question, Ellen Sandell, who at just 30 years of age has made that significant breakthrough. They also nearly gained the division of Richmond from Labor.
The Australian Greens also gained two more seats in the Victoria legislature's upper house, the Legislative Council, and would have gained more had it not been for the quirk in Australia's particular STV system, which allowed unconventional single-issue parties such as the Australian Sex Party and the Shooters and Fishers Party to gain seats despite a comparative lack of support. In federal and state by-elections, the Australian Greens have also made comparatively good strides.
Elsewhere in British Commonwealth nations, the Green Party of Canada two months earlier
managed to win only its second state-level assembly seat in New Brunswick-David Coon won the riding of Fredericton South, and the New Brunswick Greens finished second in the safely Liberal riding of Kent North. I hope this will encourage the Green Party of Canada to contest harder when Canada's next federal election comes around sometime next year.
Meanwhile, back in the UK, the various Green Parties combined (GPEW, SGP, GPNI) have now overtaken the Liberal Democrats in terms of prospective parliamentary candidates selected across the country-keep up the good work :)
Alan.
UPDATE: The Australian Greens, via Sam Hibbins, also won Prahran from the Liberals in the lower house of Victoria in the Victoria state election I mentioned.
The state of Victoria, Australia, held a legislative election yesterday, which resulted in the Liberals losing power after only one term, a significant blow to Australia's rabidly anti-green, neoliberal Prime Minister, Tony Abbott (now ex-Liberal Premier of Victoria, Denis Napthine, was overheard blaming Tony Abbott for his defeat, apparently). More importantly, though, our Green counterparts in Australia won their first assembly seat in the division of Melbourne, covering an area Adam Bandt (the only current Green MP in Australia's federal House of Representatives) represents. I give my thanks to the successful Australian Green in question, Ellen Sandell, who at just 30 years of age has made that significant breakthrough. They also nearly gained the division of Richmond from Labor.
The Australian Greens also gained two more seats in the Victoria legislature's upper house, the Legislative Council, and would have gained more had it not been for the quirk in Australia's particular STV system, which allowed unconventional single-issue parties such as the Australian Sex Party and the Shooters and Fishers Party to gain seats despite a comparative lack of support. In federal and state by-elections, the Australian Greens have also made comparatively good strides.
Elsewhere in British Commonwealth nations, the Green Party of Canada two months earlier
managed to win only its second state-level assembly seat in New Brunswick-David Coon won the riding of Fredericton South, and the New Brunswick Greens finished second in the safely Liberal riding of Kent North. I hope this will encourage the Green Party of Canada to contest harder when Canada's next federal election comes around sometime next year.
Meanwhile, back in the UK, the various Green Parties combined (GPEW, SGP, GPNI) have now overtaken the Liberal Democrats in terms of prospective parliamentary candidates selected across the country-keep up the good work :)
Alan.
UPDATE: The Australian Greens, via Sam Hibbins, also won Prahran from the Liberals in the lower house of Victoria in the Victoria state election I mentioned.
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