Elections are a central activity for politicians. Without an election victory we can’t get on with our work. So months of activity focus on election day and weeks of canvassing (visiting voters to speak to them and hear their concerns) are carried out.
It was therefore a great result when the votes were finally counted, and my fellow ward Green councillor, Fi Hance, and I secured substantial majorities at the May elections
Elections are always team efforts: people leafleting, canvassing, helping on polling day, designing literature, processing data, and so on. And of course voters! We therefore owe thanks to all the helpers, supporters, voters and others who took part in the recent election. Both of us standing for the Greens in Redland ward were re-elected with good majorities, around 500 votes, in a high turnout (for a local election) of around 57%.
see Redland ward Greens This makes our ward Bristol’s safest Green seat.
Our overall results are described here: Bristol-elects-11-green-councillors
Across Bristol West constituency more people voted for Greens locally than for any other party. This is a significant victory in the face of a notable swing to Labour largely attributed to the so called ‘Corbyn effect’ where on the doorstep a great many voters said they previously voted Green (in the 2014 (local) and 2015 (general) elections) but this time felt they needed to vote Labour ‘to support Jeremy Corbyn.’ The irony for many of us in the Green Party is how few of the local Labour candidates were themselves supporters of Corbyn.
Bristol Green Group remains the largest equal Green group in the country.
Cllr Martin Fodor for Redland ward 