‘There is no corner of UK Greens can’t win,’ says party co-leader

Some of Bristol’s newly elected Green councillors were jumping for joy – literally – moments before they were officially sworn in on Monday.

Party members and supporters were flying high after a so-called ‘Green surge’ saw them gain a number of seats in the local elections to become the joint biggest group in City Hall, holding 24 seats on an equal pegging with Labour.

Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley quickly hot-footed it down to Bristol to join the celebrations – or at least a carefully socially distanced gathering of just some of the newly elected representatives and a couple of returning councillors.

He acknowledged the city now has the biggest Green group of councillors of anywhere else in the country – surpassing Brighton & Hove, which has the party’s only MP Caroline Lucas.

Among the Greens gathered on College Green was the city’s youngest councillor, Lily Fitzgibbon, who seized victory from the previously Labour-held Bishopston & Ashley Down, Lorraine Francis, the newly elected Green councillor for Eastville, Heather Mack, one of two Green councillors in former Labour heartland Lockleaze, and Mohamed Makawi, one of two Green representatives for Cotham.

Speaking on College Green on Monday, Bartley said: “There is no corner of the UK where Greens can’t win now – that is absolutely clear from these elections.

“Right across the country, we’ve been making gains. We took equal seats off Conservatives and Labour showing this is not about a Labour party in disarray, this is about a Green Party that can win where others can’t win.”

Bartley continued: “The Green Party is on a roll. We are ambitious to take our place as the country’s third party and go further.

“The Green Party is unashamedly the party of refugees and asylum seekers, of the precariat, of people on benefits, of those who have to use food banks, of those in the gig economy and renters; everyone who is suffering from rampant inequality.

“We need an effective opposition to stand up for all those who are excluded and the Green Party will be it. If you vote Green, you get Green.”

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Read more: Green surge sees them become joint biggest party in Bristol

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Despite their strong showing, the Greens failed to gain the city’s top elected role, with challenger Sandy Hore-Ruthven missing out to Labour’s Marvin Rees, who was officially sworn in for a second term earlier on Monday morning.

New Green councillor for Eastville Lorraine Francis says she is “chuffed to bits” to be elected in Eastville – photo by Ellie Pipe

For Francis, who has run in previous elections and will now represent Eastville ward alongside Labour’s Marley Bennett, it was a jubilant moment. The new Green councillor told Bristol24/7 she will be focusing on key issues, including the environment, pollution, traffic and housing.

Fitzgibbon, 18, said: “Voters here in Bristol care about social and environmental justice and they trust Greens to deliver this. I’m so excited that local people have supported us and we will do everything we can to repay the faith that you have shown.”

The sensible posed shot on College Green – photo by Ellie Pipe

Main photo L-R: Carla Denyer, Heather Mack, Jonathan Bartley, Tim Wye, Mohamed Makawi and LilyFitzgibbon – by Ellie Pipe

Read more: Rees: ‘We are going to make sure we build Bristol as a city of hope’