Bartley said: “It’s vital that local councils have climate in mind as we build the economy back after Covid. More Green councillors means a stronger commitment in all our council chambers to the climate action that we all know is urgently needed - and to the good, green jobs that this will create.”
Jonathan Bartley: “After the long, dark winter of Covid we want to make sure that we bring spring into all our council chambers with new hope for a greener, more caring future”
On Wednesday 31st March, The Green Party launches its local election campaign with a pledge to build a Green Recovery in every community across the country.
Ahead of the local elections on 6 May, the Greens are looking to build on their record results from the last local elections in 2019, which saw the party more than double their number of councillors. In Warwickshire, 18 Green councillors and their teams work for residents at various levels.
This year, the party is looking to win even more seats and has pledged that each and every councillor will continue the hard work of those currently elected in bringing about a Green Recovery from the coronavirus pandemic which will tackle climate change and reduce inequality.
Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley will officially launch the campaign in Battersea Park, London, today. Ahead of the launch, Bartley said:
“At the last local elections the Green Party doubled our number of councillors, which has proved absolutely vital over the last year as they have been the ones leading their communities and working hard to bring about a Green Recovery in their area.”
“Greens make change. Whether it be motions to create thousands of jobs in retrofitting homes in Norwich, or the Green-led Brighton and Hove Council passing a motion with £26 million of climate action in it, we know what it takes to make sure we all recover from this pandemic in a way that offers a better future for everybody.
“After the long, dark winter of Covid we want to make sure that we bring spring into all our council chambers with new hope for a greener, more caring future. This year it is more vital than ever that Greens are elected so that we can fight for a fairer, Greener future for all.”
Locally, the Green Party Leader at the Warwickshire County Council and Councillor for Leamington Brunswick Jonathan Chilvers has been reflecting on why the Party has always appealed to him personally: “I have found people in the Green Party to be committed to improving the lives of others, respectful of others and with oodles of integrity - in other words they don't just talk the talk, they walk the walk. And that, to me, is priceless."
Will Roberts, the Green candidate for Leamington Willes ward, said, “We know how important it is to strengthen our communities, to make them safer and how vital it is to create more jobs locally, so that people can retain good work-life balance. We have real plans on how to tackle crime, keep people in employment and support our independent businesses, we are so proud of”.
While the Greens have welcomed others’ support for its Green New Deal, Greens across the country would go further, faster to transform the UK’s housing to make all homes warmer and more energy-efficient, revolutionise our transport and rapidly roll out renewable energy across the country.
Hundreds of thousands of low carbon jobs would be created to carry out this work.
Bartley said: “The government is categorically failing to invest sufficiently in the Green sector. It is Green councillors and activists on the ground, working with local communities up and down the country, who are picking up the slack and doing what they can to ensure a green recovery for all.
“It’s vital that local councils have climate in mind as we build the economy back after Covid. More Green councillors means a stronger commitment in all our council chambers to the climate action that we all know is urgently needed - and to the good, green jobs that this will create.”