Sheffield Green Party is disappointed by major network providers‘ decision to exclude the Green Party from the general election television debates.
- Aodan Marken
Local Greens’ spokesperson Aodan Marken said ‘In the last few months we have seen our membership skyrocket – it currently stands at over 27,000 across England, Wales and Scotland. As a party, we expect to return Caroline Lucas in Brighton Pavillion as well as run tight races in Bristol West and Norwich South. It is bitterly disappointing that national broadcasters continually fail to acknowledge the shifting national mood to embrace the Green Party’s policies.’
We encourages all our supporters to sign the petition to have our party represented at a national level . (Please note there are various petitions on this topic but this is the one that has taken off)
National Press Release
BROADCASTERS’ joint plans to broadcast a series of multi-platform party leader debates in the run-up to the 2015 General Election without Green Party representation, fails the electorate and democracy, says the Green Party.
The Green Party, which petitioned directly for inclusion in the debates (1), is considering a legal challenge to this morning’s proposals.
Natalie Bennett, Green Party Leader, said:
“With these proposals the broadcasters are demonstrating just how out of touch they are with the public mood, and how ridiculously they cling to the idea that the future of politics looks like the past.”
“It is clear from votes and polls that the public are fed up with the three business-as-usual parties and are looking around for alternatives.”
“That is also demonstrated by the soaring membership of the Green parties of England and Wales and Scotland, now exceeding 27,000.”
“Those members, the fast-growing numbers of likely Green voters (matching Lib Dems numbers), and the majority who back Green policies like bringing the railways back into public hands and the living wage for all workers would be seriously short-changed by debates from which we were excluded.”
Prime Minister David Cameron has indicated that if Ukip are involved in any potential debate then the Greens should be too (2).
Green Party of England and Wales membership passed 21,000 this week and is up 52% in 2014 alone.
The Greens are polling at 7% and above ahead of the 2015 General Election. The polling puts the Party neck and neck with the Liberal Democrats, who the Greens out-performed in the May 22 European Elections, both in terms of total vote received and MEPs returned (3).
The Green Party welcomes members and non-members’ concerted efforts via online petitions (4), social media and direct appeals to the broadcasters to modify the proposals.
Greens are standing in at least 75% of constituencies at the 2015 General Election – 50% more than 2014.
Notes:
1 http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/sep/25/greens-leader-natalie-bennett-tv-debate
2 http://news.sky.com/story/1352008/leaders-react-to-plan-for-election-debates