News / General Election 2024
‘Half measures and broken pledges will not do’: Green Party launches general election campaign
Green Party co-leader and MP candidate for Bristol Central, Carla Denyer stood before a panoply microphones and TV cameras as she officially launched the party’s general election campaign on Thursday.
The event was held at the historic St George’s off Park Street which was also attended by Caroline Lucas, the Green Party’s first and only MP.
During her address, Carla Denyer said: “Conservatives are shown the door and we think it is good,” much to the delight of the party faithful.
is needed now More than ever
“Across the country, people now have the chance to vote for real hope and real change. Our politics is broken, our public services are on their knees and people are worse off now than when the Conservatives came to power 14 years ago.”
“Conservatives are shown the door and we think it is good,” said Carla Denyer
“The case for change is obvious, but it has to be real change that offers real hope. Half measures and broken pledges will not do.”
“The Conservatives are clearly on their way out of government, but Labour is failing to offer the real change needed.”
“We have the practical solutions to the cost-of-living crisis, building new affordable homes, protecting our NHS from creeping privatisation and cleaning up our toxic rivers and seas,” she said.
Also addressing the audience, co-leader Adrian Ramsay, who is standing in the new Waveney Valley constituency on the Norfolk/Suffolk border, said: “Now it’s here. At last, we have the opportunity for things to change. And what a lot of change we need with more Green at these in the next Parliament. That’s what you’ll get. Real hope and real change. And when it comes to health care, that means defending and restoring our NHS. Because our hospitals are full of patients in corridors with staff severely overstretched and too many people not getting the treatments that they need.”
“And yet, Labour, rather than pledging the investment needed, is saying wait for growth, allow more access for private companies. We need real solutions. Free healthcare is a fundamental principle. Healthcare by Brits up and down the country and we make sure it’s funded properly so that everybody can see an NHS dentist and doctor when they need one.”
After the launch, Green candidates and delegates stood for photo opportunities on the steps of St George’s.
Carla Denyer stood on the steps of St George’s, flanked by candidates and party delegates
Speaking to Bristol24/7, on the importance of the general election, Carla Denyer said: “Voters in Bristol are really excited. The opportunity to vote Green and get an MP that represents them, that will take their values and principles to Westminster. Because a Labour MP is told what to think and what to say by the Labour leader’s office. Whereas a Green MP can stand up to voters and push for the change that they know we need to see in this country.”
When asked about the critique of opposition parties on the Green Party’s economic policies, Denyer explained: “Keir Starmer is basically saying you can’t have well-funded public services like the NHS until we’ve got economic growth. The Green Party disagrees. The UK is one of the wealthiest economies in the world. The money is there in the economy. But Labour are not brave enough to talk about really quite modest changes to the tax system that could free up that funding for better public services for everybody.”
“We would fix the loophole in National Insurance. That means that those on the highest incomes pay less National Insurance, and the rest of us, and we would introduce a modest wealth tax that only applies to multi-millionaires and billionaires, only kicks in if you’ve got more than 10 million pounds in wealth, and even then, it’s only 1 per cent on your wealth above 10 million. Those three pretty modest changes would raise over 50 billion pounds a year by the end of the next Parliament.
“And yet, Labour’s Rachel Reeves has explicitly ruled out all those changes. So, when Labour says there is no magic money tree, when Labour says they have to make difficult decisions about what they can fund, they are not telling the truth to voters. The Green Party are not afraid to tell the truth. Talk about where this funding can come from and prioritize well-funded public services in public hands that will benefit everybody.”
Co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay officially launched the campaign of General Election 2024
Also speaking to Bristol24/7, Izzy Russell, the newly elected councillor for Ashley ward, said: “This is a historical election where we could be knocking out key labour seat and replacing it with a Green MP and having that Green voice in Parliament is so important.”
“I think as a Bristolian, I don’t feel represented by the Labour Party, so I’m really excited to get Carla and more green voices elected.”
In the recent local elections, the Green Party came just short of an outright majority at City Hall but ran an extremely successful local election that saw them eclipse their political rivals.
The success of the local elections is believed to be providing steady momentum for the general election.
However, the party came under criticism recently on its stance on antisemitism due to an article which appeared in the Jewish Chronicle. The article reported that three parliamentary candidates shared “incendiary material” online.
The party says it is working with Lord Mann, the government’s independent advisor on antisemitism, “to better educate Green representatives about anti-Jewish racism”.
The Green Party of England and Wales aims to stand candidates in every constituency, with its best chances in Brighton Pavilion – Sian Berry; Bristol Central – Carla Denyer; North Herefordshire – Ellie Chowns; and Waveney Valley – Adrian Ramsay.
All photos: Rob Browne
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