Yesterday the Green Party MEP Keith Taylor met Paul Jeater and representatives of the South East Essex Green Party in Southend to launch the Green Party’s European Election campaigns in South East Essex.
The Green Party are fielding seven candidates in the upcoming European Elections, and are hoping to build on the amazing work of the Green Party’s existing three MEPs.
Keith Taylor MEP met with one of the Greens’ regional candidates, Paul Jeater from Brentwood, and representatives of the Southend branch to discuss the upcoming election, and how important it is that Greens are elected to the European Parliament.
Whilst Brexit dominates discussions around these elections, there are many wider issues that affect us all that shouldn’t be overlooked, such as the impending ecological collapse caused by climate change. The Green Party stands firm on a platform of social and environmental justice, and our three Green MEPs have already worked with their Green counterparts in Europe to ensure some of the societal and environmental protections that we all benefit from.
Due to the Proportional Representation electoral system used in EU elections, tactical voting is ineffective and unwise. The Greens came within 1% of winning a seat in the East last time, beating the Lib Dems.
Greens are the leading pro-EU party in the East.
The Green Party has announced that its lead candidate for Eastern Region in the May European elections is Dr Catherine Rowett, a Norwich resident and Professor of Philosophy at the University of East Anglia. If elected she will represent Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, and Hertfordshire in the European Parliament.
The Green Party is the East of England’s leading Remain Party, while in the European Parliament the Green Party is the UK’s biggest pro-EU party. The lead Eastern region candidate, Dr Catherine Rowett, is committed to making this a fairer country inside the European Union and says:
“By voting Green you will send a clear message that you want the UK to Remain in the European Union. Green MEPs make a positive difference: for urgent action on the climate emergency and a fairer economy. Vote for a positive future on 23rd May – vote Green.”
Catherine is a long-term Green Party activist and was the Green Party Parliamentary candidate for South Norfolk in 2015 and 2017. She is a keen supporter of collaboration across borders.
If elected to the European Parliament, Catherine looks forward to working with UK Green MEPs, and with Green parties across Europe, to develop EU policies on agriculture, fisheries, taxation, aviation and energy that will tackle the global climate emergency, the rise of nationalism, and its underlying causes, such as inequality.
This time around, the Greens’ chances are even better, as the dithering by the two major parties over Brexit has fractured their vote while fears over the climate crisis have risen far higher in people’s thoughts.
As Green MP Caroline Lucas has pointed out:
“Greens came close in Eastern England last time. We are the region’s strongest pro-Remain party. You can elect a Green MEP for the East this time.”