30 April 2024
At our General Election Campaign launch event on Friday, MP Caroline Lucas - who has served as the Green Party’s sole member of parliament since 2010 - spoke about her acheivements, and why we need Green MPs, and introduced our Candidates: Jack Lenox for Lancaster and Wyre and Gina Dowding for Morecambe and Lunesdale.
The evening before, Caroline had given a lecture to a sold-out audience at Lancaster University about her new book, ‘Another England’, which explores the progressive case for the English people to reclaim their national story.
Caroline spoke about how even as a solitary Green MP she has been able to put things on the agenda, change the style of politics to be less polarised, and make a substantial contribution to various achievements such as such as the moratorium on the environmentally damaging fracking industry, debate on drugs reform and creating a GCSE in Natural History so that young people understand nature and will want to protect it.
Lancaster City Councillor Jack Lenox, the Green Party’s candidate for Lancaster and Wyre, said:
“Caroline has been an enormous inspiration for me and is one of the key reasons I joined the Green Party in 2015. Her passion for nature, social justice and climate action has elevated her as a leader among the broader green movement both at home and around the world. She has shown that a different kind of politics is possible. In her 14 years as an MP she has often been the voice of reason in Westminster where ‘Punch & Judy’ politics is typically the norm.”
Having won the most Council seats and the most votes in the wards which make up the new Constituency of Lancaster and Wyre in the 2023 local elections, we believe we can present a serious challenge to Lancaster’s current Labour MP, Cat Smith.
Jack said: “There’s never been a more crucial time to vote Green. The Greens beat Labour into second place in the popular vote across the constituency in last year’s local elections. It’s clear that the Conservatives have no chance of winning here, and that the Green Party is the alternative to Labour in Lancaster. Our policies offer a genuine change from the neglect of public services that we’ve had to endure for decades. Caroline is proof that if people put their faith in Green politicians nationally, we can deliver for our constituents and make a positive impact.”
Jack shared his concerns about underfunding of public services and how the limits on what local Councils can do to solve the Housing Crisis had been part of his motivation to go to Westminster to sort out the National Policy Framework which is holding them back. Also how pleased he has been when talking to former Conservative voters in Wyre to find himself 'pushing on an open door'.
North Lancashire Green Party will also be standing in Morecambe and Lunesdale, where County and City Councillor Gina Dowding is the party’s candidate.
GIna said “As the general election candidate I want to push for action on key issues in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency including the need for sustainable public transport to make the benefits of the Eden project really help local residents and small businesses, policies to tackle the cost of living crisis, poverty and the need for affordable housing."
Current polls show around a 92% chance of Labour winning the Morecambe and Lunesdale seat - but Gina is ready to "hold both Labour and Conservatives feet to the fire" on their promises.
The event was very successful, leading to new Green voters, volunteers, campaigners & members.
North Lancashire Green Party RSS Feed