The Green Party celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year and when England went to the polls on Thursday we achieved our most significant electoral results in half a century.
Across the country we made a net gain of more than 200 seats.
Here in Rother Polly Gray was re-elected in Bexhill Old Town and Worsham. She comfortably got the most votes with 535 ahead of Labour’s Mark Legg (also elected) with 374.
Our next success was in Bexhill St Stephens where Arren Rathbone Ariel came top with 561 votes ahead of the Lib Dems’ Richard Thomas (also elected) on 548.
Sue Burton became our third Green councillor after she came second in North Battle with 939 votes behind the popular local Lib Dem Kathryn Field who received 1092 votes.
It means Polly will have two new excellent colleagues. It might just lighten her load. It probably will just mean all three will be working their socks off. But at least they’ll have one another for support!
Meanwhile we came very close in our fourth target ward, Eastern Rother, where I received 563 and Catherine Glover received 466 votes behind two Tories on 605 and 578 respectively. Labour only managed 300. It’s a clear target for next time. I missed out by just 15 votes! I will now have more time to support our three excellent councillors.
Overall the council remains in no overall control - Tories 10, Independents 10 (of whom 7 belong to the Rother Association of Independents), Labour 8, LDs 7, Greens 3.
For those of you interested in results elsewhere;
In Wealden the Tories lost control and 25 of their 34 seats! It’s now LDs 13 (+9). Greens 11 (+9), Independents and Others 10 (+5), Conservatives 9, Labour 2 (+2).
In Lewes the Tories lost every single one of their 19 seats. It’s now Greens 17 (+8), LDs 15, Labour 9.
Over the border Ashford Greens picked up 6 seats and now have 8 (Ashford is NOC), In Folkestone Greens gained 5 and are now the largest party with 11, the Tories lost Tonbridge and Malling where the Greens gained 6 to sit on 8.
So, there you go!
There’s likely to be a General Election next year and we’re well set for the county elections in 2025. We are always looking for more members to help with running our campaigns.
Clearly the Conservatives have some hard thinking to do about whether they’re the party of Rory Stewart or of Suella Braverman because it’s hard to be both. The latter’s vision of a colder, meaner Britain doesn’t seem to be chiming with most people’s fundamental sense of decency.
Finally, thanks to all of you for your help and support. Our efforts were rewarded.
Very best wishes
Dominic Manning
Chair, Rother Green Pary
