After the resignation of one of the ward’s 3 Labour Party councillors, Green Party campaigners wrote to the Newcastle City Council electoral services to request that a by-election be held. As a South Jesmond resident and active Green Party campaigner, Dr. Sarah Peters was selected to stand as the Green Party candidate.

The by-election campaigning period has seen great efforts from the Green Party, Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party, at a time when the UK political landscape is undergoing a dramatic shift. After consistently attaining third place in South Jesmond in all recent local elections, the surge in support for the Green Party along with a crumbling Labour vote share shows that voters are recognising the need for a different kind of politics.

Reflecting on the South Jesmond win, Dr. Peters said, “I’m honoured that South Jesmond residents have put their faith in me to represent them. Talking to residents on the doorstep it’s clear that people see the Green Party’s vision for positive change and community-orientated grassroots democracy as the solution to the challenges we face. I’m excited to work with my community over the coming months to understand how I can best represent them and effectively hold the Labour Party administration to account.”

Dr. Peters took 36.4% of the vote for the Green Party, beating out the Lib Dems at 33% and the incumbent Labour at 16.8%, as well as Reform and the Conservatives with 10.9% and 2.8% respectively.

This third council victory comes on the back of Elswick and Byker, where the Green Party saw success at the local elections last year. Greens now hold the balance of power on the Council. Since their election, Green councillors have been instrumental in supporting local campaigners. In June, Cllr Nick Hartley brought a motion to council to tackle child poverty, written with the mutual aid and campaign group Food & Solidarity, and the first opposition motion to pass unamended in a long time.

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‘This weekend the North East councils behind the scheme on the Grangetown Prairie site said they were undeterred by new BBC analysis showing that burning waste produces the same amount of greenhouse gases for each unit of energy as coal.

‘The BBC also highlighted how more tonnes of waste were being incinerated in the poorest areas, based on indices of multiple deprivation, which also typically have the lowest recycling rates.

‘TVERF project partners told Local Democracy Reporter Stuart Arnold: “The analysis published by the BBC is based on public domain information that is freely available and well-known to all of those involved in waste management planning decisions, which is testament to the open and transparent regulation of energy from waste facilities. As such, it does not change or influence the partner authorities’ position on the project.”’

Read the full article on the Gazette here.

For more information on the campaign against incinerators, check out the SINE (Stop Incineration North East) Facebook page.

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Nick Hartley (Councillor for Byker ward) said “This proves we were right to oppose the new incinerator planned for Byker back in 2000, and right to oppose the TVERF now. “

Rowan McLaughlin (Green Party South Tees) pointed out “The North East already has some of the worst recycling rates in the country. Our cash strapped local councils can’t afford to be locked into long contracts that prevent waste reduction and increase carbon emissions.”

To join our anti incineration campaign check out the SINE (Stop Incineration North East) Facebook page.

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The North East Green Party condemn the actions of those who wish to do our communities harm and send our heartfelt solidarity and support to anyone who feels unsafe because of these actions.

There is no place for this behaviour in a civilised society – but this has reached a head after years of Governments moving further and further to the right, with the wholesale demonisation of minority groups and severe lack of investment in our communities.

Many of our Green Party councillors and campaigners have been reaching out across our communities to offer support and solidarity and will continue to do so. We will be attending counter protests to prevent the far right from stirring up more hate and joining with efforts from the community to clean up after any disruption. We remain committed to bringing people together, not dividing.

We know that being part of a community has nothing to do with skin colour, religion, race or beliefs. Those that think we’re all different have not spoken to their neighbours.

We live on the same streets, in the same areas, we buy from the same shops, eat at the same restaurants, drink at the same pubs, send our children to the same schools, talk to the same people in the same shops.

Some of us work voluntarily to improve our communities, help out at a food bank, lend a hand to the school, go on litter picking sessions, go shopping on behalf of those that can’t, teach kids to play football.

No community wants their shops looted, police stations burnt, cars overturned and people injured simply for being outside.

We know our region is full of welcoming, tolerant, respectful people who play by the rules and reject the attempts to divide us. We don’t give in to bullies. We are always stronger together.

If you have concerns about the escalation of activity in our community, we urge people to reach out to your local Green Party and councillors if you have them. We are there for our residents and will not allow our communities to be divided by trouble makers. If you feel threatened or unsafe, we urge people to contact the Police on 101. If there is immediate danger, please call 999.

The post On the recent islamophobic violence appeared first on North East England Green Party.

The election comes at a time of a cost of living crisis, a crisis in the health service, an ever-growing climate crisis, and a wider environmental crisis. If you’d like to join our campaign do please get in touch, if you’re at all able to help raise the funds that are needed for elections, do please click here or use the button below.

The post General Election Announced appeared first on North East England Green Party.

We apologise to everybody who wanted to vote Green at this election and is now unable to.

The Green Party continues to grow in strength and we were looking forward to challenging the current Mayor on his record, and giving voters the opportunity to choose a fairer future for Tees Valley.

We are looking forward to campaigning in support of our North East Mayor candidate Andrew Gray, who will be pushing to introduce the large changes needed to make North East communities fairer, greener and more
resilient.

The post Tees Valley Mayor – Statement regarding Sally Bunce appeared first on North East England Green Party.

Andrew Gray will be their candidate in the election for Mayor of the North East Combined Authority. 

Andrew was born in Newcastle and raised in Northumberland. For the last twenty years he has lived in Newcastle and used public transport to commute to work in Durham where he works with historic archives and is a workplace rep for his trade union.

“If the new finance and powers in the devolution deal are to truly transform our region, that money and power cannot just sit with a mayor and regional leaders,” said Andrew Gray. “For the North East to thrive, its communities need to be back in control.  Money needs to be spent directly within communities, where it will create more jobs and provide more benefits, rather than trickling down from big regional projects.”

Andrew says he will be campaigning for the big changes needed to make North East communities fairer, greener and more resilient. He is proposing a home insulation programme to ensure that every home will be warm and cheaper to heat, a public transport system that is reliable, integrated, frequent and serves every community, skills training and apprenticeships for the work needed to transform our economy and support for every community to develop resilience and to prosper.

Sally Bunce will be the Green Party candidate for the Tees Valley Combined Authority. 

Bunce was born and brought up in Elland, North Yorkshire before working in the pharmaceutical industry and then as a police officer in Cleveland and North Yorkshire for seventeen years. Now living in Redcar and Cleveland, she is actively campaigning alongside fishers and scientists to uncover the true cause of the mass marine die off affecting the north east coast. Sally is also a volunteer marine mammal medic and teaches ocean conservation in educational settings. 

Commenting on her selection as candidate, Sally said: “I’ve worked tirelessly to combat social and environmental injustice since moving to the Cleveland coast almost six years ago. I decided to stand for Tees Valley Mayor to bring the transparency, honest and integrity that has been lacking from the role so far. I look forward to working with the great people of the Tees Valley to bring about the changes which they rightly deserve.” 

Sally speaking at the Festival of Thrift

Despite having nineteen councillors in the North East region, the Green Party will only be able to stand if their candidates can raise the £5,000 deposit. If you would like to see a Green on the ballot paper, you can donate to Andrew’s Crowdfunder here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/a-green-mayor-for-the-north-east and Sally’s here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/sally-4-teesvally

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As Local Election results come in across the Region, there have been a number of good results for local residents as more Green Councillors are elected.

We can celebrate wins in Durham, Northumberland and South Tyneside. These wins mean that we have doubled our number of Elected Representatives in the Region.

We can also celebrate some great results, even where we did not win a seat, as we increased vote share and beat other Parties to become the nearest challenger to the incumbent.

Full details can be found via your Local Party, and selected results are shown below.

Thank you to everyone who has supported campaigns across our Region – and also to everyone who voted Green.

Darlington

Darlington Green Party contested Hummersknott Ward at a by-election, delayed from 2020.

Thomas Robinson received 42% of the vote, meaning a jump from fourth to second and cutting the Conservative majority to just 162 votes.

Durham County

Jonathan Elmer was elected in Brandon as the first choice candidate, taking 21.9% of the vote. Priscilla Elmer almost joined Jonathan, missing out to Labour by just 114 votes.

However, both Jonathan and Priscilla were elected to Brandon Parish Council.

Rupert Friederichsen was elected to City of Durham Parish Council.

Gateshead

Diane Cadman increased the Green vote share to 31.8% in Crawcrook and Greenside, finishing comfortably ahead of the Conservatives. Diane continues to chase down the Labour incumbent, who has seen their majority cut to just 321.

Hartlepool

The National focus has been on the By-Election, where Rachel Featherstone had a good result, finishing behind Conservatives and Labour, but ahead of 10 other candidates, including the Liberal Democrats and the Northern Independence Party.

Newcastle

Tay Pitman took second place in West Fenham, ahead of Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Newcastle Independents – doubling the vote share despite fierce competition from the other parties.

Northumberland

Northumberland County Council has its first Green County Councillors. Nick Morphet (Humshaugh) and Martin Swinbank (Alnwick) comfortably won their seats.

Michelle Brannigan had a good night in Ashington, beating the Conservatives to take second place for County Councillor, and cutting the Labour majority from 550 to just 287. At local level, Michelle was elected to Town Council.

In Morpeth, Elaine Skinner and Elisa Lawson were elected to the Town Council.

North Tyneside

Alan Steele took 28% of the vote in Whitley Bay, finishing second and comfortably beating the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

Penny Remfry doubled the Mayoral vote share, finishing third (but with a very strong second preference vote share).

South Tyneside

David Francis has been joined by two more Greens on South Tyneside Council.

Sue Stonehouse joins David representing Beacon & Bents Ward, taking 46.5% of the vote.

Peter Bristow also joins the growing ranks of Green Councillors, winning 51.2% of the vote in West Park.

Sunderland

Sunderland Greens worked hard, and had some good results increasing overall vote share by 1.2%, but were faced with a strange mix of results – possibly explained by a City still split over the Brexit issue.

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