Nationally, the Green Party is growing fast. Greens represent voters at Westminster, in the Commons and the Lords, in the London Assembly, and in a record number of local councils.
Here in Leicester, we were delighted to win all three council seats in Castle ward, and are currently working to elect more Green Councillors, who will add much-needed green voices to the City Council chamber and address critical issues such as climate change, social justice and the shortage of affordable housing that the other parties will not face up to or are not moving quickly enough on.
We’re working progressively on local issues, to improve the lives of everyone in the city, and to protect and restore our local environment. As well as representing Castle, we continue advocating and supporting Saffron ward in particular, as it’s been neglected by the city council.
For example, we continue to support the local community in Saffron who are highlighting problems with fumes from a local factory. We have successfully pushed for the chimney to be extended, and continue pushing for the council to take proper action and enforce rules they themselves put in place.
We do regular litter picks in Saffron and Castle Ward, object to dodgy planning applications and work with the council to make plans and events more disabled and environmentally friendly.
As part of the Green Party of England & Wales, we share a deep concern for social and environmental justice, expressed through our national policies.
Leicester’s Local Politics
Leicester City Council has 54 seats representing 21 wards, and the last local election took place in 2023. As of 2023, the Labour Party holds 31 of these seats, the Conservatives seventeen, the Greens and Liberal Democrats three each.
Two MPs for Leicester are Labour and the 3rd is now an Independent (ex-Labour), while the elected mayor is also Labour. With the mayoral system, vast amounts of power lie with the individual mayor although the majority of people voted for parties who want to scrap the mayoral system, or have a referendum. In this current system, councillors are under powered and under valued.
Such a dominant position for any one individual is unhealthy for debate in a democracy. It promotes sluggish government and complacency. We desperately need to change that.
To find out more about our local approach you can dive into our 2023 local election manifesto.
The GP position on the crisis in the Middle East
In the six months since October 7th, the Green Party of England and Wales has called for:
- A full bilateral ceasefire
- The release of all hostages
- A suspension of all arms export licences to Israel until the violence stops
- The cessation of all military collaboration with Israel, including use of British bases by Israeli forces, and intelligence sharing
- Targeted Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against individuals and institutions supporting or facilitating Israel’s occupation of Palestine
- An investigation by the Metropolitan Police and Director of Public Prosecutions of war crimes committed against UK citizens, or where UK citizens are potential perpetrators
- The UK government to use its position as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to vote for, rather than abstain on, ceasefire votes
- Targeted sanctions against key individuals in the Israeli leadership, including travel bans and asset freezes on Israel’s government ministers
- An end to occupation of the Palestinian territories
- The UK government to return to international law being the benchmark for UK policy, and repair the UK’s international reputation as a defender of the international rules-based order.
Join Us
Our key goals are to get a referendum for the people of Leicester to choose how they are governed, and to get more local Green councillors elected in the city. You could help by delivering leaflets, coordinating campaigns, writing to local media and councillors, scrutinising the council, and in so many other ways.
We hold at least four members’ meetings a year as well as campaign meetings, speaker events and social events.
To join us, visit the national party’s main website. Once you’ve joined, your local party in Leicester will be informed, and you’ll start receiving information from us.
The national Manifesto
The Green Party Political Programme sets out what Greens are in politics to do: to end the system that keeps hurting the environment and all of us who rely on it – and to build a better alternative.
This Programme isn’t like other parties’ manifestos, it has not been squeezed through focus groups and stripped down according to the latest polling. Instead it has been built from policies proposed and voted on by our members, looking to secure the long term future of the places and people they love.
It’s a vision of a better world, and together we can deliver it. Click below to learn more about the national Green Party’s political programme.
