Green Party

A councillor has vowed to become Britain's first Green MP after historic results in yesterday's local elections.Adrian Ramsay, leader of the Green Party in Norwich, helped his party become the opposition group on a council for the first time in its national history last night.

The 26-year-old has now set his sights on former Home Secretary Charles Clarke's parliamentary seat, as he bids to take the Green Party into Westminster for the first time. In Norwich City Council's elections the Green Party won 29 per cent of the vote - more than 10,000 votes - the highest share of the vote in the city.
Although such boasts are common in political circles, Ramsay's now appear to be based on firm electoral support.

From the 13 wards up for election in Norwich City Council's elections yesterday, the Green Party won 29 per cent of the vote - more than 10,000 votes - the highest share of the vote in the city.

Labour got 25 per cent of the vote, meaning it held control of the council, with 15 seats, as opposed to the Greens' 13.

Ramsay said: "The results show that we are the main challenge to Charles Clarke in the Norwich South constituency.

"Residents in Norwich now know what to do if they want to see Green representation in Parliament - they can vote for it."

Clarke's fellow Labour MP David Lepper's Brighton Pavilion seat is the other great Green hope for national success, with the Green Party picking up a big share of the votes there too.

Ramsay said it was the Green Party's "positive" campaign which had helped it win a record number of seats.

He added: "With the extra seats we will be pushing for policies such as higher levels of affordable housing in new developments.

"Better and more recycling will also be a focus, as well as more support for green businesses and technology.

"We'll also be fighting hard to stop plans for hundreds of new homes on greenfield sites around the city - something which the other parties just seem to be going along with."