Aiming to cash in on public anger with MPs

THE Green Party is making all out effort to take advantage of public anger over the MPs’ expenses scandal by fielding 15 General Election candidates in Suffolk and Essex.

Nationwide, more than 300 Greens will be on ballot papers and in London, the party is standing in all 73 constituencies.

James Abbott, the party’s choice for Witham, said mounting distrust of the main three parties coupled with a surge in support for the Greens at European and county council elections produced a big swing to the Greens in 2009.

“Less than a year ago, the Greens beat Labour in 26 out of 56 Essex county council divisions and increased our share of the vote from 6% in 2005 to 9% in 2009,” said Mr Abbott.

“In Eastern region, the Greens have made steady progress at each election and are hoping to take control next month of Norwich city council.

“A spectacular by election victory in Mid Suffolk district last month saw a swing of 30% from the Conservatives which proves the Greens can challenge all the main parties.”

Andrew Stringer, a Green councillor in Mid Suffolk and the party’s candidate in Suffolk Central & Ipswich North, forecast that the “old days of complacency among the political elite” were over. “Since the expenses scandal, the public has a view that MPs are lazy, corrupt and do-nothing politician.

“This cosy political establishment attitude has been shaken to the core, and there is a massive opportunity for the Greens to fill the void.”

Green Party candidates will be standing in Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich, Suffolk Central & Ipswich North, Suffolk Coastal, Braintree, Chelmsford, Colchester, Harwich & Essex North, Saffron Walden, Witham, Brentwood & Ongar, Epping Forest, Witham, Southend West, and Rochford & Southend East.