Conference Agenda Oct 2021 PRINT - Flipbook - Page 38
2.
Election success. The responsibility for this success
rests with the eleven representatives of the steering
group. Through winter 2020 to 2021, the GESG
has examined the party’s approach to elections,
what it takes to win a seat, has analysed data from
the British Election Study to determine key target
demographics within which the party can most
easily win votes and has considered written target
constituency applications.
Long term
•
To make sure that trade union work and labour
movement is being included and consulted in the
political strategy.
•
To increase my outreach to other unions and to
maintain ones I previously created.
•
To increase membership and engagement among
trade unionists both inside and outside of the party.
F: ELECTIONS COORDINATOR
•
On 26th February 2021, the GESG shortlisted
several applications and met with applicants to
examine the robustness of their strategy and plans.
•
A small, focussed number of constituencies have
been identified by the GESG and earmarked to
receive additional support under a tiered approach.
•
A General Election Constituencies Manager has
now been appointed and recruitment is ongoing for
Constituency Campaign Managers. We are currently
finalising the details surrounding how many
constituencies can be supported with resource
available.
Kai Taylor*
1.
2.
Purpose of report: To update Conference on the work
of Election Coordinator(s) on GPEX and the wider
work undertaken by the party’s election staff and field
team.
Background and Context:
•
3.
•
In this report we will provide a short review of the
2021 Local Elections, an update on the work of the
General Election Steering Group, and our efforts to
increase the party’s elections budget.
•
I advise members that Claire Stephenson resigned
from GPEX in July 2021, I’d like to place on
record my thanks to her for her hard work and
determination in supporting our parties’ election
ambitions, I intend to continue in the role for the
remainder of the term.
General Election Steering Group
•
•
38
Claire Stephenson and I were elected as GPEX
Election Coordinators in August 2020, this paper
will cover elections and work undertaken since
that point. For members wishing to read the 2019
General Election Review, you can access this
document via the members site: https://members.
greenparty.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-02/
GE2019%20report.pdf.
The Green Party has lacked the resources and staff
to properly prepare for a target key constituency at
General Elections. In the past we have nominated
areas as ‘target seats’ shortly before an election
with very little support available from the national
party, not only is this disheartening for members,
but it places as huge amount of pressure on
candidates within these areas. Conference has
voted for a political strategy to pursue electoral
success at the next and each subsequent General
Election. The strategy states “Electoral success
will be the top priority for all resource allocation
decisions”
GPEx has set up the General Election Steering
Group to take responsibility to pursue this General
4.
Senedd Election 2021
GPEW recorded its highest ever result in Wales, beating
our record vote share in every constituency bar one, and
every region. We also gained a higher vote share than the
Liberal Democrats and Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party
nationally. Unfortunately, we fell just 5000 votes short of
gaining our first MS, but I’m hopeful this result will put
GPEW in a stronger position to make gains at the Welsh
Local Elections next year.
I believe this year’s elections have proven that there
is a real potential for The Green Party in Wales, and
with support from the national party I am confident
our dedicated campaigners in Wales will make further
breakthroughs at the Local Elections.
5.
Local Elections 2021
•
The 2021 Local Elections were a critical milestone
for The Green Party of England and Wales. Our
recent successes have not been a fluke, nor can
they be put down to a ‘protest vote’. The Green
Party is more organised and strategic than ever
before. The results from this election make it
clear, when we invest in our infrastructure, in our
candidates and in our campaign teams we can win.
•
In the England there were 5000 seats up for
election, GPEW contested 2957 of these and won
157, which represents 99 gains. This led to our
second-best set of gains in a local election ever.
It’s important to note that less seats were up for
election than in 2019.