As fellow Green Party candidates for Richmond Park and Kingston and Surbiton in last week’s general election, we write to offer a big thank you to all those who voted for Green policies – a record 6 per cent in Richmond Park and 3 per cent in Kingston and Surbiton.

It’s the best result for the Greens in 30 years and shows that increasing numbers of voters seek a real alternative.

We know that huge numbers of Green voters across the country are disappointed at being disenfranchised by our first past the post electoral system. We won 1,157,613 votes nationwide, four per cent, but we only have one MP – Caroline Lucas in Brighton Pavilion.

Under a fairer system we would have four Green MPs representing London today and 25 across the country.

As the new Conservative Government actually only received 37 per cent of the vote, we call on our two local MPs James Berry and Zac Goldsmith to oppose the extremist policies of the last government that widened the gap between rich and poor, and increased social division.

We urge our local MPs to push for the repeal of the bedroom tax, which leads to great suffering among people with disabilities here in our boroughs; to protect the NHS from further privatisation, reflecting the wishes of hundreds who attended hustings during the campaign; and tackle air pollution, the cause of 29,000 premature deaths at a cost of nearly £27bn to the NHS per year.

Additionally, we are particularly alarmed at reports that the new Tory government may slash support for renewable energy development even further in favour of boosting fracking. This is a recipe for disaster for our precious finite planet.

We appeal to growing numbers of our supporters to make sure to register for the Greater London Assembly elections next year. These operate on a fairer PR basis, and we already have two Green Party Assembly members: Jenny Jones and Darren Johnson.

We invite anyone interested to join us and become members of our thriving local Green Party via kingston.greenparty.org.uk or by emailing either of us on andree.frieze@greenparty.org.uk or clare.keogh@green party.org.uk.

ANDREE FRIEZE
Green Party candidate for Richmond Park and North Kingston

CLARE KEOGH
Green Party candidate for Kingston and Surbiton