The Green Party has won 60 per cent more votes at the 2019 general election than in 2017, with more than 850,000 voters backing their policies for a radical Green New Deal.
The Conservatives achieved an overall majority of 78, winning 364 seats, while Labour suffered a disastrous night, winning 203 seats, handing Boris Johnson a mandate to pass his Brexit withdrawal agreement through the House of Commons by 31 January.
The Greens achieved 2.7 per cent of the vote, up 1.1 per cent from 2017 where they received 1.6 per cent, finishing 0.7 per cent and 200,000 votes ahead of the Brexit Party.
The party’s vote share increase of 64.6 per cent – from 525,665 votes to 864,743 – was the largest increase of any party, ahead of the Lib Dems’ 55 per cent increase and the SNP’s 27 per cent. The Conservatives more or less maintained their vote share, increasing by two per cent, while Labour’s share fell drastically by 20 per cent.
Caroline Lucas has been re-elected as MP for Brighton Pavillion for a third time, receiving a majority of 33,151 votes – a majority of 57.2 per cent, up 4.9 per cent.
In Bristol West, Green candidate Carla Denyer took second place behind Labour’s Thangham Debonnaire, with a 12 per cent increase in vote share to 25 per cent.
Co-leader Jonathan Bartley came second in Dulwich and West Norwood, with a 14 per cent increase in vote share up to 16.5 per cent.
Sian Berry, Green candidate for Mayor of London and Green Party Co-leader commented: “This fantastic result is all down to the hard work of our amazing Green Party members.
“We all know a December election was going to be hard work, but they have excelled themselves, stuffing envelopes, knocking doors and pounding pavements despite the weather to make sure we reached as many voters as we could. Their tireless efforts have paid off, with more than 850,000 votes.”
“It’s just a shame that our broken first past the post system will not recognise the true political will of the people and I look forward to the day we win proportional representation so we can see our votes fully reflected in the number of Green MPs.”
Commenting on her re-election, Lucas said: “I feel incredibly proud that my majority has increased because it demonstrates that Brighton Pavillion continues to believe in compassion, justice and a bigger future.
“That matters so much when the status quo in this country is intolerable – and when we are now on course to become even more so.
“As well as proud I feel deeply angry too that our political system is so badly broken and is letting individuals down so badly. It has been doing so for decades. It has locked out millions and ignored their voices for years. And it’s our children and the climate that will pay the highest price of all.
“This may well have been a Brexit election but it was also the Climate Election and I am determined to make this the Climate Parliament.”
Tory majority
With the Conservatives securing their biggest majority since Margaret Thatcher’s win in 1987, Boris Johnson now looks to drive his agenda through Parliament and ‘Get Brexit done’ by 31 January.
Labour has suffered its worst defeat since 1935, losing Leave-voting seats across the north and midlands to the Conservatives.
Though the issue of Brexit at this election was inescapable, with 68 per cent of voters considering Brexit a top-three issue in YouGov’s November poll on the election’s deciding issues, the environment was considered a much bigger issue at this election than in 2017, with 25 per cent of voters considering it a top-three issue compared to nine per cent in 2017.
Climate change has been pushed to the front of the political agenda after a year of burgeoning environmental activism. In Johnson’s victory speech, the Conservative leader reiterated the party’s plans to achieve carbon-neutrality by 2050 – a target dubbed ‘feeble’ by the Greens – while Labour and the Lib Dems also made commitments to achieving carbon neutrality between 2030 and 2045.