Green Party LGBT News

Caroline Lucas to contest 'gay capital' constituency for Greens	20 July 2007
Summary Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas hopes to become Britain's first Green MP at the next general election by contesting Brighton Pavilion constituency in the city widely known as the 'gay capital' of England.

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Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas hopes to become Britain's first Green MP at the next general election by contesting Brighton Pavilion constituency in the city widely known as the 'gay capital' of England.

The award-winning politician was chosen in a ballot of party members in Brighton to be the Greens' official candidate to contest the Brighton Pavilion constituency in the next general election.

The seat will be hotly contested: in 2005 the party polled 22 per cent of the vote – its best result anywhere in the UK. Since then, the Green Party has doubled its number of councillors on Brighton and Hove City Council from six to 12 – it now has more councillors in the Brighton Pavilion area than any other party – and popular incumbent David Lepper MP (Labour) has announced his retirement.

Dr Lucas said: "I am proud to have been selected by party members to contest Brighton Pavilion at the next General Election for the Green Party. Our recent local election success in the city, coupled with the unprecedented 22% share gained in the 2005 General Election, places the Green Party in pole position to secure a truly historic victory.

"Brighton has always been something of a trailblazer and I am sure that it will be the first place in the country to return a Green MP to Westminster."

Dr Lucas was chosen with the support of 55 per cent of local party members who voted. Cllr Keith Taylor, convenor of the Green Group on Brighton and Hove City Council, [narrowly] missed out, with the support of 45 per cent of voters.

Cllr Taylor said: "I congratulate Caroline Lucas on securing the nomination to become the Green Party's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Brighton Pavilion constituency at the next General Election. She will have my support, along with the whole of the Brighton and Hove Green Party in seeking to become the first Green Party Member of Parliament."

Dr Lucas added: "I would particularly like to pay tribute to Keith Taylor, who also sought to be the candidate in Pavilion. He is an outstanding politician who has worked tirelessly for the city."

Caroline Lucas has been Green Party MEP for South-East England - including Brighton - since 1999. Before that, she was the first Green Party member of Oxfordshire County Council, and worked for a development charity.

She sits on the Climate change, Environment and International Trade committees in the European Parliament, and is vice-president of the Parliament's influential cross-party group on animal welfare.

She is Vice-President of the RSPCA, a matron of the Women's Environmental Network, a member of the decision-making National Council of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, and a board member of the International Forum on Globalisation.

The Greens also selected the candidates for the neighbouring Brighton Kemptown and Hove constituencies. Kemptown will be contested by Cllr Ben Duncan; Hove by Cllr Ian Davey.
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