Brighton Goes Green: First Green-led city council in the UK

In the British seaside city of Brighton, Greens won 33% city wide and 23 seats in May 5th elections to achieve the first Green Party-led city council in UK history. The party's local manifesto "A Fresh Start for a Fair City" offered thirteen priorities over the next four years, headed by a pledge to resist the service cuts and privatisation imposed by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat national coalition government. Voters apparently agreed, giving the Greens their first chance at leading local government in the country.

According to Green leader of the City Council Bill Randall "We are committed to an open book approach in delivering our priorities for this great city. Residents are at the heart of our policies. They have listened to us and now we must listen to them. The city faces unprecedented public spending cuts imposed by the coalition government. Nevertheless we remain determined to address the city's housing crisis, reduce chronic inequality and at the same time protect and improve our environment to deliver our vision of a sustainable and fair city."

Brighton is in the same area that helped elect Caroline Lucas as the first Green to the House of Commons in 2010. For more, see the web site for the Brighton and Hove Green Party.