The Bill saw 138 MPs from 6 parties vote in favour.

However, The Elections (Proportional Representation) Ten Minute Rule Bill is not likely to progress, due to Keir Starmer’s government refusing to give it parliamentary time for further debate. 

Keir Starmer’s continued inaction over our failing voting system has again let the UK electorate down, u-turning on his previous pledge for electoral reform announced during the 2020 Labour leadership campaign.  

This year’s general election was one of the most unrepresentative in UK history: with only 34% of the vote share, Labour gained a landslide victory. Under this system, political diversity is suppressed. Keir Starmer’s refusal to commit to real electoral reform demonstrates a broken voting system which pressures tactical voting and does not reflect the voice of the public.

According to the Electoral Reform Society, the Green Party, with about 7% of the vote, should have around 40 MPs. Under first-past-the-post , this translates to just 0.6% of MPs. Green votes are being devalued and underrepresented, and this Bill has the opportunity to restore the public’s trust in UK democracy. 

For young people, whose future rests on the outcome of general elections and politicians in power, Proportional Representation is required more than ever. 

The Young Greens have been working with campaign group Make Votes Matter as they launch their new youth wing, Young Make Votes Matter, a cross-party network dedicated to mobilising the next generation of voters.

Livvy Gibbs, South East Scotland Representative at Young Make Votes Matter, commented on the Bill: 

“Young Make Votes Matter believes in building a democracy that truly reflects the diverse voices of our generation.

Achieving PR isn’t just about fairness; it’s about creating a political system where every vote counts, empowering communities, and delivering better outcomes for people and the planet. 

With trust in politics at an all-time low, PR offers a vital opportunity to reimagine our democracy as one that fosters collaboration and equips us to meet the challenges of the future.

This Ten Minute Rule Bill represents a meaningful step toward that vision, and Young Make Votes Matter is proud to champion it.” 

The Green Party are calling for the replacement of the undemocratic first-past-the-post system for parliamentary and council elections with a fair and proportional voting system.

Wherever young people’s lives may take them, the Young Greens are there to represent and advocate for their needs, views and wants, championing the rights of students and young people aged up to 30 across England and Wales. We’re working hard on getting more Greens elected. Join us, and let’s make it happen.

Join the Young Votes Matter network and be kept up to date with how you can make a difference.

The post Young Greens Support Commons vote to move to Proportional Representation appeared first on Young Greens.

We speak to Young Green Izzy Metcalf- Riener, a Lancaster university student who, after running in the Lancaster council elections last year, is now standing as the Green candidate in the Castle ward by-election. 

How did you get involved with the Green party and how has your role within it developed?

 The Green Party has always been my political home and I regularly delivered Green newsletters growing up. I became increasingly politically aware and engaged during the 2015 general election and I started to properly read about Green Party policies which solidified for me that the Green Party was definitely the political party that best reflected my values.  I joined the Lancaster Young Greens Society in my final year of University.

It was great to connect with such like-minded young people and through this I got involved with North Lancashire Green Party. Standing in the 2023 Lancaster City Council elections for the University ward, alongside Tom Fish, was a pivotal moment and turning point in terms of my involvement with the party and I learnt a lot through being a target candidate. Since then, I have joined the Young Greens executive committee as Women’s Officer, the North Lancashire Green Party executive committee as Internal Comms Coordinator and I help coordinate the Lancaster Young Greens Society.

  Why are you running in the Castle ward the by election and what are your aims for Castle ward and the city of Lancaster if elected?

I am running in the Castle Ward by-election to hopefully join Green Councillors Paul Stubbins and Dave Brookes and continue their year-round hard work for residents.  As a resident of Castle Ward myself, I am deeply invested in helping our area, city, and community thrive. I am already actively involved in the local area and have organised community litter picks, and I am committed to furthering these efforts alongside Paul and Dave as part of a strong Castle Ward Green team.

My aims for Castle Ward encompass several key priorities. Firstly, I am passionate about improving green spaces within the town centre, including the creation of ‘pocket parks’, to enhance biodiversity and community well-being. Addressing issues of traffic congestion and air pollution is equally crucial, especially improving accessibility to sustainable modes of transport through influencing County Council decisions. Additionally, I am dedicated to advancing plans for high-density, sustainable and affordable housing in the town centre.

As a young woman, I am acutely aware of the importance of diverse voices in politics. I recognise the importance of representing the varied needs of our diverse community and will ensure that everyone’s voices are heard and valued in decision-making about local public services. 

 Reflecting on your campaign last year, what have you’ve learned about standing for election?

It’s hard to generalise my experience of the campaign last year as the University is such a unique ward. I think it might be the only 100% student ward in the country so the strategies we used to engage voters don’t necessarily apply to a wider audience. For example, the use of social media isn’t currently very widespread in election campaigning.

My current by-election campaign has therefore felt quite different. I think the biggest thing I learned during my campaign last year is that being a candidate can be a lot of fun and it doesn’t always have to feel so serious. I think standing in such a unique ward allowed me to strip back the more conventionally ‘serious’ campaigning and focus on the fundamentals. A lot of attention is rightly put on policy and literature, but a large part of a candidate’s role is getting to know residents and making that emotional connection, which is also often the most rewarding part. This is something I’m trying to prioritise in my by-election campaign – just getting out there and connecting with residents!

What’s been your proudest Green Party moment so far?

My proudest Green Party moment so far has got to be the Greens’ success in the 2023 Lancaster City Council election. Being at the election count to celebrate getting 21 Green councillors elected was a truly unforgettable experience. I was particularly proud that we got 3 Young Green councillors elected in Lancaster, more than anywhere else in the country I believe. And although I did not get elected, seeing Tom Fish, who I ran alongside in the University ward, get elected was incredibly rewarding. It was a massive testament to all the hard work and dedication we both put into the campaign and I couldn’t have been prouder of the positive outcome we achieved.

Why do you think Lancaster Greens, and Lancaster Young Greens in particular, are achieving these results, and what would you like to see North Lancashire Green Party achieve in the future?

Firstly, Lancaster has such a strong Green history,  Green councillors have served on Lancaster City Council since 1999. This strong foundation has played a significant role when expanding into new wards and areas, as residents are familiar with the great work we’ve done for the city. So a lot of credit must be given to the hard work of all our current and former councillors, which has built momentum over the years. The brilliant leadership of the council by Green Councillor Caroline Jackson from 2021 to 2023 is also part of this,  and the regular dissemination of Green View newsletters throughout the area has helped keep residents informed and engaged.

Regarding the 2023 local elections, the efforts of Jamie Payne, our Campaign Organiser, were instrumental in our success. That’s why we’re currently fundraising to hire a permanent Campaign Organiser to support upcoming elections, including the general election this year and County Council election next year. Our 50×50 fundraising campaign, which is encouraging 50 individuals to donate £50 per month, is pivotal in achieving this goal.

In terms of engaging young people, credit must go to everyone involved in re-activating and running Lancaster Young Greens Society, which has been really successful in fostering involvement and uplifting and supporting young people to be more active. More broadly, the legacy of youth climate activism in Lancaster, evolving out of the school strikes movement and leading to successfully pressuring the City Council to declare a climate emergency in 2019, empowered many young people who are now actively involved in the party. The local party’s receptiveness and encouragement of young people getting involved and standing has also been crucial.

Looking towards the future, I hope our Green success continues over the next few years. Jack Lenox is our absolutely amazing MP candidate and we’ve also already got a great team of County Council candidates selected ahead of the election next year where we aim to secure a strong presence at the County level. So watch this space!

 What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to young people thinking of standing in elections?

Just go for it! I think it’s far too easy to be put off standing for election, but just because most politicians don’t look like you, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be one – in fact, it’s all the more reason to do it!  We desperately need better representation within politics and as they say, “be the change you wish to see”.

I never thought I was the kind of person who could run for election and here I am running for the second time! If I had listened to all the self-doubt and continued to overthink every reason why I couldn’t do it, I would have never realised just how much I’m capable of. So, my advice would be, believe in yourself (which I know is easier said than done) and surround yourself with people who can help and support you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it as election campaigns are a lot of work and you’ll need a strong team behind you.

Wherever young people’s lives may take them, the Young Greens are there to represent and advocate for their needs, views and wants, championing the rights of students and young people aged up to 30 across England and Wales.

To get involved with the Young Greens on your campus or meet other Young Greens in your local area, visit our Groups page to find out more.

The post “The Green Party has always been my political home”: An interview with Green candidate Izzy Metcalf-Riener appeared first on Young Greens.

But I wasn’t active in that sense, and I felt quite disenfranchised from the Labour party and I realised that the Green Party is the only party at the moment that is offering that progressive vision. They are the only party that are offering this positive vision and are not just acknowledging that things are getting worse, but they want to fight to try and make things better. 

I joined the Green Party at the beginning of this year and I joined with the expectation that I would start by doing some volunteering, such as leafleting and door knocking. But because it is a very democratic party, they send out nominations for all the seats and this one came up for the Bishopston and Ashley Down seat and I just thought ‘why not just jump in at the deep end?’. I’ll put myself forward for the council position, and then I went through hustings, and here I am.”

You’re from Bristol yourself, but what is it that made you want to represent this particular ward in Bristol, what are your aims for the future, and what do you want to offer the people of Bristol during your time as a councillor?

“I’m from Bristol, I was born here. I grew up in Bishopston, so I grew up in the area that I’m representing. I’m very very fond of it and I do want to see it thrive. It’s a very nice area but it does also have some challenges, particularly around transport. It’s got two cricket grounds and a football ground, it has a population of about 10,000 people, and there’s no parking scheme of any kind, and very limited restriction on traffic which means there’s a lot of rat running in the area. And these may sound like minor issues but they do impact negatively on the area, so they are some things that I want to address. 

Speaking more generally of what I want to achieve, I want to push for a four-day working week trial at the council, and this is my little pet project over the next eight months, and hopefully, if I am re-elected in May. This is something that I really want to push for because the council employs about 6,500 people and that could make a really significant improvement to their lives.”

What advice would you give to young people who want to become active in the Green Party or see themselves in similar position to you, looking at running for their local council?

“I won’t beat around the bush, it’s not a walk in the park. The campaigning part in particular can take up a considerable amount of time and sacrifice. In terms of being a councillor, I’m still learning, and hopefully, as I progress over the next few months, I’ll be better able to listen to people’s concerns and help improve their lives. 

So overall, the advice I’d give to young people would be that it can be a leap of faith, but if you don’t put yourself forward, then someone else will. And you may not feel like you’re qualified or the right person for the job, but someone else will feel that they are and that political opponent will most likely not share your values or not want to improve the country in the way that you want to see, so if you don’t put yourself forward, your opponents will, so you just need to take the plunge.”

As we’ve seen recently, Rishi Sunak has been backtracking on climate pledges and delaying many targets regarding greenissues. Do you think that the politicisation of green issues is going to have an influence in future elections and political campaigns, and how do you think the Green Party can best respond to the Government’s actions?

“What is clear is that calls for taking action on climate change are now being heard, however, this doesn’t mean that we have won the argument. The Conservatives are increasingly climate sceptic as Rishi Sunak’s recent announcements have shown, and I have no faith that Labour will stick to their climate commitments, considering how often they have U-turned on policy in recent years. I did however find some comfort that polling indicated Sunak’s personal favourability dropped after these announcements. This shows that people are aware of it and they don’t want inaction on climate change. The problem now is the pace of change, and we need to keep up the pressure to ensure we hit our net zero targets.

We also know that net zero can be a great opportunity for a more equitable society, a more socially just society and a more economically just society, or it can be more of the same, only this time there are solar panels on your roof. We need to put forward a positive vision and that’s where the Green Party is a really good vehicle. And what I’m hoping is that when Carla Denyer is elected, she will be able to make that case, ideally alongside Sian Berry in Brighton Pavilion, and Adrian Ramsey and Ellie Chowns as well. 
And that’s my view on the national conversation, but we also need that Green pressure locally as well. Local governments have authority on a lot of transport planning, a lot of recycling schemes and other schemes that enable a lot and aim for a net zero lifestyle for local residents. It’s really important that we don’t just focus on national politics but we think at the local level as well. It may not sound significant but having a few Greens in the room, in a parish council for example, can be the difference between having a recycling round once a week versus a recycling round every month, and that impacts people’s behaviour. It sounds minor, but it’s all those little battles that need to happen as well.”

Do you have a positive message to end on for young people who many be feeling disillusioned with politics at the moment?

To reiterate what I said earlier, getting involved and taking the plunge. The climate crisis has caused a lot of anger, anxiety and stress for a lot of people and getting involved can help with that. So getting involved, volunteering, whether that’s with the Green Party, trying to get more Green politicians, or in local environmental campaigns or groups. But it is also important to take some time for yourself. You can still get burned out even if you feel like you’re fighting the good fight and when you feel like you’ve got to fight for everything, but it’s also okay to say ‘I’m going to take some time out, I’m going to slow down as well’”.


If you would like to get in touch with James regarding getting involved in the Green Party and local government, or have any general questions, you can contact him at: [email protected]

Wherever young people’s lives may take them, the Young Greens are there to represent and advocate for their needs, views and wants, championing the rights of students and young people aged up to 30 across England and Wales. Join us now!

To get involved with the Young Greens on your campus or meet other Young Greens in your local area, visit our Groups page to find out more.

The post “The Green Party is the only party at the moment that is offering that progressive vision” An Interview with Councillor James Crawford appeared first on Young Greens.

This increase follows the trend in Young Greens being elected, with the Green Party having only 2 Young Greens elected in 2019. Young Greens Co-Chair Kelsey Trevett commented on their success: “Across England, Young Greens have been putting forward a message of radical hope. Amongst a two-party system of one political ideology, Young Green candidates have been working hard in communities and on campuses, and winning the trust of people. I’m so excited to see our network of Young Green councillors grow both in number, and in geographical coverage.”

In Lancaster, with 14 Young Greens standing in the local elections, 3 Young Greens were elected onto the City Council. After coming 23 votes off winning a Councillor in the University Ward by-election in 2021, Tom Fish was elected in the ward on Friday.

The first new Green Party Councillor of the evening was Jim Yare in South Tyneside, with wins in East Herefordshire and Broadlands later in the morning. Young Greens were also elected for the first time in Ashford, Manchester, Liverpool and Stafford. One of the largest wins of the day came in Worcester where Victoria Pingree ousted the Tory Council Leader to win her seat in St Clements.

Commenting on her election win, Tor said “I’m Tor, a 23 year old teacher from Worcester. In the early hours of Friday morning, I defeated the Conservative leader of Worcester City Council. We’ve been working for a few years on this campaign and it is fantastic to see our hard work pay off.”

As we celebrate a record number of young people elected join the Green Party and help us get even more elected! Green Party membership starts from £6 per year.

The Young Greens are the Youth and Student Wing of the Green Party of England and Wales. Any Green Party member who is under 30 or a full-time or part-time student is a member of the Young Greens.

Young Greens elected:

• Al Arnold – Ashford Borough Council
• Raphael Hill – Brighton and Hove City Council
• Chloë Goldsmith – Brighton and Hove City Council
• Jessica Royal (Ashcroft) – Broadlands District Council
• Elliot Tong – Cambridge City Council
• Anastasia Wlaschin-Wiest – Manchester City Council
• Tom Fish – Lancaster City Council
• Hamish Mills – Lancaster City Council 
• Grace Russell – Lancaster City Council
• Jim Yare – South Tyneside Council
• Victoria Pingree – Worcester County Council
• George Williams – East Hertfordshire District Council
• Josh Worley – Norwich City Council
• John Howard – Liverpool City Council
• Jack Rose – Stafford Borough Council
• Frank Adlington-Stringer – North East Derbyshire 

A full list of all elected Young Greens can be found on the Young Greens website.

The post Young Greens celebrate a record number of young people elected as Councillors appeared first on Young Greens.

Young Greens Co-Chair and Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate Trustee Lily Fitzgibbon trounced the competition to win a seat in Bishopston & Ashley Down, Bristol. The Green Party is now the joint largest party on Bristol Council with Labour, and the biggest Green Party council group in the country. At just 18, Lily is now the youngest council member of Bristol City Council.

After nearly 10 years of campaigning for the safer management of controlled substances, small business owner Jessie Carter, 28, has been elected to represent Sudbury on Suffolk County Council. A lifelong Sudbury resident, she will reimagine Sudbury’s high street and protect its beautiful green spaces. Jessie says, “I am eager to become a young active Green voice for my community”.

Harry Gorman was elected by the residents of Prenton to represent them on Wirral Borough Council. Harry is a 20-year-old student and now the council’s second youngest member. He said, “Some people I’ve met when campaigning say to me it makes a nice change for a candidate to be young.”

Jamie Osborne, who has already been a pioneering councillor for Norwich over the last two years, was elected to Norfolk County Council. He held a strong lead, winning by over 600 votes. Jamie and the other newly elected Green councillors’ number one priority is to put pressure on the council to scrap the £153m Norwich Western Link road.

Not one, but two Young Greens have been elected to represent Kettering on North Northamptonshire Council; Sarah Tubbs and Emily Fedorowycz. Sarrah Tubbs is the Founder and Coordinator of The Cambodian Marine Mammal Conservation Project.

Emily Fedorowycz, SEO strategist, said about her win, “So, so proud to be amongst the first ever Green councillors in Northamptonshire. Can’t wait to start making even more of a difference in my hometown and across the county.”

Northamptonshire isn’t the only place where Young Greens are being elected in droves, with Lucy Pegg and Chris Jarvis now sitting on Oxford City Council. Chris Jarvis was elected to represent St Mary’s ward. Chris is the editor of independent media outlet Bright Green, as well as  press and comms lead for We Own it, a campaign organisation against privatisation.

Upon her election, former London Young Greens Co-chair, Lucy Pegg, who now represents Donnington ward, said, “Thank you so so much to everyone who voted Green in Donnington – I can’t wait to get stuck in on your behalf”. 

Each and every campaign around the country was inspiring and we are looking forward to more Young Greens yet again breaking election records in the years to come. The average age of a councillor is 60 years old; it is essential that more young people are elected at this level of politics to ensure our generation is not one that continues to be left behind. You can be part of the next Green wave, join the Green Party today!

The post The Young Greens break a record with this year’s election results appeared first on Young Greens.