Surprise results for Ramsay and Porritt, but campaigning needs to start soon
With three hundred votes in, I’ve been pleasantly suprised by this poll and the very considered debate that has followed. I think it says something about why candidate and leadership elections are important: they focus the mind around what you want to happen next, and who can do that for you.
Let’s remember though that we need to apply that principle to who we elect from a very wide perspective, because the electorate in the country will be making precisely this judgement when they look at our leadership, and compare it with other parties. It isn’t just an internal matter of who will organise us best.
The rather high turn out on the poll we’ve just run suggests a high level of interest but also a bit of organised campaigning by the yet-to-be candidates, or at least, their supporters. Shasha Khan and Shahrar Ali demonstrated some of what it takes to get elected, with a late surge in support yesterday.
Jonathon Porritt has been a surprise performer – perhaps we should ask if intends to run for Deputy? Personally, I think that both he and Peter Tatchell would stand a very good chance of getting elected if they did, because of their high public profile.
Right now, Siân Berry might put in a good performance for similar reasons, but the gender balance rules would put her at a disadvantage, as Caroline is such a strong candidate.
Adrian Ramsay, Darren Johnson and Derek Wall are the likely male contenders, it would seem from this poll. Peter Cranie has ruled himself out, but Derek and his supporters remain silent at the moment about his intentions. As I’ve mentioned, I personally think he should stand and look forward to a proper debate. But it would be great to hear from his supporters what platform they would like Derek to be standing on.
Adrian has clearly attracted a lot of support, and it would be interesting to hear from his supporters as to why. Darren too has his advocates, and it would be good to hear more from them. Their strengths are perhaps similar, as strong electoral organisers in key target constituencies.
And both have a lot to gain, for the party too, by getting increased profile and bigger votes in Norwich South or Lewisham Deptford. Norwich Greens are saying that they think they are close to a breakthrough. Does Lewisham feel the same? Which candidate would benefit the party most?
But the main question in my mind right now is the simple one of when campaigning will begin. There isn’t in fact a great deal of time left. Nominations will close in early July, and August is a very quiet month. The poll closes in early September. It seems to me that the moment that candidates will need to declare is getting very close …
June 13th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
As I’ve argued here and here, I think it is pretty clear now that Norwich South is the Green Party’s second-best Westminster prospect. We were almost 10% ahead of the other Parties across the constituency, this May 1st — an unprecedented result.
It therefore makes a lot of sense that Adrian should be Deputy to Caroline (who is an obvious Leader). Darren will get plenty of coverage anyway, as GLA A.M. and next year as GLA Chair, and he is available anyway to take media opportunities in London if on some occasions both Caroline and Adrian can’t.
Jim asks above about the candidate’s qualities: as someone who knows Adrian very well and has worked very closely with him for years now, I think I can safely and unequivocally state a case for him: In fact, I may well know Adrian better than anyone else in the Green Party does. I have been part with him first-hand in the phenomenal rise of Norwich Green Party. He has been the central fulcrum or foundation of this rise.
He is a consummate media performer: I have seen him on TV, numerous times, including on national TV, and on national radio; he _always_, without fail, does a good job, and sometimes a brilliant job.
He is an astoundingly hard worker: he would put the time in, and make the things happen that need to happen in the Party: in London, in Brighton (where he is visiting shortly with others from Norwich to skill-share and doorknock), in Norwich, and everywhere.
And he is simply a very effective organiser.
Look at the remarkable success that he has masterminded in Norwich over the years. Now imagine that success scaled up onto the national stage. This is not just wishful thinking: this would happen to a real extent, I believe. Adrian builds campaigns and programmes for change that work, that succeed.
Finally: He is a unifying figure. Readers may recall the vital role he played chairing in a very balanced way the most unpleasant ‘leadership’ debate of all, back at Swansea.
I am slightly surprised to see how very well Adrian is doing in this poll, because I wasn’t aware of the Party as a whole being fully aware of his qualities. I guess Norwich’s achievements must have spoken for themselves. I think that the audience of this poll are right: Adrian is a very strong candidate for Deputy Leader, and he should stand.
June 13th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Perhaps it is a function of having stepped back from ‘national’ Green Party stuff this year that I find myself genuinely undecided for Deputy.
I will certainly be voting for Caroline as Leader, and I would have thought that, barring disaster, she has a lock on that position. My choice for Deputy would have been Peter C (to the extent that I would have willingly helped to organise his campaign if required) - but he has ruled himself out.
So now I think we have a very wide field of good candidates for Deputy, which can only be a good thing. In order to truly decide, I think we need to see how the candidates visions for the Deputy position unfold - is it a largely internal, organisational role? Will it involve lots of external facing work? How important is the candidates position on the ‘political spectrum’ within the Party?
I can honestly see myself supporting any of five or six candidates at the moment, which is somewhat refreshing for someone like me (who normally has a cast-iron opinion on something within about three seconds!).
Matt
June 13th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Are there any plans to run a media campaign around the whole contest itself? We got some good coverage of the actual referendum, but held back a bit (sensibly in my view) as it was genuinely quite a divisive issue and a ‘no’ result would have made us look silly if we built it up publically.
But this is a major opportunity. All the other Parties experience a boost in the polls following an election for leader due to the coverage. Is there a central plan organised to give our leadership election some serious air time independent of the chosen candidates, or will chasing the media spotlight be solely the responsibly of the individual campaigns?
June 13th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
I agree that this is a major opportunity. We shouldn’t exaggerate it – it is not as big story as Labour or Tories selecting a new leader – but it does offer a serious opportunity, especially if there is a real choice on offer. I know the press office are looking forward to promoting the story as hard as they can.
June 13th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
quote- “The rather high turn out on the poll we’ve just run suggests a high level of interest but also a bit of organised campaigning by the yet-to-be candidates, or at least, their supporters. Shasha Khan and Shahrar Ali demonstrated some of what it takes to get elected, with a late surge in support yesterday.”
Firstly I must say that Shasha Khan has never considered putting his name forward and I’m 100% certain he wont!!! He will be focusing all his attentions on lifting the profile of the Croydon & Sutton Green Party. I apologise for putting his name forward on your poll. Although I am surprised just how well he did, beating Jean Lambert, Jenny Jones and Peter Tatchell. He did not get people organised to vote on here in any way.
I would not support Jonathon Porritt in any way if did run, and i’m sure there would be many angry Green Party members if he did, he has not been active in the party for nearly twenty years.
From the sounds of it the so called Green “dream ticket” of Caroline Lucas and Adrian Ramsay would run away with it if they did put there names forward. It would be a partnership I would be happy to support. They both have a great chance of being elected, I would go as far as saying Norwich South could be where the first Green Party MP comes from, not Brighton Pavilion, but we will see. Both are amazing, passionate, campaigners who are very intelligent and coherent and in todays shallow society they both have the advantage of being good looking and very media friendly.
Lucas-Ramsay ‘08
June 13th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
@Pete Stephens
Shasha has what it takes to make a great elected politician, I am sure: tact, diplomacy, good presentation and pragmatic intelligence. It’s great he has featured in the poll. I think word did get around that he was on the list here, but that is another matter. People wouldn’t vote for him if they didn’t think he deserved to be a leading green politician.
@Everyone reading this blog
I’m still very hopeful to have contributions about Darren and Derek’s merits as potential candidates, so feel free to post one if you feel strongly about either.
June 16th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Hello Jim:
I think there should be a contest for Leader and Deputy Leader, I also think that Caroline Lucas should be the Leader and Adrian Ramsay should be the Deputy Leader. The two are candidates in the two best possible Seats for the next Gen-Election which if they are the leaders could put them over the tipping point in votes to become the first two MPS in the UK, as you know in the three main parties the leaders do get voted in by the people and we should use this advantaged for the benefit of the Party.
(2) I would help by doing more in Norwich to take the pressure off Adrian Ramsay in Norwich South Seat, and i live in Norwich North seat area and that is the attitudes off most people in both Norwich North/south and in other parts in Norfolk.
(3) It would give more National T.V. Coverage for both which is needed to win the Seats after all what is more important the First two Green party MP wins or the attitudes i want to be be the leader or i want this person to be the leader, we should be giving every opportunity to getting MPS.
(4) We near the tipping point of climate change to no return we as the green party need the other tipping point of the voters voting for our first MPs to help to stop the Climate Change.
(5) I say who ever is the leaders are we as the party must get behind them. So i say Please get out and vote for a winning formula CAROLINE LUCAS as LEADER and ADRIAN RAMSAY as DEPUTY LEADER for the best thing to help the Party/UK/and the Planet.
All the best from Richard Edwards
June 17th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Breaking news:
Last night posted on the AGC email list, from potential Deputy Leader Darren Johnson -
“Post May 1st I now find myself chairing two committees at the London Assembly and then taking over as Chair of the whole Assembly next year. I want to really concentrate on my Assembly and local councillor roles in addition to my work as target candidate to maintain Lewisham Deptford as Britain’s strongest Green parliamentary seat after Brighton Pavilion. Those three roles are quite enough for anyone so It is important that others think about putting themselves forward as AGC Chair this year. I will be stepping down this time and won’t have my arm twisted.
“For exactly the same reasons I do not intend putting myself forward for any GPEx posts including any of the new Leader/Deputy/Co-Leader positions.”
So, with DJ and Peter Cranie bowing out before the starting pistol cracks, it leaves the field open for a (potential) head to head between Adrian and Derek, unless a Porritt-shaped candidate steps up to the starting blocks.
June 17th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
To add to above comments - it does seem the perfect opportunity to focus national attention on a leadership election - a ‘Coming together’ rather than a ‘Contest’ like some other parties may conduct.