Guildford Greens Stand Aside to Allow Pro-Remain Lib Dems a Clear Run

Published on: 7 Nov, 2019
Updated on: 17 Dec, 2019

The Green Party are standing down in Guildford to give the Lib Dems as the leading Remain party a better chance of succeeding.

Nationally, the Lib Dems are standing aside in 13 constituencies while in 43 constituencies, including Guildford, other parties will stand aside for a Liberal Democrat candidate.

In a press release from the Liberal Democrats it says: “By making this arrangement with other pro-European parties, the Liberal Democrats are showing that we will put the national interest above party politics, to deliver Remain.”

In the 2017 general election, Mark Bray-Parry, who was earlier this year confirmed as the Green Party’s Parliamentary candidate, got 1,152 votes, just over 2% of the votes cast.

Although a relatively small number, support for the Green Party is growing, according to national polls, as concern over environmental issues increases. And even a small number of votes could be crucial in an election which could be very close.

Guildford’s 2017 general election result

Zoe Franklin

Guildford’s Lib Dem candidate Zoe Franklin, reacting to the announcement, said: “I want to thank Mark Bray-Parry and the Green Party for this brave decision.

“Brexit is a national crisis. This ground-breaking agreement, facilitated by the Unite to Remain campaign group, will help to secure more Remain-supporting MPs in the next Parliament.

“The people of Guildford, Cranleigh and our villages deserve a strong voice in Parliament, to stop Brexit, tackle the climate crisis and fight for a brighter future for Britain. The Liberal Democrats are the only Party who can deliver that brighter future for our area at this election.”

Mark Bray-Parry

Mark Bray-Parry said: “It is a consequence of an outdated and unrepresentative electoral system that I have to announce that I will be stepping aside in Guildford as part of the Unite to Remain electoral arrangement.

“To do so has been very difficult as I care deeply for Guildford and believe that The Green Party’s focus on climate change is essential if we are to mitigate the largest consequences of climate change.

“However, while I think this should be the ‘Climate Change Election’ rather than the ‘Brexit Election’, I realise that the radical action needed on climate change is best achieved through membership of the European Union.

“Residents have now got a choice between a Remain candidate and a series of Leave or undecided candidates and they can make a decision between those options.”

He told The Dragon NEWS that he would not be campaigning for the Lib Dems but did wish her “all the best”

Responses to Guildford Greens Stand Aside to Allow Pro-Remain Lib Dems a Clear Run

Matthew Smith Reply

November 7, 2019 at 2:21 pm

It would surely have been more appropriate for Green candidate Mark Bray-Parry to have stood aside and backed the Labour Party’s Green New Deal, by far the most appropriate response from any of the main political parties to the climate crisis.
John Perkins Reply

November 7, 2019 at 4:06 pm

Residents had a choice in 2016 and made a decision. Not all of them will be pleased to have their option to vote Green taken from them and perhaps even fewer will want to support the Lib Dems instead.

Nor will everyone accept that the EU is somehow “greener” than this country, especially in view of the fact that many of its policies originated here, having been put forward by Mrs Thatcher.

I’m sure that Anne Milton, who may have sacrificed her career for Remain, will not be pleased with being described as, “Leave or undecided”.

If it’s any consolation I happen to agree that the electoral system is outdated and unrepresentative.
Shelley Grainger Reply

November 7, 2019 at 5:30 pm

As Secretary of Guildford Labour, I am sorry that Mark Bray-Parry is standing aside for Zoe Franklin because the Lib Dems are not a progressive party and do not stand for progressive policies. They have ruled out a coalition with Labour should they increase their number of seats and therefore are more likely to cause a Tory Brexit than prevent it, either as part of a Tory/Lib Dem coalition or by refusing to support Labour.

The Greens, on the other hand, have a huge amount to offer the electorate and I’m sure will offer the second most progressive manifesto (after the Labour Party’s!).

Those of us who favour left-wing policies and believe in democracy should campaign for Proportional Representation as until we have this in place, most votes cast in this country will remain “wasted votes” and this encourages voter apathy as people feel disenfranchised.