Greens lose safe Hanover seat in by-election

Emma Daniel wins by-election in Hanover & Elm Grove ward

Labour and Co-operative won the by-election in Hanover and Elm Grove ward yesterday, July 12, taking 40% of the votes cast.

In a tightly fought campaign, Labour managed to turn around a 900 vote majority, winning the seat by just 38 votes from the Green candidate, David Stuart Gibson.

The by-election was caused by Green Councillor, Matt Follett resigning his seat in May following an unsuccessful coup within the Green Party to depose their convenor and Leader of the Council, Cllr Jason Kitcat.

At the time Cllr Follett said his reason for stepping down was because he was “leaving the city to live with his family in another part of the country”.

The Conservative Party came third with 8% of the vote beating UKIP into fourth place by just 25 votes.

The Trade Union and Socialists against the cuts came fifth taking 5% of the vote, whilst the Lib Dems trailed in last with just 56 people voting for them.

This is the first time Labour have won a seat back from the Greens in Brighton and Hove. They needed a swing of 11% to secure the seat. A swing of 2% will be needed to take the Brighton Pavilion seat from Green MP Caroline Lucas at the next General Election, expected on the same day as the local elections in the city in May 2015.

Councillor Emma Daniel said:

“I think that our positive campaign was the key to success. We didn’t try and criticise, we just explained our vision and people were turned on by that. For us this is the first step towards 2015 and an election victory for Labour.

“For those who didn’t vote for me, I promise to be fair and I promise to represent your interests.”

Labour leader Cllr Warren Morgan, said:

“This is an historic win for Labour in the city, and marks the beginning of the end of the Green Party’s influence. If this result is repeated in 22 months time then Labour would win at least a dozen council seats from the Greens and take the Pavilion seat from Caroline Lucas. The choice now for Brighton and Hove in 2015 is clear; only Labour can take on David Cameron’s Conservatives and win.

“I’d like to thank our excellent candidate Emma Daniel, who will make a first-rate councillor, and our fantastic campaign team who have worked so hard to secure this great result.”

Post election the Argus ran a poll asking if this was the start of the end for the Greens. 84% said yes, just 11% said no.

Brian Ralfe, producer of the Alternative Pantomine, concluded: