After problems in Tower Hamlets delayed the London European Parliament results, Green activists at City Hall were rewarded for their wait with the re-election of Green MEP Jean Lambert.
“Exhausted but happy Green Team”: Jean Lambert (front row, left of centre)
celebrating with fellow candidates and activists at London’s City Hall after
her re-election was announced
Shortly after 3am the Returning Officer announced that Jean Lambert, who was first elected as an MEP in 1999, would be returning to Brussels for her fourth term. The Greens scooped 9% of the vote, denying UKIP a second London seat. Following the national trend, London voters awarded the Greens fourth place in the polls, ahead of the Lib Dems who lost their sole London seat.
In a tweet following the early morning announcement, Jean said: “Thank you London voters for returning me to the [European Parliament]. Great feeling.”
Caroline Allen, no.2 candidate for the Green Party’s London Euro list commented that it was a particularly satisfying to be able to keep UKIP’s “climate denying no.2. out of Europe” and said that the team was “exhausted but happy”.
Jean will be returning to the European Parliament with her fellow Green MEP Keith Taylor, who was re-elected by the South East. They will also be joined for the first time by Dr. Molly Scott Cato, South West region’s first Green MEP. In total, around 1.2 million people voted Green in the UK.
Green Party Leader, Natalie Bennett, said:
“The growth of our number of seats in the European Parliament reflects growing support for Green Party policies and values around the country. Increasing numbers of voters are inspired by our message of positive change for the common good. They support, as do a majority of the public, our views on many issues, from renationalising the railways and reining in banks, from banning fracking to making the minimum wage a living wage.”