People on the doorstep didn't trust Natalie Bennett, because she's an Australian. They feel she's not truly invested in our country. I don't know what to say.
"Can we vote here?"
"No."
Watching results with Simon Stafford-Townsend of the Bristol Green Party. Reality had yet to set in ...
Larch and I retreated to the Bristol West election HQ, a lovely house in the suburban streets of Clifton, which had the words 'Green Party headquarters' on the front door and the bay windows plastered with homemade posters proclaiming 'reasons to vote Green'.
There was a designated bike room. Larch went in to have a bit of a lie down before the results really got going. "I'm going to have a kip. But not a UKIP."
"A Green kip," I suggested.
"Yes, haha. A Green kip!"
Much scorn was heaped on the election coverage. And especially the BBC graphics. Consensus was it looked like and episode of Doctor Who, and not a good one.
And so to the Bristol Student Union. The place was packed with people and nervous energy. Every Labour win got large cheers; every Conservative win got a cheer and a blast on a Vuvuzela from a small group of red trouser-wearing young Tories.
Nothing to do with George Ferguson!
Lucky. Benefits sanctions. The more I brought up, the more Lucky seemed opposed to it, and the more I found myself wondering why he was even a member. Of course, to me and many on the left, being a Conservative brings very different things to mind; benefits sanctions, work capability, closing A&Es. These acts seem heartless, and it is almost impossible to imagine anyone condoning them. But to Lucky and his young Tory colleagues, they might barely register. The first things to spring to mind when they hear the word 'Conservative' are probably free enterprise, job creation, defence of the realm.
Too serious; time for another beer.
The union had thinned out a lot by 4, and by 6 only the most hardcore (mostly Politics students) were still lying in front of the projector, half asleep. By half seven it was chucking out time, and time for the stragglers to watch the rest of the results on an iPad, sitting on a picnic bench outside the union. Then it was bedtime.
Next day, I'd stayed up far too late to wait for the Bristol West result, which ended up being Labour. Disappointed, hungover, tired. Hoping for some sort of debrief, I headed to the Green Party shop on Gloucester Road, where people had picked up (recyclable) signs for their windows and gardens. A note on the door directed me to the Old Fish Market.
A feeling of hope pervaded in the pub on Baldwin Street. Speaking to other members was good; for many in the Green Party, this was not their first election defeat.
Someone was on Twitter, checking the council election results. Every time a new Green councillor was announced, a cheer went up. Every time one walked through the door, a bigger cheer. In the end, the Green Party won 13 council seats, half of who were women, making them the third biggest party in Bristol council.
held onto their one seat, increased majority
didn't take any other target seats
we'll see what happens in the locals and mayorals
finish with image of south bristol meeting plotting th next move
