Saturday usually means sport but today I'm travelling to Norwich for the Eastern Region hustings meeting for the Green Party leader. Having recently joined the Party I have a relatively objective position, I don't know any of the candidates personally, all I know is what I've read on websites and twitter.
The job of leader will be a difficult task, with Caroline Lucas as the Party's only MP, I sense that the media will continue to go to her for quotes, interviews and appearances.
The post of deputy leader is also being contested and it is Green Party rules that the two positins must be held by one man and one woman, therefore this will be a factor that members will need to bear in mind when casting their votes.
As a new member I'm interested in how candidates feel they can attract new voters and indeed members at a time when progressive voters will see the priority as ridding the country of the Tories, and probably many will see Labour as the natural route to achieve this.
There are four candidates for leader and like me they will travel to Norwich today. This may also give me an opportunity to meet some members from Essex for the first time:
The meeting began at 5.15 there were around 50 people crammed into the hall. Each candidates made a three minute opening statement and questions followed from the floor: the questions covered a number of themes included: how to attract traditional Labour voters ? the candidates view of Scottish Independence , how to elect more Greens ?, the party's view of trade unions, and what can we learn from the international green movement.
Overall it was a very positive experience, the mood was positive, none of the candidates criticised each other ( a tendency in internal elections), I got a chance to meet a number of members including a few I'd met in Norwich earlier in the year. I was also able to talk to two of the deputy leader candidates who also attended the hustings. By the time I got back to Essex, I had resolved who to vote for when the ballot paper arrives in the next few days.
Key Quotes
"Anyone who believes that exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist."
(Kenneth Boulding)
"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. "
(Raymond Chandler)
"Live simply so that others can simply live." (unknown)
"I cannot live without books" (Thomas Jefferson)
"Sport is war without the shooting" (George Orwell)
"New York is a great city to live in if you can afford to get out of it" (William Rossa Cole)
The secret of a happy ending is knowing when to roll the credits (Patterson Hood)
(Kenneth Boulding)
"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. "
(Raymond Chandler)
"Live simply so that others can simply live." (unknown)
"I cannot live without books" (Thomas Jefferson)
"Sport is war without the shooting" (George Orwell)
"New York is a great city to live in if you can afford to get out of it" (William Rossa Cole)
The secret of a happy ending is knowing when to roll the credits (Patterson Hood)
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