Kmflett's Blog

Candidates are now declared for elections in England, Scotland and Wales in 2027.

A significant issue for the left is trying to at least take the edge off the Reform vote.

Another however is where the left vote itself will go, with Labour facing significant issues not least on war.

The FT has published a relatively sober analysis of the Green’s performance in local elections (map above). Historically where the Greens have run Councils the experience has been mixed (see Brighton). However that was then and the Greens now have over 200,000 members. If you look at the candidates standing in May many look like those who might once have stood for Labour.

The FT article seeks to draw a distinction (no doubt with some satisfaction) between what it sees as quite cautious Green Councils in practice and the radicalism of Zack Polanski’s leadership. It would indeed be interesting to see a radical Green Council in the way that some Labour Councils in the past have been in various ways. This may however be more theory than practice.

Of course as Reform Councillors have found out local Councils thanks to the austerity years are cash strapped and have legal responsibilities that they must carry out. There is little evidence that Reform Councillors have much of a clue what they are up to.

As the FT article perhaps grudgingly concedes that is not so much the case with most Green Councillors, often rooted in community campaigning. It does mean however that they can end up appearing not so different to the alternative Council leaderships they have replaced. In doing so they disappoint those who have supported them looking for a genuine change.

Of course building out and involving local communities, campaigns and trade unions can help to find a way out of this and the independent socialist candidates standing in a number of areas should be able to point the way here. Elections are important but there is a wider world of conflict and struggle out there.