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Birth of new East Kent campaign group, Kent Deserves Democracy. 

D&D Greens initiate cooperative political meeting

A very well attended meeting at Deal’s Astor Theatre launched the new cross-party campaign group for fair proportional voting and cleaner, more accountable government.

Audience 3

One of our Green exec officers, sparked things off with chats in July to respected contacts who have served in local Lib Dem, Labour and Conservative parties for some time.

We recognise that people are struggling to feed themselves and their families, to keep warm and to keep a roof over their heads, so a better political system doesn’t seem top of their list. But with sky-high energy bills and now mortgage hikes, people are angry with those in power, and we won’t get cleaner government that prioritises real-life problems until we introduce genuine, not gamed, democracy. We all saw homes burning during this year’s 40degree heatwave, a result of our climate crisis. The current system has put us in the current mess, we’ll need a better system to resolve it.

“I have local ex Conservatives, a couple of them ex-councillors, emailing me, saying they support the introduction of proportional voting to restore integrity and honesty to British government, saying that after the jingoistic goings-on of ‘that buffoon Johnson’ they don’t want to be associated with Conservative Party ever again. Things are bad, but it was uplifting to hear from others who believe we can turn the corner and avoid crises, if we achieve a better democracy, in which a much wider range of voices are heeded. It is because Greens have long, long put the case for real multi-party democracy, fair voting, and a less lobby-laden political system, that new people are attracted to our party”. said Sarah, our Green election agent.

Green Party rep speaking bettr

National celebrity commentators at Kent Deserves Democracy launch, were Neal Lawson of Compass think tank, and Labour;  Tom Brake, of Unlock Democracy and ex LibDem MP, and Gavin Esler, broadcaster and author, most recently of ‘How Britain ends’.

Keynote speakers

Local parties were represented by, Jo Rothery of Canterbury Labour Party, Penelope James of Dover & Deal LibDems and Sarah Waite-Gleave of our Dover & Deal Green Party.

3 local party reps

The event was written up in greater detail by Kent Bylines,  Link here Kent Deserves Democracy Public Meeting – Kent Bylines Kent Messenger group, KentLive, BBC Radio Kent, and other mainstream media outlets were also sent the Press release.