With the general elections less than 24 hours away, all political parties are on a nationwide rampage to harness as many votes as possible.
The prospect of a coalition government is looking ever more likely, and the Leader’s Debates only illustrated how distinctions between the main political parties are murky at best.
What the nation has certainly seen is a rise of The Green Party that arguably resonates with people who have become disillusioned with the British political system in general.
As a female-headed, anti-austerity party, the Greens proclaim a protection of both the environment and social welfare whilst promising economic prosperity.
The Green Party hope to disrupt the unilateral style of politics seen in Manchester, where all 96 councillors Labour.
MM caught up with two of Manchester’s Green Party candidates, Kieran Turner-Dave and Lucy Bannister, to discuss all things Green.
Both candidates proposed The Green Party as one of the most appealing parties for young people today, particularly students.
Turner-Dave, who is going head-to-head with Labour’s Lucy Powell Manchester Central, said: “The Green Party consistently poll second amongst student voters. We are the only major party calling for the scrapping of tuition fees to make education free again.
“We also support a Green New Deal: the creation of 250,000 jobs in construction, engineering and science to help get young people into meaningful work that will tackle the problems that climate change is going to cause.
“We want to invest in the next generation to build a better future, with a Living Wage rising to £10 an hour in 2020.”
HOPE FOR CHANGE: Lucy Bannister is standing in Manchester Withington
Lucy Bannister, candidate for Manchester Withington, argued that many young people do not vote simply because they do not understand the current climate of British politics.
She said: “Many young people have become disillusioned with politics. Many young people I speak to say that they will not be voting because they don’t understand it, all the parties are the same or they simply aren’t interested.
“Although this upsets me greatly I don’t blame them at all – we are failing our young people.
“We are offering a distinct and positive vision of the future. As a young person I can see how bleak the future may seem to many young people right now, but we can change it.”
As a more left-wing and liberal major party, the Greens still claim their policies are suitable for a national body of people.
But can Green Party’s vision of renewable energy, an end to austerity and a society that works for the “common good” be implemented in the more conservative regions of the country?
HISTORY: Green candidate Kieran Turner-Dave
Turner-Dave said: “In more conservative parts of the country our job is more difficult. I think we have to focus on challenging the myths surrounding migration in those areas to help tackle ignorance and bigotry.
“I love living in Manchester, because of the history this city has in radical and left-wing politics. In the 2014 local elections in Manchester, the Tories came fourth and UKIP fifth, so we really don’t have to worry about either of those parties getting in.
“Our policies that seek to localise democracy, reform the EU, ban fracking and take action on climate change will play well amongst that want to defend our countryside.”
Bannister said that the policies most important to her were those aimed at reducing inequality in the UK.
“We currently live in the sixth richest country in the world but the top 1% has as much as the bottom 55%,” she said.
“We need to rebuild our economy so that everybody gets a fair share. The Tories, Labour and Lib Dems have created an economic system that prioritises growth in company profits over the wellbeing of society.
“This has seen money concentrated in the hands of a privileged few.”
An end to austerity has been a central focus for the Green Party in the run up to elections, challenging common assumptions that going Green means little more than investing in the environment.
Turner-Dave said: “The Green Party are an anti-austerity party. We don’t believe that the most vulnerable in society should be made to pay for the mistakes of bankers.
“I’m trying to talk to as many people as possible about the importance of action on tax dodging, and the introduction of a 1%wealth tax and Robin Hood tax on banks.”
The role of women in UK politics has been pushed to the forefront following various televised Leaders Debates, with figures such as Nicola Sturgeon and Natalie Bennett challenging the ‘Old Boy’s Club’ of Westminster.
Bannister knows there is still work to do across the whole of the political spectrum but is proud of the advancements made by the Greens.
She said: “We take equality and diversity very seriously. In Manchester, three out of the five candidates are women.
“We are not perfect though, we still lack diversity in terms of culture and religion – along with the rest of the parties – and we are making steps to improve.”
Turner-Dave went even further and expressed a desire for a female-headed coalition and criticised the pervasively masculine parliament.
“I believe The Greens, The SNP and Plaid Cymru can work together as a progressive coalition of female-led parties that will pull the centre ground to the left,” he said.
“The memberships of all three parties are surging because we’re reaching women who don’t identify with the confrontational millionaire males leading the four pro-austerity parties.
“I would hope that a 50:50 gender balance in Parliament would stop the immature dick waving of Prime Ministers questions.”
Both candidates were angry about Manchester Council being run only by Labour representatives, and argued for a more equal approach to politics in the north-west.
Bannister said: “All 96 of the councillors in Manchester City Council are Labour. This is not democratic; it is never good for one party to hold all the seats in a local authority.
“I hope we can get some Green councillors in soon. People are feeling let down by Labour across Manchester so hopes are high.”
Pictures courtesy of the Manchester Green Party, with thanks.