'Why can’t you lot get together?' She asked as we came out of the hustings at Solent University.  Good question I asked and got me thinking.

 

The problem is that all the political parties have  different underlying philosophies and emotions and so end up fighting each other trying to defend their position or attack the another for being no dam good etc.

 

The Greens say sustainability comes first, if we have no planet the rest of it meaningless. Labour says social justice comes first, The Tories say that private enterprise comes first, the LDs say we should have freedom without interference from the state. (No doubt they will dispute my definition)

 

But nobody is asking the question as to ‘how you lot could get together’

 

The Green Party tried the idea of the progressive alliance at the 2017 election to its cost, where its national vote halved. The Greens took the brave steps of standing down some in some 30 constituencies. This seemed to result in Labour gaining some 30 seats. Labour have never since offered anything in return.

 

A 60 seat Remain Alliance pact is now being tried, where parties that want to see us remain in the EU are standing aside for each other.  This involves the Greens, the LDs, and Plaid. This is not a political pact. The Labour party was invited to join in but responded we don’t do deals with anybody.

 

So still the question remains, ’how can you lot get together’?

 

At the hustings held by Green groups (FOE, Greenpeace etc.)  at the Edmund Kell hall, Southampton, It became very clear there is much of crossover and agreement on many issues. It was also funny to see every party trying to say we’ve done more than you, or we will spend more than you. This is despite Amber Rudd’s declaring at one BBC 1 Question Time, ‘there is no magic money tree. ‘

 

I have had various Facebook chats with people saying I think we need to work together, but without any offer of how that could be done. Is anyone brave enough to put their head above the parapet to suggest a method that is fair? So let’s be brave and give it shot.

 

The idea is simple: we create a common manifesto with ideas contributed from each party. Each party must agree with the contributed policy, otherwise it does not go in. Let’s call this the Progressive Alliance manifesto. Or PA manifesto. Then at elections a PA candidate is selected using normal processes. Because it is a manifesto agreed by all parties concerned, the other parties agree to stand aside in favour of the PA candidate.

 

Sounds simple, yes, we could now get together. Further nobody has to leave their favoured political party. They just have to agree to switch their vote in favour of a PA candidate. It is too late for this election, but maybe the next.

 

Ron Meldrum

Green Party