Greens Sweep Brighton and Hove in City Council Elections

Amidst all the reports on last Thursday’s polling day, with Scotland saying Yes to the ScotNats and most people saying No to AV and the LibDems, the UK’s elections on May 5 produced an interesting local development: the Greens became the largest single party in Brighton and Hove, with 23 of the City’s 54 seats. The Conservatives, formerly the largest party, slipped to second place with 18 councillors (previously 25) and Labour is stuck on 13 (Lib Dem councillors in B&H are no more).  After several years of conservative-led stasis, there is now a chance to break through on some key policies: a 20mph default speed limit, rolling out pedestrianization, and a more sustainable approach to local transport. Let’s hope that the Greens can pull it off, and make Brighton and Hove a better place to live in, work in, or visit, a city of walking-friendly neighbourhoods where traffic no longer dominates.