Labour relied on Greens to vote to ‘concrete over’ Hengrove Park

II have had the privilege of campaigning in Bristol elections for over a third of a century. Whenever a voter responds to my canvassing with the request to furnish them with a manifesto of commitments, I invariably say, “I’m very happy to supply you with a pledge of promises, but remember words are sadly cheap; what matters more is what you have done in reality.”

My pragmatic advice to electors on their doorstep equally applies to the political parties represented on Bristol City Council. As the nation has been understandably focussed on the appalling coronavirus pandemic, Bristolians could be excused realising the drop in Labour’s majority on the city council (only salvaged by the Mayor’s one vote) and the degree that they have become dependent on the support of their ‘little helpers’, Green Party councillors.

Back in March, Labour pushed through its Pay Policy Statement – awarding inflation-busting salaries to top civic bureaucrats following the huge ‘golden handshakes’. Marvin Rees handed to our last two chief executives – with Green votes against Conservative and Liberal Democrat opposition.

In September, the Greens came to Labour’s aid by ‘watering down’ a Lib Dem motion (backed by the Conservatives) to save Jubilee Swimming Pool from the Mayor’s arbitrary decision to close it.

Earlier in November (at the November 10 Full Council), a Conservative motion – supported by the Lib Dems – to provide full consultation and public feedback on the Experimental Traffic Orders Labour has pushed through in the wake of Covid-19 was defeated when the Greens again rallied to Labour’s aid.

Most recently (at the November 25 Full Council), the Greens backed Labour in defeating a joint Opposition motion (which they also had signed!) seeking to reopen Mayor

Marvin Rees’ veto of North Somerset joining the West of England Combined Authority, thus potentially jeopardising billions of pounds of investment in the local economy.

If there are out there any Bristolians with deluded notions of the Greens as “woolly environmentalists”, they should recall that Labour recently had to rely on Green councillors to vote to ‘concrete over’ Hengrove Park, with Tory and Lib Dem councillors voting against.

For my money, the best quote in a speech by any Bristol councillor at the November 25 Full Council was made by Cornwall-born Lib Dem councillor Tim Kent.

Describing the antics of Green councillors, the councillor for Hengrove & Whitchurch Park said: “I’ve known jellyfish with more backbone (than the Greens)!”

Cllr Richard Eddy Conservative Councillor,

Bishopsworth