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You are the first Green MP in the House of Commons. How many green candidates were there across the country – do you expect to increase the number of seats in the next election?

We fielded 335 candidates across England and Wales in May 2010 – a record for the party, given the huge costs of contesting general elections in this country. Importantly, we also fielded a higher percentage of female candidates than any other party; 33% of Green candidates were women, compared with 30% for Labour, 24% for the Conservatives and 21% for the Lib Dems. There’s still work to be done, but this is a step in the right direction.

Getting our first MP elected in Brighton Pavilion was a huge achievement. It's been a long time coming, but now the Greens are represented at every level of government: on local councils up and down the country, on the London Assembly, at Westminster and in the European Parliament. Our elected members have incredibly strong records on which to build – and we have learned what it takes to succeed in elections.

Clearly, with more Green MPs in the House of Commons, we could do a lot more to hold the Government to account on the issues we all care about. So yes, of course we will work to gain more seats; indeed, at every election, the Greens will be fighting for greater representation.

 

Is Brighton the greenest town in Britain? If not, then where?

There is certainly a strong case! I think most people who know Brighton would say it is a truly unique place. The city has a well earned reputation for being progressive and forward thinking – and people here have a real spirit of independence which means that, when it comes to protecting their communities and working towards a better society, they won't shy away from a fight.

Brighton is definitely home to a dynamic grass roots politics and great community activism, partly thanks to our active student population. Furthermore, it has become a place in which independent businesses can thrive and has great potential to be a hub for innovative green business.

The popularity of the Greens in the city is a real testament to the years of fantastic work done by the local Green party, on Brighton and Hove City Council and within communities. As a result, I think people now trust Green politicians to do all we can to bring about real improvements to their everyday lives.

 

How long have you lived in Brighton?

Several years now.

 

What made you decide to get into politics and join the Green party?

I started my political life campaigning for CND, opposing the Government’s nuclear weapons programme –and the siting of US military facilities on UK soil. I was also keenly aware of the issues surrounding climate change and the environment, as well as the deep inequalities in the global economic system. Then in 1986, I read Jonathon Porritt’s book, Seeing Green, and realised there was a coherent political approach to all the issues I was interested in. I joined up to the Greens on the day I finished the book.

 

Is there any advice you would give to someone who wants to become more politically active?

I think half the battle is making that crucial decision to become politically active in the first place. Then it's simply a matter of finding the best way to channel your energies and make the most effective use of your time. Engaging with local campaigns in your community can be a good place to start, or connecting online with larger groups working on issues that you care about. Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are, of course, very useful for this purpose – as are some of the big campaigning organisations like 38 Degrees, which has a massive reach. Or come and join the Green Party!

 

In a recent interview you said the major current issue is electoral reform – can you explain simply what the current system is, why this gives advantages to the main parties and what changes you propose?

 

The current electoral system, known as first-past-the-post, is an undemocratic, winner-takes-all system which makes it incredibly difficult for smaller parties to break into Westminster politics.

Impoprtantly, there will be a referendum on the alternative vote system (AV) on 5 May 2011, a system which ensures that a candidate must receive over 50% of the popular vote in order to succeed. Although it falls short of what is actually needed – proportional representation – it does provide us with a long overdue opportunity to ensure our electoral process better reflects the views of the whole population.

In the referendum, people will be asked: "Do you want the United Kingdom to adopt the 'alternative vote' system instead of the current 'first past the post' system for electing Members of Parliament to the House of Commons?" I think it's important to campaign for a 'yes' vote on the grounds that it's a crucial first step along the road to a more representative system.

Are you the only left wing MP in parliament?

I hope not! In reality, I think the labels ‘left’ and ‘right’ are increasingly meaningless.

 

What do you think are the major issues specific to Brighton?

From the many hundreds of emails and letters I receive from my constituents every week, it’s clear that people in Brighton are particularly concerned about housing, fuel poverty, the local transport network, health services, and education. Housing, for example, is a really big issue. There are nearly 10,000 households on the waiting list for affordable housing in Brighton and Hove, while much of the housing stock is in the privately rented sector, where rents are high. We know too that huge numbers of people will be affected by the Government’s draconian changes to housing benefit, and there’s a real risk we could see a sharp rise in homelessness as people fail to meet the high costs of their homes and repossessions increase. In education, the Coalition proposals to scrap the Educational Maintenance Allowance, as well as the hike in university fees and cuts to funding to colleges, have quite rightly caused a great deal of alarm within our large student population.

 

How much money does someone need to be earning to get on the property ladder in Brighton?

 

A lot. Property prices and general living costs in Brighton are known to be higher than in most other areas of the country. The average cost of a house here is around £285,000 which would require a mortgage based on a total salary of over £70,000. The huge shortage of affordable private and social housing in the city is a real problem for first time buyers. The fact that the local council has left so many properties standing empty adds extra insult to injury.

Has the recession left Brighton?

Although Brighton has fared better in the economic downturn compared to many other places in the UK, the impact has still been serious. What's more, we are now entering a new era of Government-enforced austerity, and swingeing cuts to public spending. The Coalition's ideologically driven proposals to roll back the state and cut jobs without providing any job creation programme, thus taking money out of the economy when it is already weak, could be hugely damaging at the local level – particularly given the importance of the not-for-profit sector to the city.

 

What changes have you made in Brighton since the election – what do you feel is your biggest achievement so far?

Dealing with each of the hundreds of issues brought to me by constituents feels like a real achievement – and enabling local community groups to meet with ministers to air their views has also been very important. The work we did with local people earlier this year to stop Tesco from building a new store on the Lewes Road Community Garden site was a great achievement for everyone involved. I’m also proud of the work done to stand up for postal services in Brighton, and to support English language schools – which contribute over £100 million annually to the local economy in Brighton Pavilion, yet are at risk because of concerns over the review of student visas.

 

What do you feel is your biggest challenge you will face over the next three years?

In policy terms, the greatest challenge will be to build more support for urgent action to prevent the worst of climate change. The Government claims to be the ‘greenest ever’, but in reality has shown little commitment to introducing the kind of ambitious policies that are required.

On a more personal level, perhaps my biggest challenge will be finding the time to devote to the many campaigns which are close to my heart. There definitely aren't enough hours in the day! But I'll continue to do my best to speak up the people of Brighton Pavilion, and to challenge the Government’s devastating programme of cuts.

We ask Caroline our favourite MyGuide2Brighton questions

What is your favourite bar in Brighton?

My favourite Brighton watering hole is probably the Colonnade bar at the Theatre Royal. The theatre itself, in a grade II listed building, is really beautiful and just a stone's throw from the Royal Pavilion. I dropped in for celebratory drinks after the election.

 

Best place to shop in Brighton?

For a treat, I like Infinity Foods in the North Laine, which sells fantastic food and household products – and works to maintain high ethical and environmental standards. Even better is the fact that it's a local independent business that began life as a small shop in 1971, and grew steadily into a successful retailer with a loyal customer base.

 

Where can you get the best Sunday Roast in Brighton?

The veggie roasts at The Prince George on Trafalgar Street are particularly good. The pub has an entirely meat-free kitchen which uses locally sourced and organic produce where possible. It's a great find and justifiably popular.

 

By Jane Bettany