Archived press release

Friends of the Earth welcomes first Green MP

7 May 2010

Andy Atkins, executive director of Friends of the Earth, said:

"The election of the first Green MP is a major breakthrough for the Green Party and for environmental politics overall.

"For such a small party to have triumphed over our current electoral system is testament to Caroline Lucas's hard work over many years - and means she will now be able to get environmental issues even better heard on the national stage.

"But Caroline won't be the only green MP in Parliament - a handful of politicians from across the board have always championed our right to a safe, clean future, often against party lines.

"By the end of this parliament we need to have turned the tide on climate change and our devastation of the natural world - and with such a tight election outcome, these MPs are in a great position to keep the next Government focussed on environmental challenges and opportunities."

Commenting on electoral reform, Andy Atkins added:

"The current electoral system means parties focus on winning over small numbers of voters rather than grasping the long-term challenges and opportunities our country faces - such as climate change and green jobs.

"First-past-the-post is biased towards the two big parties and doesn't represent the real views of UK voters.

"We need a fairer way of voting to restore public confidence and ensure peoples' concerns are properly represented by the politicians that win seats."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. If you would like an interview with Friends of the Earth's executive director Andy Atkins, our senior parliamentary campaigner Martyn Williams or one of our campaigners, please call the press office on 020 7566 1649.

2. Friends of the Earth is backing Take Back Parliament, a movement by charities, think tanks and pressure groups to demand a new voting system that will put an end to broken elections and properly represent the views of the British people. The coalition believes our 'winner takes all' first-past-the-post voting system is bust beyond repair, and is calling for a fairer system of representation where seats in Parliament are allocated according to the number of votes parties receive. Members include Avaaz, Bassac, Compass, Democracy Matters, Ekklesia, Electoral Reform Society, Enoughs Enough, The Fawcett Society, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Hang em, Make My Vote Count, OBV, Open Democracy, NEF, Power 2010, Social Liberal Forum, Unlock Democracy, and Vote for a Change. For more information and to sign the petition visit www.takebackparliament.com .

3. Friends of the Earth believes the environment is for everyone. We want a healthy planet and a good quality of life for all those who live on it. We inspire people to act together for a thriving environment. Over 90 per cent of our income comes from individuals so we rely on donations to continue our vital work. For further information visit www.foe.co.uk.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust