Liberal Democrats and Greens announce election agreement
The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party have announced they will be standing aside for each other in this May's local elections in Guildford borough.
The Liberal Democrats will be standing candidates in nine of the ten county council divisions in Guildford borough and the Greens will be standing a candidate in the remaining division. Details of the Liberal Democrat candidates have already been announced.
Additionally, the Green Party will not be standing a candidate in the Friary & St Nicolas borough council by-election and the Liberal Democrats will not be standing a candidate in the Pirbright and Send borough council by-elections.
The two parties are standing aside for each other to increase the chances of both parties' candidates defeating their Conservative opponents.
Catherine Houston, the Chair of Guildford Liberal Democrats, commented:
"Over the past few years our Liberal Democrat county councillors have enjoyed a close working relationship with the single Green party county councillor, and have worked tirelessly together to protect public services and to challenge the financial mismanagement of the Conservative administration.
"We recognise that the most important thing in this election is to reduce the stranglehold that the Conservatives have on Surrey County Council and we are pleased to be working with the Greens to bring about much-needed change. Wherever they live, residents of Guildford borough will be able to vote with confidence for a Liberal Democrat or Green, safe in the knowledge that the candidate they are voting for is the one best placed to beat the Conservatives and to bring about a kinder, fairer and more competent politics at County Hall."
Guildford and Waverley Green Party spokesperson Mark Bray-Parry commented:
"The Green Party recognises the benefit to residents of a collaborative approach to politics. In an election where COVID has put pressure on local campaign resources, we are pleased to have worked with the Liberal Democrats to ensure that residents in key divisions and wards have a progressive and environmentally-conscious candidate regardless of whether that candidate is a Liberal Democrat or a Green."
The Liberal Democrats will be standing candidates in:
- Ash (county council) - Carla Morson
- Guildford East (county council) - George Potter
- Guildford North (county council) - Julia McShane
- Guildford South East (county council) - Jan Harwood
- Guildford South West (county council) - Angela Goodwin
- Guildford West (county council) - Fiona White
- Horsleys (county council) - Elizabeth Daly
- Shalford (county council) - Phil Buckley
- Worplesdon (county council) - Philippa Dolan
- Friary and St Nicolas (borough by-election) - Cait Taylor
The Green Party will be standing candidates in:
- Shere (county council)
- Pirbright (borough by-election)
- Send (borough by-election)