Rob White becomes first Green councillor in Reading

09 May 2010

On Friday, May 7, Rob White was elected for the Green Party in Park Ward.

This not only makes him the first Green councillor in Reading, but the first Green unitary authority councillor in Berkshire.

Rob lost in Park Ward in 2008 by just 20 votes to Labour. This time he won with an almost 600 vote majority.

Also, at the general election Caroline Lucas was elected for the Brighton Pavilion constituency as the first ever UK Green MP. This is the only time anywhere across the planet where a Green MP has been elected under the unfair First Past The Post system. She was elected on a platform of: job creation, opposing privatisation of the NHS and fighting cuts to public services. This historic breakthrough has led many Reading people to comment that the Greens "have done the double" with the first Green councillor in Reading and first Green MP.

Councillor White said: "The Green Party team has worked really hard over the years, helping residents with bread-and-butter issues like getting streetlights repaired, pram crossings installed and fly tipping cleared. We have also campaigned on bigger issues such as petitioning against cuts to the police, opposing development on local playing fields and putting on pressure to reopen the Jolly Anglers pub. It has been a long time in coming, but I am really pleased with this win."

"Don't worry though, now that I have been elected, I won't disappear. I will continue to be visible, easy to get hold of and out in all weathers knocking on doors talking to people, so I can represent residents in the best possible way. We will carry on campaigning on our election priorities of: more decent affordable housing, tackling crime and antisocial behaviour and better public transport walking and cycling facilities. And I will stick to my values of fairness, integrity and the environment."

"Finally, thanks to everyone who voted Green, thanks to the growing team who pulled out all the stops with this campaign and last but by no means least thanks to my partner Sam for supporting me."

ENDS

Notes for the Editor

1. For more information please contact Rob White on 07985 923938 or 0118 9667183.
2. See here for the full results: http://www.reading.gov.uk/elections2010/staticscoreboard.asp
3. To arrange a photo or interview please call Rob White at the telephone numbers above.

Printed and promoted by Robert White, 22 Cumberland Rd, Reading, RG1 3LB. Both on behalf of Reading Green Party.

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