Martin Hemingway, lead Green.

20 May 2009, Kelham Island, Sheffield.

Official Green Party Y&H launch

Green Party Euro election candidates will be at Kelham Island, Sheffield today at the official launch of the Yorkshire & the Humber Green Party Campaign.

Martin Hemingway, lead candidate for the Green Party in the European Elections is available for interviews:

"The current disenchantment with the big three parties will prompt more people to take a second look at the Greens. Our Euro-election broadcast has been very well received and we believe our million-jobs manifesto is going to strike a chord with a lot of people. When it comes down to it, we're the only party in this election that isn't mired in sleaze and is putting forward a positive vision."

There will be brief addresses from Martin Hemingway, Shan Oakes, second candidate on the European Election list and from Cllr. Jillian Creasy (Sheffield) and Cllr. Kevin Warnes (Bradford) who is also an European Election candidate.

With the continuing furore over events in Westminster and the current volatility in opinion polls, voters are taking a fresh look at the Green Party and liking what they see.

In a YouGov poll released on Monday 18 May, 34% of respondents said they would either definitely be voting Green or would consider voting Green (1). This is the highest percentage ever to indicate potential support for the Greens.

The largest group to consider switching to the Greens were LibDem voters. Usually, Greens attract former Labour voters, who formed the second largest group considering a switch to voting Green. Conservative voters - the group normally the least likely to switch to Green – made up around one-fifth of those considering switching.

Martin Hemingway, lead candidate for the European Elections on a full list of six, said:

"This 34% is the best indication we've had that people would consider voting Green. We are not ruling out a potential surge like that of 1989, when 2.2 million Britons voted Green in the European elections.

"The shameful expenses row has meant many are turning away from the three main parties. It’s unlikely that UKIP will benefit from voters' anger at sleaze, thanks to its own frequently criticised record.

"At the end of the day, Green policies and actions speak for themselves. When people look at what we actually stand for they like what they see."

In general polls, Green support has jumped from 6% to 11%.

A general voter-intention poll this week for the Sun newspaper found that 6% were definitely intending to vote Green. But in a poll commissioned by UKIP and published today, the Greens are showing on 11% - enough to win seats in several regions beyond the existing seats in London and South East.

Martin went on to say "Greens have often been underestimated in opinion polls ahead of European elections. For example in 1989 pre-election polls were showing the Greens on 7-8%, but the actual Green vote turned out to be 15%."