Pippa Bartolotti, Wales Green Party leader and candidate for Newport West launched a crowdfunder appeal today.
She is appealing for £2000 to help pay for leaflets and posters for the 2015 General Election campaign. This is believed to be the first of its kind in Wales.
Unlike other political parties, the Greens do not take money from unethical organisations or from individuals who do not pay their taxes in the UK. Without big union backing or large donations from big business, Greens simply do not have huge resources to throw at elections. In a world where the political parties with the most money tend to be the winners, money counts.
Pippa Bartolotti, candidate for Newport West said, “We need a more democratic form of political funding. Crowdfunding is just that – the democratisation of political funding. You don’t have to be a member of the party, or even to vote for us. Crowdfunder donors are interested fair play and knowing more about the alternatives to a low wage economy and irresponsible banking.”
Recent polls show that 22% of young people intend to vote Green, and with Greens now regularly pegging level with the Libs Dems in polls, plus the fact that almost three quarters of people want to see the Greens on the TV debates, it is clear that the vast majority of the population want to know more about what Greens stand for.
Just last night the Green Party overtook UKIP in an unprecedented Green surge as membership members as they hit 42, 500 members. They are expected to overtake the Lib Dems by Friday. At one point they were gaining new members at one every 54 seconds.
Pippa Bartolotti added, “This crowdfunder is about making sure that everyone in Newport gets to hear about Green values and Green policies. The current MP’s in Newport don't need crowdfunding, but they will always be indebted to their party's big backers, such as the nuclear and fracking industry.”
Greens all over the UK have had success with crowdfunding appeals. Pippa Bartolotti’s crowdfunder website is at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/help-elect-pippa-bartolotti-mp