Green Party stand aside and endorse Labour to beat Tories in ultra-marginal Calder Valley constituency

The Green Party have announced they will stand aside and encourage voters to back the Labour Party candidate in the ultra-marginal constituency of Calder Valley for the upcoming General Election on Thursday December 12th. The Tories only just managed to hold on to the seat in the 2017 General Election - with Tory MP Craig Whittaker finishing just 609 votes in front of the Labour candidate Josh Fenton-Glynn. Furthermore, the Green Party candidate in the constituency garnered 631 votes two years ago - meaning that if these had been transferred to Labour, the Tories would have lost the seat. Given the ultra-fine margins in the constituency - and citing their extremely similar policy platforms - the Calderdale Green Party have made the gracious decision to stand aside and endorse Fenton-Glynn who will contest the seat again in December. In a press release explaining their decision, the Calderdale Green Party said:

"The Green Party in the Calder Valley today announces that it will be recommending a vote for the Labour Party Candidate, Josh Fenton Glynn, in the next general election."

"We call on all the people of Calder Valley to support our opposition to a hard Brexit and increasing austerity."

"Josh Fenton Glynn agrees with us on these policies. He, and the Calder Valley Labour Party, also agree with us on the urgent need for a fairer and more proportional voting system to strengthen our democracy."

"Calderdale Green Party officers have had lengthy discussions with Josh and officers of the Calder Valley Labour Party in recent weeks. We will continue to campaign separately on policies where we disagree."

"However, we agree on the urgent need for a Green New Deal including a common response to the climate emergency; ending fossil fuel subsidies; increasing support for renewable energy; and affordable public transport."

"We also agree that the current extreme levels of inequality are unacceptable. Therefore, we propose improvements to the tax and benefit system, the introduction of a land value tax, a minimum wage of £10 an hour and an end to zero hours contracts."

"We also wish to see an end to the creeping privatisation of the NHS, a fully comprehensive and accountable education service and the gradual return to public ownership of the rail, water and energy supply industries."

"Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures. Our immediate priority is to prevent a minority Tory Government from leading the UK into the arms of President Trump. The Green Party continues to believe that the Brexit crisis is best resolved by a further referendum in which we would campaign for remain."

"In the next general election we need an MP for the Calder Valley who is committed to uniting our communities, rebuilding our public services and reforming our democracy."

"That is why, in this unique general election, the Calderdale Green Party recommends that all of those who share our values, support Josh Fenton Glynn as the next MPfor Calder Valley."

Despite the Green Party's decision, the Lib Dems have refused to stand aside in the West Yorkshire constituency - having already named Javed Bashir as their candidate in September. The encumbent Tory MP in the seat, Craig Whittaker, will remain as the Conservative Party candidate.