Is Green really red?

In this interview, Matt Sellwood, prospective MP for Hackney North and candidate for Clissold ward councillor says: "Increasingly, socialists who used to be in both the Labour Party and the far-left grouplets are joining the Greens, which is leading to a reassessment of how we achieve social change, what getting elected means, and how to best use our elected positions to change the world."

Has something changed in the Green Party since Red Pepper published this Greens on trial in 2008? Back then the magazine quoted the Green Party’s national election agent saying: "Many Green Party members wouldn’t like to describe themselves as left. If we positioned ourselves as explicitly left it would be dangerous, with no guarantee of success. We need to keep our reputation on the environment."

According to this 2008 Guardian article there has been a change and there is a reason: "The Greens are now only Green in name and the reason lies in the creation of Green Left in 2006, a leftwing entryist movement that now occupies many of the most powerful positions in the party. Founded by Peter Tatchell, among others, Green Left is an avowedly anti-capitalist movement. Like many people, I revere Peter Tatchell as a national treasure, but I would never vote for him."

So is this "entryism"? And do Hackney voters know what they're actually voting for? Labour Councillor Luke Akehurst, who gets a mention and has left a comment, appears to fear these same "far-left grouplets" entering the Labour Party.

Some interesting comments after this Socialist Resistance piece and in 2008 the Greens seemed to have a problem with a BNP.

Diane hypocrisy on DNA data base: Greens.

Worth a look from Matt Sellwood: "a potential constituent pointed out to me about a week ago, this vote on a Tory/Lib Dem amendment was the most recent opportunity for MPs to support the deletion of innocent people's DNA records as soon as they are found not guilty. Umm, Diane voted against it!"

Could it have something to do with this? Conservative curb on DNA data base underfire from Labour.

Some back ground on Hackney and DNA debate...

Greens make Diane see red

Diane Abbott: "Oddly, everyone I have spoken to has never mentioned meeting Mr Sellwood nor any other of their prospective candidates."

Hackney North's Green candidate, Matt Sellwood, accused Diane Abbott of being "disinterested" in green politics and said her constituents were telling him:"These days we see Diane more on the telly than we do on the streets."

In his blog Matt reported that Diane didn't vote in a closely fought rebellion over Emissions Performance Standards for new coal-fired power stations in the UK.

He said: "Diane didn't bother to turn up. Having, apparently, told Friends of the Earth that she would be rebelling." He added "I can guarantee that when there is a vital, close-fought amendment, on which I have been lobbied and made promises about - I'll turn up to Parliament to vote!"

Blood and Property asked Diane for a comment.

She said: "It is not often I do not vote in Parliament but it is difficult when I have commitments in my constituency. On the Wednesday evening of the vote, I was helping congratulate students at Hackney Community College at their annual awards, which is why I was unable to be in the House. I then went to a tenants meeting on Woodberry Down.

"Both of these commitments were long standing in my diary and issues I felt to be very important. Having been an MP for 23 years, I have learnt how best to use my time and believe it is often best spent out in the constituency, attending meetings and helping constituents with their issues.

"Every week without fail I am out in the constituency and every weekend I and the local Labour party are out knocking on doors and meeting people. Oddly, everyone I have spoken to has never mentioned meeting Mr Sellwood nor any other of their prospective candidates."

Socialists to challenge Diane and other news

Dave Osler ( Dave's Part) says the Socialist Party is considering putting up a challenger against Diane Abbott. He said: "Hackney should be promising territory. Historically there is a strong far left tradition, and to this day, there are probably several thousand communists, anarchists and Trots in the borough. If it puts in the effort, the SP can reasonably expect several hundred votes, and may even reach the sunlit uplands of four-figure support." With 32 comments.

Diane recently told Blood and Property that a large number of her supporters are church goers. So the plans of the Christian Party could also chip away at her majority. Meanwhile Dave Hill discounts reports that Diane might be planning to run for Mayor of London on his Clapton Pond blog (and Dave thanks for mentioning this blog in it).

However few are suggesting a serious upset, apart from the Lib Dems - a claim which has been dissected by Green Party candidate Matt Sellwood who says of Lib Dem Candidate Keith Angus: "I think, however, that he's in trouble if he thinks he is convincing anyone that he is about to deliver Hackney North for the Lib Dems."

Meanwhile a new Hackney blogger: Loving Dalston says Mischa Borris will be running for mayor, and suggests that Jules Pipe is likely to be considering one of the many safe Labour parliamentary seats now available.

Loving Dalston also reports that Diane's home will now be in her constituency due to a change of boundaries.