For some, a victory

While Britain watched on with anticipation on Friday 7 May to see which way the three main party leaders would go in the resolution of the hung parliament issue which followed the UK 2010 general elections, one leader at least was celebrating.

Caroline Lucas, leader of the Green party since 2008, has managed to make history by being the first Green MP to enter British parliament, snatching Brighton Pavilion from the Labour party.

The former Oxfam advisor, who was also a Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament activist in her youth, managed to gain 16,238 votes, 1252 more than her Labour rival. The Conservative party, which used to be the traditional holder of the seat, came in third.

Brighton is a southern seaside town with a strong student community. It is also known for its vibrant arts and music scene as well as for its large old-age-pensioner population. Despite these disparities, residents of Brighton had reportedly warmed to the 49-year-old in the run up to the elections.

In her acceptance speech, Lucas was keen to point out how special this moment was.

“This is not just a moment where one MP out of 600 or more is elected, it’s where a whole political party takes for the first time its rightful place in our parliament.”

Because of the current British representational system, the Green party, which won 11.6 per cent of the votes in the June 2009 European elections, has struggled to get its foot in the door of Westminster. Lucas described today’s events as a proof the Green party could overcome such and “extraordinarily undemocratic” system. Optimistically, she told her audience that Labour came into power just 25 years after it gained its first seat.

An MEP since 1999, Lucas might however find the current political situation to her advantage. Far from being a lone voice, in a hung parliament where one MP could tip the balance, she will most probably find herself being sought after by the larger parties, an opportunity to push her environmental agenda forward.

Other issues may follow. In the past, Lucas has advocated for stronger animal rights, has been a leader for the Stop The War Coalition and has spoken up in favour of higher taxes for the wealthy, car drivers and foreign holiday takers.