If you, like me, were so utterly fed up of the 'Big Two' you decided to vote Lib Dem last year, then you too felt my anguish at their decision to form an ugly hybrid with Cameron's Conservative Party. Moreover, you too would have been disappointed to see all the pre-election hype diminish in to nothing more than a feeble anti-climax. Cleggmania soon morphed in to Cleggphobia. But where now? Who do we - the disenfranchised - turn to in our hour of need? Worryingly, too many of us are turning to the repulsive BNP, or the equally abhorrent UKIP. The answer is simple, there is only one real alternative; the Green Party; a party that, in truth, may not be able to make a widespread impact but may just be capable of tweaking policies in our favour, resulting in a fairer, safer, greener nation. Who would reject such ambitions?
In the 2010 general election, 88% of the electorate voted for one of the big three parties. Only 6% of people opted instead for one of the three 'alternative' parties; BNP, UKIP and Greens. 5% of voters chose the racist far-right opportunists compared to just 1% who preferred Caroline Lucas' progressive Green Party. This was undoubtedly a damning indictment of left-wing politics. Tony Blair and New Labour have a lot to answer for. The Green Party picked up 285,616 votes. Compare that to the 564,331 who voted BNP and the 919,546 who put a cross next to Nigel Farage's UKIP. The Left is losing the battle - seemingly in freefall - and must regain its enthusiasm; the same enthusiasm that helped breathe life in to New Labour in 1997 and the Lib Dems during Clegg's earth-shattering rise in 2010.
Someone - namely, me - needs to outline exactly what it is the Green Party stands for. Despite popular belief, they are not a one-policy party and had Great Britain better understood some of Lucas' positions the party may have gained further (crucial) influence in parliament. But let us start by assessing what they are not. Unlike Nick Griffin's BNP, they are not a Holocaust denying, anti-immigration, racist rabble of former convicts. Nor are they, unlike UKIP, extreme Eurosceptics, global warming denying, pro-war, pro-nuclear power shower of ex-Tories. When so many of us despise Britain's imperial rampages across the globe and loathe the notion of becoming isolated from Europe, why are these other fringe factions gaining so much momentum and endorsement?
Spreading the Green message is vital. Aside from the Liberal Democrats, they are the only truly progressive - for I am not fooled by Miliband's false rhetoric - option for us lefties. But their agenda is not being conveyed in an affective manner. Caroline Lucas, try as she might, is failing to express the Green Party's policies successfully; perhaps due to her passionate - though over dominant - attitude towards the need for us to reduce our carbon footprint. It is imperative that she moves away from solely articulating her party's views on climate change. The general public are continually denied the opportunity to judge them on their other ideas and commitments. Commitments that actually prove thought provoking.
There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of animal lovers in the UK. We are known for our love of all things furry. How many of you know that the Green Party has been voted the best UK party on animal rights by Protecting Animals in Democracy? They hold a recalcitrant posture on the rights of animals; demanding that all animal experiments are abolished and opposing all genetically-modified foods. They state that they would "end factory farming, stop promoting factory farming abroad and advocate a reduction in meat consumption". Surely enough to gain the vote of any vegetarian, animal-loving, pet owning Briton? But for those of you who are partial to a chicken pie or a greasy kebab, there are plenty more policies that may entice you to vote Green.
A recent ICM poll found that around 26% of Britons consider themselves republican and believe that the nation would be better off if the monarchy ceased to exist. By my count, that is roughly 15,000,000 of us. The Green Party are the only significant party with an official policy of republicanism and 15,000,000 votes would result in certain electoral victory. Other stances that enable the Greens to stand out are their views on Israel and war. According to their manifesto, they pledge to "ban the sale of arms overseas". What sane individual would oppose such a sentiment following the horrific scenes witnessed in the Middle East - where demonstrators were shot dead with weapons supplied by Britain? They also pledge to "boycott Israel" until they comply with all international law and UN resolutions. They balance this by vowing to "urge Palestinians not to perpetuate the cycle of violence". All rather noble objectives, however farfetched and improbable. The party, along with the Lib Dems, opposed the Iraq War - correctly deeming it illegal - and maintain a consistent anti-war attitude. Thus far, they tick every box. But let us not be blinkered by these admirable policy aspirations. They also advocate drug legalisation - a policy I am not altogether comfortable with - and state, unrealistically, that they would scrap tuition fees. But as a fringe party they can afford to be optimistic and propitious - for now at least.
And how about the party's leader? Caroline Lucas has steadily represented herself impressively. She is an educated, intelligent, wise young woman flying the flag for modern feminism. Her rise has been relentless, culminating in her election as MP for Brighton Pavilion. But where next for the Green Party? Their influence within the European Parliament is steadily increasing and they must continue to commit unremittingly to the European cause. On the domestic front they must emphasise their manifesto pledges further and ensure that disenfranchised voters start to listen to what they have to offer. I do not believe that all of the 1.4million BNP/UKIP voters are intrinsically racist, but they are lost in the overwhelming world of politics. They hear Griffin and Farage's opportunistic soundbites and gladly cross their party's boxes in the form of a protest vote.
This has to end. Whilst I have not given up hope of a liberal resurgence in this country I do fear that right-wing extremism is being sold more effectively as an alternative to mainstream politics. As Labour rebuild under Ed Miliband it is the Liberal Democrats and Greens who - for now - offer us the greatest chance at change. For those members of the electorate who assert that they shall never vote liberal again, it is crucial that you consider Caroline Lucas and her Green revolution as opposed to being led down that unforgiving path of prejudice and intolerance. They are easily a safer bet than the racist bigots - you all know who I am referring to - and offer truly different, innovative viewpoints that have the potential to cause constructive ripples within Westminster. I believe that liberalism and progress truly defines 'Britishness', not bulldogs, bigotry and Union Jacks.