John,

What a month. We got four Green MPs elected and already it is clear how vital their message of real hope and real change is with the rise of the politics of hatred and fear. Scroll down to find out how our brilliant MPs hit the ground running in Westminster, what local Greens are doing to build cohesion in communities affected by violence, as well as insights from our record general election results 🔽

The violence on our streets is fascism fuelled by racism and Islamophobia and needs to be called out as this. Green MP Sian Berry said the violence has been driven by "toxic and divisive rhetoric by some in the previous government" and we should demand better from the new Government. She continued: "it is also important to ask what the police and security services have been doing to monitor the far right over the past decade. We have to question if a focus on monitoring Muslim citizens and climate protesters has allowed the far more sinister menace of fascism to ferment." 

Labour's legislative programme is not ambitious enough and Green MPs will push the Government to do better. Co-leader Adrian Ramsay told BBC News. Labour is not committing the investment needed to restore the NHS and social care, which are at "breaking point", or address the climate and nature emergencies. 

Green MP Ellie Chowns pressed Foreign Secretary David Lammy in the House of Commons to ban arms sales to Israel "given there is widespread evidence of considerable breaches of international law". She also called on the Government to publish the legal assessment of whether there have been breaches, once it is completed. 

Responding to the setting up of Great British Energy, Co-leader Carla Denyer welcomed its focus on renewables but said this will be pointless unless it is accompanied by a rapid transition away from oil and gas in the North Sea. Labour has said it will continue Rosebank's licence. 

Recent days have seen horrific scenes of organised political violence in towns across the country, writes Tom Scott, Campaigns coordinator. In Leeds after the far right tried to inflame tensions against the Roma community, councillor Mothin Ali acted bravely to deescalate a volatile situation. He then organised a community meeting attended by peer Nathalie Bennett to bring people from every ethnic and faith group together - a powerful demonstration of solidarity. In Liverpool councillor Jo Bird stood alongside hundreds of local people who gathered to defend a mosque from attack. In Sunderland after fascist rioters damaged many business premises, north east coordinator Rachel Featherstone joined with others to clear up the damage, while in Bristol Green councillors joined a far right counter demonstration and spoke movingly about the need to defend Bristol as a city of sanctuary. We’re very proud of the work that Green Party people have been doing to show solidarity with their communities, and we know that Greens everywhere will want to do everything they can to help stop the further spread of far-right hatred and fear.

Our new MPs made a big impression in the first four weeks of the new Parliament. All four made their maiden speeches, whilst familiarising themselves with the House of Commons and how it works, setting up parliamentary and constituency teams and contributing to high profile media coverage. They supported the SNP's amendment to the King's Speech to scrap the two child benefit cap, prompting the first backbench rebellion, tabled the first Early Day motion calling for water companies to be brought into public hands, and put Keir Starmer on the backfoot during Prime Minister's Questions highlighting the need for the UK to take a lead on the nature crisis. The co-leaders were also elected onto key committees - Adrian is vice chair of the Environment All Party Parliamentary Group and Carla is vice chair of the Climate APPG. 

Sian Berry at Trans Pride earlier this month. In her maiden speech she spoke proudly about Brighton's rich and inclusive culture. It is home to one of Europe's biggest LGBT+ populations.

▶️We made history on 4 July.  We won our four target seats, taking Bristol Central from a senior Labour MP, toppling the Tories in rural Waveney Valley and North Herefordshire, and holding Brighton Pavilion comfortably. How did we do it? Highly disciplined and focused ground campaigns, say the experts.

▶️We won almost 2 million votes. 7 per cent nationally - our biggest voter share ever in a general election which means more public money for our MPs and credibility with the national media. We came second in 39 seats too raising the prospect of a much more ambitious MP target in 2029.

▶️The large number of undecided voters was a noteworthy feature of the campaign. According to pollsters, half of all Green voters only made up their minds in the final week  - which is consistent with our own data which showed the result on a knife edge up until polling day..

▶️A fair voting system would have resulted in over 40 Green MPs, of course, and the undemocratic nature of the election outcome - Labour won a landslide with just 34 per cent of the vote - has renewed calls for proportional representation. 

▶️Finally, it's worth highlighting Ellie Chowns is the first woman the entire county of Herefordshire has ever returned to Parliament and the only non -Tory her constituency has returned since 1910.  And she's wasted no time calling for more radical reform and modernisation in Westminster.

Wow! Now that's real hope and real change. 

Winning teams: Head of elections Chris Williams celebrating with members of our four ace target constituency campaign teams whose hard work and expertise was crucial to getting 4 MPs elected.

Hatred and fear are not welcome here. Want real hope and real change? You don't have to join the party. Green Friends are a growing group who make a monthly contribution to support our vital work in parliament and communities up and down the country. Are you in?

Mothin Ali with fellow Green councillors Ed Carlisle and Penny Stables in Harehills.

This has to go to Leeds councillor Mothin Ali who made headlines in July for calming tensions along with other community leaders during rioting in Harehills. Mothin was initially falsely accused on social media of being a rioter by members of the far right. But he had the perfect response to Reform leader Nigel Farage's inflammatory comment that the disorder was "the politics of the subcontinent'. "Nigel use your voice to bring the country together, spread the idea of unity and we'll all be the better for it, instead of trying to divide us."  Well said Mothin! 

Have a great summer,

The Green Party 💚

Promoted by Chris Williams on behalf of The Green Party, both at PO Box 78066, London SE16 9GQ