Greens Launch Euro Referendum campaign

‘Greens for a Better Europe’, the Green Party’s official campaign for the UK to remain in the European Union, was launched on Monday 14 March in London.

Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, Natalie Bennett, Leader of the Green Party, and Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London, launched 'Greens for a Better Europe', the Green Party's official campaign for the 23 June referendum, at Church House in Westminster.

The Green Party’s campaign will focus on why the party believes that Britain is fairer, greener and safer in the European Union. At the launch, Green politicians spelt out how they are going to fight tooth and nail for Britain to remain in the EU over the coming months. ‘Greens for a Better Europe’ has the overwhelming support from the Party's membership, who backed campaigning to stay in the EU by an almost unanimous conference vote last autumn.

Lucas and Bennett urged members and supporters to get active in the referendum campaign as leaving threatens so much of what progressives hold dear. Caroline Lucas, the chief spokesperson for the Greens for a Better Europe campaign, said:

"Every single vote is equal in this referendum and it's crucial that this conversation is taken out from behind closed doors and into our communities. We know working with our neighbours on the challenges we face is better than going it alone. For the sake of protecting our environment, safeguarding our hard won rights at work and meeting head on the international challenges of the twenty first century I believe that Britain's future is in the EU."

Natalie Bennett added:

"We know how close the polls are at this stage of the campaign, so Greens cannot afford to sit back and watch the UK sleepwalk out of the European Union. That's why we are putting forward our case for staying in the EU and our vision for making it better. Every vote to remain In on 23 June matters, but with the polls as close as they are, it could very well be Green votes that ensure the UK stays in the European Union."

Hazel Dawe of Oxfordshire Green Party, said:

"The serious issues of our time, including climate change, long-term security of employment, human rights and migration all need common action by like-minded States. Leaving the European Union would make getting agreement on valuable Europe-wide policies more difficult. Even our laws on consumer protection are made by cooperative working between EU states. I am very concerned that investment by EU countries in our economy would drop if we left the EU, causing a significant loss of jobs all over the UK."

Details about the party’s campaign can be found one the Green Party website. Keith Taylor, the Green MEP for the South East of England, has outlined the case for remaining in the EU in a special booklet and on his website.