27 Feb 2026

A Green Party candidate standing in May’s district council elections was on the frontline of their successful by-election win in Gorton and Denton.

Livvy Gibbs, who is standing in Clarence ward, said she will be bringing her experiences in Greater Manchester back to the campaign trail here in St Albans.

She explained: “What struck me most about Gorton and Denton was not a single dramatic moment, but the accumulation of conversations. I’d spent two of the past three weekends there, speaking to voters from Longsight to Levenshulme. Most recently I was out in Belle Vue, delivering Ramadan cards and Urdu leaflets alongside multilingual activists from across the country.

“The area was an especially ethnically diverse part of the constituency, with high levels of deprivation and a large number of renters and families. You feel that immediately on the doorstep, with people are juggling work, childcare, rising bills. Politics is not an abstract debate for them, it’s whether the bus turns up, rent goes up again, or if their kids have safe spaces to grow up in.

“There is also (very understandably) a deep scepticism. Many people told us they rarely see politicians outside election season, so what mattered most was consistency. Volunteers had been there week after week, not just for a final push. There was real effort to communicate respectfully and inclusively, and I think that seriousness and respect was felt.

“What became clear to me is that in a fragmented political landscape, relationships matter more than ever. In a three way contest under our current voting system, elections can hinge on relatively small numbers of votes. That makes every genuine conversation significant. The difference between someone staying home and someone turning out can be whether they felt listened to rather than talked at.

“The lesson I bring back to St Albans is not about importing slogans, but more so about approach. We need to start early (and we have!) and stay visible, prioritising listening over lecturing. We need to reflect the diversity of our communities in how we campaign, from language access to where and how we show up. And we need to treat volunteers as the backbone of the campaign, and every person as a potential activist in-waiting.

“There is a tendency in national politics to assume that media moments or online reach are decisive. My experience in Gorton and Denton suggests something more grounded. Trust is rebuilt locally, slowly and through repeated contact. People respond to being taken seriously.

“Here in St Albans, I am already hearing similar themes on the doorstep in Clarence ward. Residents want representatives who are present, transparent and rooted in the community. The momentum we are seeing nationally only translates locally if it is matched with that kind of sustained work.

“Gorton and Denton reinforced for me that this kind of politics is demanding, and certainly takes time and effort, but the outcome is well worth it for both campaigners and constituents.”

St Albans Green Party leader Cllr Simon Grover added: “The result in Gorton and Denton is part of a clear and growing national picture. The Greens now have five MPs, the strongest representation we’ve ever had in Parliament, and membership is rising fast across the country. People are looking for a party that takes the cost of living, the climate crisis, and public services seriously and delivers real change locally. Increasingly, they’re finding that in us.

“In St Albans we’re seeing exactly the same shift, and we have real ambitions to match that national momentum locally. We currently have three Green councillors on St Albans City and District Council, and we’re pushing to reach five.

“Five MPs nationally, five councillors in St Albans: it reflects just how far the Green Party has come, and how seriously people are taking us. We have two new candidates standing: Livvy in Clarence ward and Sally Leonard in St Peter’s ward, both already active and well-known in their communities.

“The momentum behind the Green Party right now is real, and St Albans is very much part of that story.”