2016 election results: from socialism to ecologism - Rupert Read

The best analysis of the 2016 election results that I have seen so far is "In the Corbyn era, Greens must move from socialism to ecologism" by Rupert Read, 10 May 2016. The point about Corbyn (who I've met and admire) proposing in January this year to keep the Trident nuclear subs, only without their carrying nuclear weapons, passed me by until now.

Here are some edited highlights:

… Last week's uninspiring election results show that Jeremy Corbyn's Labour poses a serious challenge to us Greens … The project of outflanking Labour on the Left is no longer tenable. In the Corbyn era, we can only beat Labour by giving people a distinct, ecological, green vision including the promise of a better quality of life, rather than merely more stuff / money. …

The election results: half full or half empty? Don't get me wrong, there is plenty for the Green Party of England & Wales to celebrate at these elections. The unappealing Labour and Conservative mayoral candidates were often bested in the campaign by our excellent Sian Berry, who went on to record the best ever Green Party result for London mayor.
We gained Council seats in various places, notably off Conservative incumbents (I'll come back to this point). And our sister party in the neighbouring nation of Scotland, whose politics are now very disaligned from England's, had of course a wonderful night, gaining four seats.

On the negative side of the ledger, we failed to move forward in the London Assembly, failed to break through onto the Welsh Assembly, and went backwards in some of our historic and recent powerbases. Strikingly, we failed to advance in both Cambridge and (most crucially, given that it is our best prospect for a parliamentary gain in 2020) Bristol, and we had a bad night, losing seats in Oxford and in Norwich. In all these cases, we lost out to Labour.

… What about jobs? Isn't growth needed, in order to provide jobs? No. We should share out the work we have, more: it is absurd that, living in the most overworked country in Europe, we still have many unemployed. … Consider in this connection Corbyn's ludicrous make-work proposal to keep the Trident nuclear subs, only without their carrying nuclear weapons.