Despite the Green Party now having the third biggest membership in England and Wales (after Labour and the Conservatives), Ofcom, the communications regulator, have decided they should receive only half as much airtime as UKIP during the election.
Parties classed as ‘Major’ by Ofcom have to be given at least two party election broadcasts by each broadcaster. Other parties only get a minimum of one. UKIP has just been given ‘Major’ party status by Ofcom in England and Wales, yet the Green Party has not.
Tell Ofcom to change their decision and categorise the Green Party as a ‘Major Party’.
I started this petition because I am worried about the state of our democracy. The media is biased against any progressive challenge to mainstream politics, and this seems now to be true for Ofcom, whose management are chosen by the ruling party.
Ofcom have chosen to base their decision mainly on an election that happened 5 years ago. This is instead of the most recent election last year, where the Green Party comfortably beat the Liberal Democrats. Not only that but the Green Party out-polls them on a regular basis. Membership numbers have been growing at a rate of over 3,000 new members a month. The Greens now have almost more members across the UK than UKIP and the Liberal Democrats put together (membership stands at close to 68,000).
Whatever your political beliefs, to ignore this growth makes our democracy a laughing stock. It makes it much harder for the general public to hear new political voices that would re-energise politics and fight political apathy. Please sign my petition now, for a more democratic election.
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