The Greening of Norwich

Charles Clarke is one local Norwich MP, the other is Ian Gibson, both Labour. I cannot, however, help noticing that in the area of Norwich known as the Golden Triangle, meaning where the wealthy, relatively wealthy, and generally left-liberal citoyens live, the political poster dominating front gardens in advance of the local election is Green. I have not seen a single Labour sign - not one, where there used to be a reasonable number - one or two Lib Dem, and no Tory.

So an interesting prospect opens before us: a significant increase in the Green vote on the one hand and a possibly significant increase, in some areas, in the UKIP and BNP vote. I can't see BNP doing much here though which is something to be very grateful for. But it could be the wedge in for the Green Party.

Whether that is the educated middle-class protest vote or a vote for an actual programme I cannot tell, but the signs proliferate. Big houses, leafy front gardens, simple green squares on wooden posts.

We don't live in Norwich though. It will be interesting to see what happens in the small but perfectly formed townlet of W. Despite my own personal best efforts at putting crosses in appropriate places it has remained Tory with a Lib Dem flank. The Labour Party HQ almost opposite our house, a few doors down from the Chinese take-away, has been closed and empty for over a year.