Michael Crick: Greens smarting over seat sharing ban

The Greens in the Basingstoke constituency are smarting today after the local returning officer refused to let them run two joint candidates in the election – to become the local MP as a job share.

The party was told this morning that their joint candidature had been rejected against against the rules.

The Greens had nominated Sarah Cope, a 36-year old mother who is the primary carer for her two young children. She had teamed up with Clare Phipps, a 26-year old PhD student who is disabled.

Permitting people to be elected as MPs in job-shares has been Green policy since 2012.

Sarah Cope says: “Allowing job-share MPs would open up Parliament to a much more diverse group of people, including more women, those with childcare and other caring responsibilities and those with disabilities.”

The returning officer’s decision means the Greens will be without a candidate in Basingstoke, where the former Culture Secretary Maria Miller is defending the seat.