Clare Short

The general election campaign is now in full swing, and it’s been a rocky start for the Labour Party. Keir Starmer’s party has faced allegations of trying to purge left wing candidates from its ranks and botching an attempt to block Diane Abbott from standing in Hackney North and Stoke Newington.

In that context, and amidst Labour’s shift to the right, a number of once high profile Labour members, activists and supporters have given their support for the Greens.

One such person is Clare Short – the former Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood who served as the first International Development Secretary under Tony Blair. Short was a key figure on the left of the Labour Party during the New Labour years, famously resigning from the cabinet during the Iraq War.

In an interview with Andrew Marr on LBC, Short said she will “probably vote Green” in the general election.

She told the broadcaster: “I live in Lambeth, so it’s very safe Labour. I think I’ll probably vote Green because Labour needs a shake. But I haven’t decided, so we will see.”

Image credit: Chatham House – Creative Commons