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RESEARCH

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Miller, Wendy (1957-)

Biography

  • Born 1957
  • Activist and Parliamentary Candidate
  • Green Party

Wendy Miller was born in Sevenoaks, Kent. Her first involvement in politics was through Friends of the Earth, and she remembers going to supermarkets attaching ‘too much plastic’ stickers on yoghurt pots to try and stop people from buying them. Her parents considered her a ‘rebellious teenager’ and she remembers arguments with her father about politics, including on the legacy of the British Empire. She left school to go to secretarial college, and spent ten years working and travelling. Later she would return to University to study environmental science.

Her first involvement with the Green Party was in the 1990 European elections in London, where she undertook canvassing and helping out at Green Party HQ. Her political activity ended until she moved to Plymouth, eleven years later, to work at the University. The small numbers of Green Party activists in the area convinced her to get involved again, despite her dislike of canvassing and knocking on doors!

She remains passionate about environmental issues, including pollution and nuclear energy, and has stood for the Green Party as a Councillor many times, and was also the Green’s Parliamentary Candidate for Plymouth Moor View in 2010. Despite difficulties fundraising, the Green party has a growing youth membership. Wendy is now an Assistant Lecturer in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at Plymouth University.

 

Transcript of clip

  • What kind of people are members of your party locally?

    Well, actually there’s been a real change in the last year locally, which is really encouraging, because there’s a Young Greens Group here at the University who have got active. That’s really brilliant because, since I’ve been here, it’s mostly been people like myself, 50s and over. There seems to be the missing generation, the Thatcher, 1980s generation, who just aren’t interested in politics. Despite Russell Brand saying “why bother, we just need a revolution” – which I have great sympathy with – but on the other hand I actually also feel quite strongly, you know, the Suffragettes, people died to get the vote. I just feel that if people say “oh politics is corrupt, I’m not getting involved” then all it does is to leave the more corrupt people to get active.  You just need to get active – not radioactive!

    What role have women played in constituency politics?

    That’s the refreshing thing I think about the Green Party, that there are a lot of females involved. And they’re PhDs – I’ve got one, Molly [Scott Cato] has got one – so I suppose there’s a sort of breed of female that’s attracted to Green politics. In Plymouth of course the first female MP – Nancy Astor. Interestingly, she was a Christian Scientist, and my family were Christian Scientists as well, which is very different from Scientology but it’s quite a distinct form of Christianity.

     

Interview Summary

Date of recording: 24/04/2014
Name of interviewer: Rachel Coke

[0:00] Introduces the project, states time and place of the interview, Interviewee states name, date of birth, place of birth. [0:31]Early political memories, Vietnam War / Friends of the earth, influence of parents, reacting against parents influence, [02:31] Describes schooling and gap in education [3:01] Describes career progression [3:32]Describes route in to Green party and key issues that appealed for activism, roles held as an activist, challenges faced as an activist – parliamentary candidate 2010. [5:47] Outlines key political issues, environment, Number of times standing for councillor- experiences, make-up of the Green Party - Young Greens, [8:15]Recounts several different memories of most interesting involvement - Attending counts, memories to explain what issues make her passionate. [10.47] Explains the challenges faced by lack of party finances, changing levels of community politics, local neighbourhood groups, distrust of politicians [13:40] Recounts memories and feelings about campaigning, preferred practice of campaigns, [14:54] Recounts the general election that she stood in, talks about Euro elections - South West double decker bus, [15:51]Comments on the importance of local elections, hard to keep focus in the city, difference between local and national representation, [18:03] Discusses relationship with other political parties, both positive and negative experiences. [18:55] Not been a member of political social club, move to next questioning block,[19:05]Doesn't really see a influence of religion - Christianity/ conservative, Class and race not considered enough, racist comments, Plymouth's diversity. [21:04] Explores the role of women in constituency politics, diversity in Green party, Nancy Astor. Political identity of Devon, city versus rural, Plymouth - divide between the council and people. [23:45] Views on centralisation and the regions [24:33] Biggest achievement as increasing number of candidates and standing, [25:25] Final comments - greater involvement in polities and suggestions for further interviews.

 

  • Listen here to Wendy discuss the role of youth and women in the Green party.

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