If any other candidates for Young Greens co-chair role (whether they are based in the North West or elsewhere) want to answer these questions too, we shall post the answers. Can’t say fairer than that…

Candidate for Young Greens co-chair

Who are you/What are you doing at University of Manchester, around campaigning and getting students to vote in elections.
My name is Clifford Fleming and I’m currently the Campaigns and Citizenship Officer at the University of Manchester Students’ Union. My primary purpose is to get more students campaigning, and to direct the Union’s work on citizenship and wider societal issues. Every day in my role I realise more and more how important activism and politics are. Without challenging the status quo, society would never change. In my role I want to help students get involved in campaigning on issues they care about and get students to engage in politics at all levels.

Who are your heroes?
I don’t really have any individual heroes or heroines. I’m very critical as a person, and that probably leads me into being critical of putting too much emphasis on the individual. It is often collective action that changes society the most, such as movements in history like the Suffragette movement. I have respect for many, many individuals but I wouldn’t say I have any heroes or heroines. Maybe I just need to read into history a little more and then I’ll change my mind? But then again I quite like being as critical as I am. Difficult question!

What do you wish you could tell the you of three years ago?
Three years ago I would be a few weeks into starting University, and I would probably tell myself not to worry so much about everything! I don’t know if I’d want to change any of my own history because what has happened has made me the person of today. Although I’d probably tell myself to spend less time drinking and more time reading.

What skills/knowledge do you want to develop in yourself in the coming years?
It’s difficult to know what exactly I’ll need to equip myself with over the coming years ahead. I’m 21 years old and I have a wealth of knowledge I still need to obtain. Probably the top of my list is to gain a little more confident in myself and my beliefs. It’s easy to get lost in debates and take on criticism too much. Conviction doesn’t come easily but maybe that’s a good thing? Should anyone be totally confident in themselves and their ideas, and if so how can anyone be challenged? Maybe more importantly I’d like to develop my communication skills. It seems everything nowadays is about how you can communicate it.

What skills/knowledge do you think are most lacking in the green movement?
I think often the green movement lacks expertise in promotion and strategy. It’s difficult because obviously in an idealistic World all citizens would care about the planet we live on, no matter what. In reality messages about climate change are fighting against messages from retailers, fast-food restaurants, consumer-goods companies and just about every other company in existence! Messages are competing in a strange, surreal perception market where an individual picks and chooses the messages they want to pay attention to (maybe not consciously however). When companies have lots of money they can make their cause alluring, sexy and exciting. The problem being is that you can’t really make climate science as enticing as a cocktail bar, and should we have to? Without big changes soon, our World is under serious threat. But how do we communicate the seriousness of green issues when people are exposed to so many different messages and asked to do or buy so many things? Often people just choose to ignore messages coming in. I think the green movement needs to think more strategically about communication.

You’re standing for Co-Chair of the Young Greens. What does the job entail, why do you think you’d be good at it and what do you think you’d struggle with?
Well the job description online reads:
“The two co-chairs work together to provide direction for the Young Greens and are the public face of the organisation (including sitting on the national Green Party Executive). They oversee the work of the committee, chair committee meetings, and help the other committee members when they need it. They also normally manage any big projects or things that cross several people’s responsibilities.”
So largely all of what is said there.
All in all I think that it will largely depend on the other co-chair and committee. It’s essential that if I’m elected we work together as a team. On a personal point I want to build up the communication that we put out to our members nationally and strengthen our media and social media. I’d like to see the Young Greens leading on campaign work, getting involved in grass-roots campaigning all over the country; whether that be in the green movement or the protection of public services or other causes at the heart of Green Party politics. I see the job as a good way to use my management and organisational skills to help develop these things. I also think it’s important to build up our regional groups, as at the moment it’s very hit-and-miss in how much you can get involved in the Young Greens. We need to be more of a national party, and that’s where my experience with establishing Young Greens North can help.
The only struggle I can see is making sure I manage my time well. I have managed it so far with Young Greens North, but at a national level this will probably become more difficult. As a full-time sabbatical officer at the University of Manchester Students’ Union, often I am quite busy with work and campaigning here with students. As an elected Campaigns Officer I’d like to think that my involvement in campaigns can only strengthen the Young Greens nationally, but I take onboard criticism that my life may become a lot more hectic and time-managed if I’m elected!

Anything else you’d like to say?
One thing I’d like to say is just a shout out to any students who are reading this and want to get involved in campaigning or get involved with the Young Greens. Don’t hesitate to send me an email on: Clifford.fleming@manchester.ac.uk
The more people campaigning together, the better collective action we can take.

[Interview conducted via email. Typos in the questions to Clifford have been corrected. His answers have not bee altered or cut. MCFly editor Marc Hudson is not a member of the Greens, or indeed any political party, but has – in response to a request – provided a written endorsement.]