Islington North Green Party candidate Sheridan Kates

GREEN Party strat­e­gists want to keep the election contest in Islington North “as boring as possible”, strategy notes seen by the Tribune reveal.

Sheridan Kates, who lives in Highbury Corner, has been named as their candidate but notes from an internal meeting held in March reveal that the party is not hopeful of winning the seat and is mindful of taking votes away from Jeremy Corbyn, who is now standing as an independent MP and is likely to be Labour’s biggest opposition in the constituency.

“Try to keep Islington North as boring as possible,” the notes read.

“It will be very clear in what we post that Islington is supporting the main four candidates [across the UK], not the candidates in Islington.”

The Green Party has made it clear since its annual party conference last autumn that its resources will largely be targeted towards holding the Brighton Pavilion constituency, and its bid to win seats in Bristol Central, Waveney Valley and North Herefordshire.

In the Green Party’s notes for Islington, there are scripts for Ms Kates to use if questioned on how her candidacy may weaken Ms Corbyn’s bid.

In response, the memo instructs her to say: “I would encourage all Islington North residents to vote Green or Independent.”

If challenged with the view that she is “splitting the vote against Jeremy”, the Green would say: “Jeremy’s going to do great, but we want to make sure every Green voter can vote Green.”

The Greens are the official opposition in Islington, and the only party other than Labour to hold seats in the council chamber – but Mr Corbyn and Labour Islington South and Finsbury MP Emily Thornberry have commanded large majorities in their recent general election victories.

As she was unveiled as the candidate for the Islington North this week, Ms Kates said she plans “to put discussions of the economy front and centre”.

She said: “Too often our government hides behind claims that ‘there’s no magical money tree’ and ‘we need to make hard decisions’ to justify underfunding crucial public services.”

The economic plans coming from Labour, she thought, were “based on continued economic growth, which widens inequality and harms our planet”.

Ms Kates added: “We need political leaders who understand that we can already find the money, so we should be using it to eradicate poverty and build opportunity and a fairer society in Islington and the whole country.”

Carne Ross, the Green Party spokesperson for global solidarity, will stand as the Green Party candidate in Islington South and Finsbury.

He said: “It’s time to end politics as usual, in Islington and nationally. I want to put power in everyone’s hands, and end our ‘elective dictatorship’ where all the decisions that matter are taken by a tiny few in Westminster.”

He added: “The people of Islington know their circumstances best, and they should be in charge.

“Their needs will be my only priority if I’m elected.”