IN recent years, political coverage has drawn attention to the rise of the ‘far right’. But there has been a parallel rise of a bolder left.

Despite the publicity given to Geert Wilders in Holland, the party which made the biggest gain in the Dutch elections was the GroenLinks (Green Left) Party. Austria’s new President is a former leader of their Green Party.

Of the 39 MEPs elected under the Ukip banner, nine were elected Tory politicians or candidates before Ukip and three more afterwards. Like Donald Trump, Ukip pose as political outsiders but are political insiders in all but self-discipline.

This week the Green Party has been drawing attention to the policy of a three-day weekend to compensate for the loss of productivity through fatigue and stress.

This is a typical Green policy – a practical idea to improve the lives of ordinary people, rather than, for example, fixating on the colour of our passports.

A rebranded Tory party like Ukip will always attract more donors than a party who looks out for the many over the few.

But the furore over blue passports shows what can be achieved when a smaller party puts pressure on the mainstream.

David Stringer, Stockton Green Party