Labour candidate waffled. Conservative candidate spoke about how excellent all May's policies were. I said we had to get away from daft idea that everything others say is wrong and everything my party says is right. I gave example of HS2 which I back because I think it is the greenest solution to the need from more track capacity if Yorkshire is to prosper. Green Party official policy is against. I could have given at least another 20 examples of where I disagree with a party that gets the big decisions right - Iraq, EU, anti-austerity - and loads of small little ones wrong. I was also able to say that we had collaborated across party lines with Lib Dems and I thought people of good will from all parties should be thinking of voting Green.
Here is the first draft of the text of a further message to voters in Skipton and Ripon that I am now working on to illustrate what I mean:
Few of us like the way modern politicians tend to constantly criticise each other. So it has been a real pleasure to be able to agree across party lines with the local Liberal Democrats on a number of things recently. The Green Party and the Liberal Democrats have two clearly different visions of the future of Britain but we also share many values.
For this reason the Green Party has decided to stand aside in Harrogate and Knaresborough in order to offer their support to an excellent Liberal Democrat candidate there. We really hope Helen Flynn wins that seat with the support of progressives from all parties.
I was also very pleased that the Liberal Democrats, who had already selected an excellent local candidate for Skipton and Ripon, decided that he would stand down and recommend people in Skipton and Ripon to vote Green.
We badly need more cross party collaboration in this country and I would urge people of all political persuasions to think with an open mind about the future of this country before they cast their vote.
If you are the type of Conservative that wants a strong and stable business environment and a prosperous economy then I would urge you to vote for me. It is vitally important for the future of this country that we keep access to the Single European market. Are you really sure that is what the ideologically obsessed far right will work for if that wing of the party sees a huge majority?
If you are the kind of UKIP supporter that was worried about the neglect of the regions and of communities within them and wanted to see more resources going to the NHS then I would urge you to vote for me. In or out of the EU I will fight fiercely for a proper regional policy in this country and for investment in the industries of the future. I am also a passionate campaigner for improved care services, better resources for the NHS and an end to constant bureaucratic re-organisations of the services our community needs.
If you are a Labour voter who admires the values of the party and many of its policies but is concerned about the quality of the opposition it has provided to the government then I would urge you to vote for the candidate with the best chance of uniting the votes of all local people of good will behind change. I can do that.
If you are a Liberal Democrat who values liberty every bit as much as you do fairness and community then we are natural allies.
And of course if you are concerned about the risks we are taking with the environment both internationally and locally and want to see this country at the forefront of the new business opportunities that are opening up as the world moves away from fossilised technologies then that is my passion.
In this election in Skipton and Ripon please don't think about party labels or about past loyalties. Please weigh up the arguments with a fresh mind. A large vote for the Greens in this constituency will get noticed nationally in a way a vote for any other party might not. If you are interested in building the prosperity of this country around investing in science, technology and modern low energy businesses then please send a message that you want positive change and join with those from all parties who are deciding this year to:
Vote Green.