Gina Dowding

Cllr
Gina Dowding
Dowding in 2010
Member of the European Parliament
for North West England
In office
2 July 2019 – 31 January 2020
Preceded byWajid Khan
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Personal details
Born (1962-07-15) 15 July 1962 (age 64)
London, England
PartyGreen Party of England and Wales
WebsiteGina Dowding MEP
Other elected offices
Lancaster City Councillor
for Marsh
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 May 2019
Preceded byJon Barry
Lancashire County Councillor
for Lancaster Central
Incumbent
Assumed office
2 May 2013
Preceded byChristopher Coates
Lancaster City Councillor
for Dukes
Castle (1999–2003)
In office
6 May 1999 – 3 May 2007
Preceded byR. Pye
Succeeded byAnne Chapman

Gina Dowding (born 15 July 1962) is a British politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for North West England from 2019 to 2020, representing the Green Party of England and Wales. She has been a long-serving local councillor, holding seats on both Lancaster City Council and Lancashire County Council.

Early life and career

Dowding was born in London. She has lived in Lancaster for over 40 years, where she lives in the city centre with her partner and two adult sons.

Before entering full-time politics, she worked in public health in the National Health Service (NHS) and in project management for local charities, including in the field of drug and alcohol treatment.

Political career

Local government

Dowding was first elected to Lancaster City Council in 1999 for the Castle Ward (later serving in Dukes ward until 2007). She returned to the council in 2019 as councillor for Marsh ward, where she has been re-elected. She also serves as Deputy Leader of the Green Group on Lancaster City Council.

She has represented Lancaster Central on Lancashire County Council since 2013 and has been re-elected multiple times, most recently in 2025. She is noted for her community campaigning, including involvement in anti-fracking efforts in Lancashire.

In 2003, while a Lancaster Councillor, Dowding was suspended for three months by a standard board tribunal after leaking details of a council deal deferring business rates for British Energy's Heysham nuclear power station. She argued the action was in the public interest as whistleblowing. The Green Party called for changes to the councillor's code of conduct to better protect such disclosures.

European Parliament (2019-2020)

Dowding was elected as one of the Green Party's MEPs for North West England in the 2019 European Parliament elections. She served from 2 July 2019 until 31 January 2020, when the United Kingdom left the European Union.

During her term, she sat on multiple committees: Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), and the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET).

She also served on delegations for relations with Israel and Palestine. Her priority areas included climate action, research funding, sustainable travel, and the Israel-Palestine conflict. She produced reports during her tenure, including a Green New Deal for the North West.

Electoral performance

UK Parliament elections
Date of election Constituency Party Votes % of votes Result
1992 Lancaster Green 433 0.9 Not elected
2010 Lancaster and Fleetwood Green 1,888 4.4 Not elected
2019 Fylde Green 1,731 3.7 Not elected
2024 Morecambe and Lunesdale Green 2,089 4.3 Not elected
European Parliament elections
Date of election Constituency Party Votes % of votes Result
1999 North West England Green 56,828 5.6 Not elected
2004 North West England Green 117,393 5.6 Not elected
2014 North West England Green 123,075 7.0 Not elected
2019 North West England Green 216,581 12.5 Elected
Lancashire County Council elections
Date of election Ward Party Votes % of votes Result
1993 Lancaster City Green 758 16.8 Not elected
1997 Lancaster Rural Central Green 290 4.0 Not elected
2013 Lancaster Central Green 1,639 38.4 Elected
2017 Lancaster Central Green 2,206 51.8 Elected
2021 Lancaster Central Green 2,760 59.8 Elected
Lancaster City Council elections
Date of election Ward Party Votes % of votes Result
1991 Castle Green 886 28.3 Not elected
1995 Castle Green 912 32.4 Not elected
1999 Castle Green 1,412 53.8 Elected
2003 Dukes Green 328 59.0 Elected
2019 Marsh Green 1,174 71.4 Elected
2023 Marsh Green 1,241 70.3 Elected

References

  1. ↑ "The UK's European elections 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  2. ↑ "Gina Dowding". Green Party North Lancashire. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  3. ↑ "Whistleblower wins public interest hearing in 'homes for votes' leak". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  4. ↑ "The Green New Deal in the North West" (PDF). Gina Dowding. Retrieved 1 July 2026.