2018 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election

The leadership election for the Green Party of England and Wales is held routinely every two years. The 2018 election, which ran from 1 June to 31 August, was the sixth since the party decided to have a leader (or two co-leaders) and a deputy leader. The result was declared on 4 September: Jonathan Bartley and Siân Berry were elected as co-leaders and Amelia Womack was re-elected as deputy leader.[1]

2018 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election
1 June – 31 August 2018
Turnout24.0% (5.8%)
 
Candidate(s) Jonathan Bartley
and Siân Berry
(job share)		 Shahrar Ali Leslie Rowe
Votes 6,329 1,466 495
Percentage 75.5% 17.5% 5.9%
Leader(s) before election

Jonathan Bartley and Caroline Lucas
(job share)

 Elected Leader(s)

Jonathan Bartley and Siân Berry
(job share)

Background

The Green Party elects its leader (or joint leaders), deputy leader (or two co-deputies) and seven other senior positions every two years.[2] The rules are that co-leaders will have one deputy, but if there is a single leader elected, they will have two deputies. The election process is also subject to balancing for gender.

Incumbent co-leader Caroline Lucas announced on 30 May 2018 that she would not seek nomination and was therefore standing down.[3] The other incumbent co-leader, Jonathan Bartley, announced on 1 June that he would run for re-election, in a job share with former principal speaker and current London Assembly group leader Siân Berry.[4] Incumbent deputy leader Amelia Womack announced on 7 June that she would also run for re-election.[5] Other candidates contested each of the elections.

Timetable

Nominations opened on 1 June and closed on 29 June. Voting was from 30 June to 31 August.[6][7] Seven hustings were arranged for leadership and deputy leadership candidates[6] – on 14 July in Birmingham, on 21 July in York[8] and Manchester, on 28 July in London, Cambridge and Bristol, and on 4 August in Chepstow. The election result was declared on 4 September.[2]

Leadership candidates

Nominated
Candidate(s)[2]Most recent position(s) Endorsements
Shahrar Ali
Ali was Deputy Leader between 2014 and 2016. David Malone[9]

Jonathan Bartley
and
Siân Berry
(job share)[10]
Bartley has been Green Party Co-Leader since 2016, and Leader of the opposition on Lambeth council since May 2018.

Berry was London mayoral candidate in 2008 and 2016, a London Assembly member and group leader since 2016. She has been a Camden councillor (for Highgate ward) since 2014 and was Green Party Principal Speaker between 2006 and 2007.

 Jonathon Porritt;[11] Caroline Russell;[11] Steven Agnew;[11] Patrick Harvie[11]
Leslie Rowe
Rowe was parliamentary candidate for Richmond (Yorks) in 2005, 2010 and 2015.

Rejected application

Tim Young's application was rejected as he had insufficient nominations.[12]

Leadership campaign

Berry said that, if elected, she would continue as a councillor in Highgate and a London Assembly member. Oliver Lewis, a Labour Party councillor for the same ward as Berry, said, "She [Siân] must have known this was coming. They had a leadership website ready to go."[13] Bartley and Berry released a detailed plan for their leadership on their website, promising a renewed focus on non-violent direct action, expanding election training to train the next generation of Green leaders, and to prepare the party for greater electoral success.[14] Berry said that she would not be interested in standing for Parliament, if elected Co-Leader, but would use her increased profile to compete again for the London mayoralty.[15]

On 11 August 2018, The Times reported that on Holocaust Memorial Day, in January 2009, Shahrar Ali had made a speech comparing Israel's treatment of Palestinians to the Holocaust.[16] In an article published on the Left Foot Forward blog, the Campaign Against Antisemitism described his speech as anti-semitic and an "offensive rant".[17] Ali described the accusation as a "gross fabrication", telling the Evening Standard that it was "designed to stifle legitimate criticism of the Israeli government".[18] The Green Party said that its initial handling of reports about Ali's speech in 2009 were inadequate and that it is seeking to revise procedures.[19] The Green Party later clarified that no formal complaint of anti-semitism against Ali had been received.[20]

Deputy leadership candidates

Nominated
Candidate(s)[12]Most recent position(s)Endorsements
Aimee Challenor[21][22]

(withdrew)[lower-alpha 1]
• Equalities (LGBTIQA+) Spokesperson (2016 to 2018)[23]
• Publications Co-ordinator, Green Party Executive (2017 to 2018)[23]
Jonathan Chilvers[26]
• Councillor on Warwickshire County Council (2013 to present)[27]
Andrew Cooper[28]
• Councillor on Kirklees Council for Newsome ward (1999 to present)
• Green Party Energy Spokesperson[29]		 Rupert Read;[30] Caroline Russell[31]
Rashid Nix[32]
• Parliamentary candidate for Dulwich and West Norwood in 2015 and 2017
Amelia Womack[33]
• Deputy Leader (2014 to present)[34]
• Green Party Culture, Media, and Sport Spokesperson[35]

Results summary

Leadership
Green Party of England and Wales
Leadership election, 2018
Candidate Votes %
Y Jonathan Bartley and Siân Berry 6,329
75.5%
Shahrar Ali 1,466
17.5%
Leslie Rowe 495
5.9%
Re-open Nominations 89
1.1%
Turnout 8,379 24.0%
Bartley and Berry elected as Co-Leaders Y

Deputy leadership
Green Party of England and Wales
Deputy Leadership election, 2018
Candidate Votes %
Y Amelia Womack 3,981
54.3%
Andrew Cooper 1,836
25.0%
Rashid Nix 1,062
14.5%
Jonathan Chilvers 438
6.0%
Re-open Nominations 18
0.3%
Turnout 7,335 21.0%
Womack re-elected as Deputy Leader Y

Notes
  1. Aimee Challenor withdrew from the contest on 23 August 2018, after voting had started.[23] She stood down in the deputy leadership campaign after her father and election agent, David Challenor, was convicted of child sexual abuse.[23][24][25]

References
  1. Walker, Peter (4 September 2018). "Jonathan Bartley and Siân Berry win Green party leadership race". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  2. Walker, Peter (2 July 2018). "Greens announce candidates for leadership in England and Wales". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  3. Lucas, Caroline (29 May 2018). "Why I'm not going to stand again to be Green party leader". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  4. "Bartley and Berry run as Green co-leaders". BBC News. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  5. Womack, Amelia (7 June 2018). "I am excited to officially announce that I will be rerunning as deputy leader in the upcoming @TheGreenParty elections". Twitter. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  6. "Green Party Leadership & Executive Elections 2018". Green Party of England and Wales. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  7. "Green Party prepares for leadership contest". BBC News. 29 May 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  8. Willers, Daniel (22 July 2018). "Green Party leadership hopefuls take part in hustings event in York". The Press (York). Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  9. Malone, David (30 June 2018). "David Malone Endorses. Shahrar Ali for Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales for 2018–2020". Davidmalonegreenpartycandidate.weebly.com. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  10. Berry, Sian (31 May 2018). "Jonathan Bartley & Sian Berry announce plans to stand as Green co-leaders". YouTube. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  11. "Who's backing our leadership? – Jonathan Bartley & Sian Berry". www.bartleyberry.green. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  12. Allison-Walsh, John (2 July 2018). "Green Party Internal election candiates {sic} 2018" (PDF). Green Party of England and Wales. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  13. Olsey, Richard (1 June 2018). "Labour councillor attacks Sian Berry over Green Party leadership bid". Camden New Journal. London. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  14. Bartley, Jonathan (23 July 2018). "Why I'm prepared to put my body on the line for Green principles". Left Foot Forward. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  15. Morris, James (26 August 2018). "Sian Berry: 'Green Party co-leadership can help me beat Sadiq Khan in 2020 mayoral election'". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  16. Webber, Esther (11 August 2018). "Greens drawn into antisemitism row". The Times. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  17. Mortimer, Josiah (3 August 2018). "Green Party leadership candidate in antisemitism storm over Gaza video". Left Foot Forward. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  18. "The Londoner: Anti-Semitism row turns Greens toxic". Evening Standard. London. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  19. Welch, Ben (6 August 2018). "Green Party admits 'inadequate' response to leadership candidate's anti-Israel speech". The Jewish Chronicle. London. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  20. "Green Party clarification regarding Shahrar Ali and allegations of antisemitism during 2018 leadership elections" (Press release). Green Party of England and Wales. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  21. Packham, Alfie (6 June 2018). "Aimee Challenor: Yes, I'm trans, but I'm a Green party politician and proud of it'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  22. Walker, Peter (27 August 2018). "Greens rising star quits deputy leader race after father jailed for rape". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  23. "Green Party statement: Aimee Challenor stands down in Green Party Deputy Leadership race". Green Party of England and Wales. 26 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  24. Smith, Adam (26 August 2018). "Green politician pulls out of deputy leadership race over child rapist father". Metro. London. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  25. Walker, Peter (31 August 2018). "Green party launches inquiry as it suspends Aimee Challenor". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  26. Chilvers, Jonathan (5 June 2018). "I'm standing for deputy leader of the Green @TheGreenParty". Twitter. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  27. "Councillor Jonathan Chilvers". Warwickshire County Council. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  28. Cooper, Andrew (1 June 2018). "OK I'm standing for the Deputy Leadership of @TheGreenParty . I better start getting things moving". Twitter. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  29. "Councillor Andrew Cooper". Kirklees Council. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  30. Read, Rupert (1 June 2018). "I'll support u, andy". Twitter. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  31. Andrew Cooper for Deputy Leader – Voting commences!. YouTube. Published 29 July 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  32. Nix, Rashid (11 June 2018). "ANNOUNCEMENT: Rashid Nix standing 4 Green Party Deputy Leader". Twitter. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  33. Womack, Amelia (7 June 2018). "I am excited to officially announce that I will be rerunning as deputy leader in the upcoming @TheGreenParty elections". Twitter. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  34. "Deputy Leader: Amelia Womack". Green Party of England and Wales. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  35. "Green Party Spokespeople". Green Party of England and Wales. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
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