Green Party of England and Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Green Party of England and Wales
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|---|---|
 |
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| Abbreviation | GPEW |
| Co-leaders | Carla Denyer Adrian Ramsay |
| Deputy Leader | Zack Polanski |
| Chair | Jon Nott |
| Founded | July 1990 |
| Preceded by | Green Party (UK) |
| Headquarters | PO Box 78066,London SE16 9GQ |
| Youth wing | Young Greens of England and Wales |
| LGBT wing | LGBTIQA+ Greens |
| Membership (December 2022) |  53,126 |
| Ideology | Green politics Progressivism Faction: Eco-socialism |
| Political position | Left-wing |
| European affiliation | European Green Party |
| International affiliation | Global Greens |
| Colours |
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| Devolved branches | Wales Green Party London Green Party |
| House of Commons (English/Welsh seats) |
Parliament dissolved |
| House of Lords |
1 / 777
|
| London Assembly |
3 / 25
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| Senedd |
0 / 60
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| Local government in England and Wales |
812 / 17,546
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| Directly elected mayors |
0 / 25
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| Police and crime commissioners |
0 / 37
|
The Green Party of England and Wales (often called the Green Party or the Greens) is a political party in England and Wales. It focuses on environmentalism and left-wing ideas. Since October 2021, Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay have been the party's co-leaders. The party currently has one representative in the House of Commons and two in the House of Lords. They also have over 800 councillors in local government and three members in the London Assembly.
The party's main ideas combine protecting the environment with policies that support public services. They want an economy that is stable and fair for everyone. They also support proportional representation, which means that the number of seats a party gets in Parliament should match the number of votes they receive. The Green Party also believes in civil liberties, animal rights, and treating all people fairly. They are part of a global network of Green parties called the Global Greens.
The Green Party of England and Wales was formed in 1990. It came from an older party called the Green Party (UK), which started in 1973. In 2010, the party elected its first MP, Caroline Lucas. The Green Party believes that the UK's current voting system, called first-past-the-post, makes it hard for them to win many seats. They want to change it to proportional representation.
Contents
History of the Green Party
How the Green Party Started (1972–1990)
The Green Party of England and Wales began as the PEOPLE Party in 1972. It was later renamed the Ecology Party in 1975, and then the Green Party in 1985. In 1989, the Scottish and Northern Irish branches of the Green Party became independent. This led to the formation of the Green Party of England and Wales.
In 1989, the Green Party had a big success in the European Parliament elections. They received 15% of the votes, which was 2.3 million votes. This was the third-largest share of votes, after the Conservative and Labour parties. However, because of the voting system, they did not win any seats. Many people think this success was due to growing concern for the environment.
Early Years and Growth (1990–2008)
After their success in 1989, some party members wanted to make the Green Party stronger in elections. They suggested changes to make the party more organised. These changes were approved in 1991.
The party decided to focus on winning seats in local elections. They aimed for areas where they already had supporters. In 1993, Caroline Lucas, who later became a leader and MP, won a seat on Oxfordshire County Council. More local gains followed in 1995 and 1996.
In 1999, the UK used proportional representation for the first time in European Parliament elections. This helped the Greens win their first two Members of the European Parliament (MEPs): Caroline Lucas and Jean Lambert. In 2000, they also won three seats in the first London Assembly elections.
In the 2005 general election, the party received over 1% of the national vote for the first time. They also got more than 10% of the votes in some areas like Brighton Pavilion. This showed that more people were starting to support smaller parties in the UK.
Caroline Lucas Becomes Leader (2008–2012)
In 2007, the party decided to have a single leader and deputy leader, instead of two "principal speakers." In September 2008, Caroline Lucas was elected as the first leader of the Green Party, with Adrian Ramsay as deputy leader.
In the 2010 general election, the Green Party made history. Caroline Lucas became the first Green Party MP, winning the seat for Brighton Pavilion. This was a very important moment for the party.
In 2011, the Green Party gained control of the City Council in Brighton and Hove. They did not have a full majority, but they were the largest party.
Natalie Bennett's Leadership (2012–2016)
In 2012, Caroline Lucas decided not to run for leader again. Natalie Bennett, a former journalist, was elected as the new party leader. Under her leadership, the party focused more on policies to help people with low incomes.
The Green Party continued to gain seats in local elections. In 2014, they won 18 more seats across the country. They also gained more seats in the European Parliament elections that year.
In late 2014, the Green Party's membership grew very quickly. This was called the "Green Surge." Their membership more than doubled, reaching over 30,000. By January 2015, they had more members than some other well-known parties.
In the 2015 general election, Caroline Lucas was re-elected in Brighton Pavilion. The party did not win any other seats, but they received over 1.1 million votes. This was their highest number of votes ever in a general election.
Co-Leaders Lucas and Bartley (2016–2018)
In 2016, Natalie Bennett stepped down as leader. Caroline Lucas and Jonathan Bartley decided to share the leadership role. This was a new way for the party to be led.
In the 2017 general election, the Green Party stood in many more seats. They kept the Brighton Pavilion seat with an even bigger majority.
In 2018, Caroline Lucas announced she would step down as co-leader. Jonathan Bartley then announced he would run for co-leader with Siân Berry.
Co-Leaders Bartley and Berry (2018–2021)
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Bartley and Berry were elected as co-leaders in September 2018. In the 2019 local elections, the Green Party had their best results ever. They more than doubled their number of local council seats. This success continued in the European elections, where they won 7 MEPs, up from 3.
In 2019, the party's membership grew again, reaching 50,000 members. Bartley and Berry were re-elected as co-leaders in 2020.
In the 2021 local elections, the Green Party gained many more seats. They gained 88 seats in total, becoming a major force in local politics. In July 2021, Jonathan Bartley stepped down, and Siân Berry also decided not to run for leader again.
Co-Leaders Denyer and Ramsay (2021–Present)
Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay were elected as the new co-leaders on 1 October 2021. They said that people were looking for a different choice from the main parties. In the 2022 local elections, the Green Party gained 71 seats.
In September 2022, Zack Polanski was elected as the party's new deputy leader.
In October 2022, the Scottish Greens decided to separate their ties with the Green Party of England and Wales. The Green Party of England and Wales stated that it supports the rights of all people and aims to be a welcoming and diverse party.
In the 2023 local elections, the Green Party gained over 200 councillors. They won majority control of Mid Suffolk District Council for the first time ever. This was the party's best result in a local election.
In June 2023, Caroline Lucas, the Green Party's only MP, announced she would not stand for re-election. Former co-leader Siân Berry will run for the Brighton Pavilion seat. The Greens are also hoping to win three other seats in the next general election.
In the 2024 local elections, the Greens gained 74 seats across England. They became the largest party on Bristol City Council. This was another record-breaking local election for the Green Party.
Green Party Ideas and Policies
The Green Party believes in "an economy that works for all." They want to end poverty by increasing the minimum wage to a living wage. In 2021, they supported a £15 an hour minimum wage. They also want to explore a four-day work week.
The party wants to introduce a universal basic income by 2025. This would give every adult in the UK a regular payment. This policy aims to help people financially and give them more freedom.
The Green Party wants to increase corporation tax for large businesses. They also want to stop giving money to fossil fuel companies. Instead, they want to invest in renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. They believe this will create jobs and help the economy. The party also supports insulating homes to save energy and lower bills.
They want to bring energy and water companies, public transport, and Royal Mail under public ownership. They also believe social care should be free.
Protecting the Environment
The Green Party wants to stop using fossil fuels and nuclear energy. They want to invest in renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and tidal power. Their goal is for the UK to become carbon neutral. This means the UK would not add any more carbon to the atmosphere.
They also want to create a committee to protect natural habitats and increase biodiversity.
Foreign Policy and Defence
The Green Party has long supported getting rid of nuclear weapons. They want the UK to end its Trident nuclear missile programme.
The party used to want the UK to leave NATO. In 2022, they supported leaving NATO after the Russo-Ukrainian War. However, in March 2023, the party changed its stance and now supports NATO. They want NATO to promise not to use nuclear weapons first and to uphold human rights.
The party has been against wars like the invasion of Iraq and military actions in Libya and Yemen. They support the rights of people around the world. They also want to cancel international debt for poorer countries.
The Green Party believes in global self-sustainability for food and energy. They also support the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers.
Transport Policies
The Green Party wants a "People's Transport System." They aim to make transport accessible for everyone, regardless of age or disability. They want to reduce how far people need to travel by having local facilities. They also want to reduce the environmental impact of transport.
They have a "green transport hierarchy" that all levels of government should follow:
- Walking and disabled access.
- Cycling.
- Public transport (trains, trams, buses, ferries).
- Light goods vehicles, taxis, and low-powered motorcycles.
- Private cars and high-powered motorcycles.
- Heavy goods vehicles.
- Aeroplanes.
One of their main policies is to bring railways back into public ownership. They also oppose the High Speed 2 (HS2) railway project. They believe it is too expensive and bad for the environment. Instead, they want to invest in improving local public transport.
University Fees
The Green Party wants to stop charging fees for university and further education courses. They believe all these courses should be free. They also want to cancel existing student debts for undergraduate tuition and maintenance loans.
How the Government Should Work
Global Government
The party wants global organisations like the United Nations to be more accountable. They want elected representatives and more regional representation. They also want to reform the World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank. They believe these organisations should focus on social and environmental sustainability.
National Government
The Green Party wants to change the UK's voting system. They want to replace the first past the post voting system with proportional representation. They also want a "Re-open Nominations" option on ballot papers.
The party believes the monarchy should no longer be involved in government. They also support separating the Church of England from the British state.
The party supported Scottish independence in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. In 2021, the Green Party supported a referendum on Welsh independence.
European Union
The Green Party supported the 2016 referendum on the UK's membership in the European Union. They wanted to create a more democratic Europe. They believed in "three yeses": "yes to a referendum, yes to major EU reform and yes to staying in a reformed Europe." They wanted to work with other EU countries to make changes.
How the Green Party is Organised
The Green Party has two main governing bodies: the Green Party Executive (GPEx) and the Green Party Regional Council. The GPEx manages daily party affairs and finances. The GPRC handles policy and political strategy.
Member Groups
The Green Party has several groups for its members. The Young Greens of England and Wales is for members up to 30 years old or in education. They have their own committee and campaigns. Many young Greens are now councillors.
Other groups include:
- Green Left
- Green Party Disability Group
- Green Party Trade Union Group
- Green Seniors
- Greens for Animal Protection
- Greens of Colour
- LGBTIQA+ Greens
Membership and Money
The Green Party gets most of its money from its members. This is different from other parties that rely more on big donors. As Professor Catherine Rowett explains, "Money pays for leaflets, campaigns, staff time. We run a clean campaign with money from our members."
The party's membership grew very quickly in 2014 and 2015. In January 2015, the combined membership of UK Green Parties was over 43,000. This made them one of the largest political parties in the UK by membership. Membership peaked at over 67,000 in 2015.
| Year |
|
|---|---|
| 2002 |
5,268
|
| 2003 |
5,858
|
| 2004 |
6,281
|
| 2005 |
7,110
|
| 2006 |
7,019
|
| 2007 |
7,441
|
| 2008 |
7,553
|
| 2009 |
9,630
|
| 2010 |
12,768
|
| 2011 |
12,842
|
| 2012 |
12,619
|
| 2013 |
13,809
|
| 2014 |
30,900
|
| 2015 |
63,219
|
| 2016 |
45,643
|
| 2018 |
39,350
|
| 2019 |
50,000
|
| 2021 |
54,306
|
| 2022 |
53,126
|
Who Supports the Green Party?
The Green Party gets support from many different types of people. They tend to appeal to younger people who have gone to university. Their strongest areas of support are often in university towns or urban areas with many students. There is also a link between Green support and areas where many people say they have no religion.
The Green Party often competes for voters with the Liberal Democrats. This is because both parties appeal to similar groups of people.
Green Party Spokespeople
The Green Party has different spokespeople for various topics. They are chosen by the Green Party Executive Committee.
| Role | Spokesperson | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Co-Leaders | Carla Denyer | A councillor in Bristol since 2015. |
| Adrian Ramsay | Was deputy leader from 2008 to 2012. | |
| Deputy Leader | Zack Polanski | A London Assembly Member since 2021. |
| Wales Leader | Anthony Slaughter | Leader of the Wales Green Party since 2018. |
| Culture, Sport and Digital Inclusion | Jack Lenox | A councillor in Lancaster. |
| Democracy and Citizen Engagement | Nate Higgins | A councillor in Newham. |
| Disability | Mags Lewis | An environmental and disability activist. |
| Equalities and Diversity | Ria Patel | A councillor in Croydon. |
| Finance and Economy | Molly Scott Cato | A former Member of the European Parliament (MEP). |
| Food, Agriculture & Rural Welfare | Emily O'Brien | A councillor in Lewes. |
| Global Solidarity | Carne Ross | |
| Green New Deal | Zoe Nicholson | A councillor in Lewes. |
| Health, Social Care and Public Health | Dr Pallavi Devulapalli | A councillor in King's Lynn and West Norfolk. |
| Housing and Communities | Ellie Chowns | A councillor in Herefordshire and former MEP. |
| Lifelong Education | Vix Lowthion | |
| Migration and Refugee Support | Benali Hamdache | A councillor in Islington. |
| Natural World | Jonathan Elmer | A councillor in Durham. |
| Peace and Global Justice | Shahin Ashraf | |
| Transport and Healthy Streets | Matt Edwards | A councillor in Bradford. |
| Work, Employment and Social Security | Professor Catherine Rowett | A councillor in Norfolk since 2023 and former MEP. |
Green Party in Elections
The Green Party has one Member of Parliament, two members in the House of Lords, and three members in the London Assembly. They also have hundreds of councillors in local government.
House of Commons
Brighton Pavilion was the first and only parliamentary seat won by the Green Party. Caroline Lucas won it in the 2010 general election and held it in later elections. The current voting system makes it hard for the Green Party to win many seats. Even though they get a good number of votes, they only have one MP.
| Election | Principal Speakers | Votes | Seats | Government | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | ± | # | ± | ||||
| 1992 | Jean Lambert | Richard Lawson | 170,047 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
0 / 650
|
 |
Conservative |
| 1997 | Peg Alexander | David Taylor | 61,731 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
0 / 659
|
|
Labour |
| 2001 | Margaret Wright | Mike Woodin | 166,477 | 0.6 |  0.3 |
0 / 659
|
|
Labour |
| 2005 | Caroline Lucas | Keith Taylor | 257,758 | 1.0 | 0.4 |
0 / 646
|
|
Labour |
| Election | Leader(s) | Votes | Seats | Government | ||||
| # | % | ± | # | ± | ||||
| 2010 | Caroline Lucas | 265,247 | 0.9 | 0.1 |
1 / 650
|
1 |
Conservative–Liberal Democrats | |
| 2015 | Natalie Bennett | 1,111,603 | 3.8 | 2.9 |
1 / 650
|
|
Conservative | |
| 2017 | Caroline Lucas | Jonathan Bartley | 512,327 | 1.6 | 2.0 |
1 / 650
|
|
Conservative minority with DUP confidence & supply |
| 2019 | Siân Berry | 835,589 | 2.7 | 1.1 |
1 / 650
|
|
Conservative | |
House of Lords
The Green Party has two members in the House of Lords. The first was Tim Beaumont, who joined in 1999. Later, Baroness Jenny Jones joined in 2013, and former leader Baroness Natalie Bennett joined in 2019.
European Parliament
The Green Party of England and Wales had representatives in the European Parliament since 1999. They had two MEPs from 1999 to 2014. In 2014, they gained a third MEP, Molly Scott Cato. In 2019, this number grew to seven MEPs.
| Election | Principal Speakers | Votes | Seats | Position | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | ± | # | ± | ||||
| 1994 | John Cornford | Jan Clark | 471,257 | 3.0 | 11.9 |
0 / 87
|
|
5th |
| 1999 | Mike Woodin | Jean Lambert | 568,236 | 5.3 | 2.3 |
2 / 87
|
2 |
5th |
| 2004 | Mike Woodin | Caroline Lucas | 948,588 | 5.6 | 0.3 |
2 / 78
|
|
5th |
| Election | Leader(s) | Votes | Seats | Position | ||||
| # | % | ± | # | ± | ||||
| 2009 | Caroline Lucas | 1,223,303 | 7.8 | 2.2 |
2 / 72
|
|
5th |
|
| 2014 | Natalie Bennett | 1,136,670 | 6.9 | 0.9 |
3 / 73
|
1 |
4th |
|
| 2019 | Jonathan Bartley | Siân Berry | 1,881,306 | 11.8 | 4.9 |
7 / 73
|
4 |
4th |
Local Government
The Green Party has many representatives in local government across England and Wales. Since the early 1990s, the number of Green local councillors has grown a lot.
In 2011, the party led a council for the first time in Brighton and Hove City Council. In 2020, they took control of Brighton again.
Since 2017, the party has gained more councillors in every election. After the 2024 local elections, they had a record high of 812 councillors on 174 different councils.
In 2023, the Greens won overall control of Mid Suffolk District Council for the first time. After the 2024 elections, Greens lead coalitions on several councils. They are also part of coalitions running over two dozen more councils.
Images for kids
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Amelia Womack was voted deputy leader in 2014.
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Shahrar Ali was voted deputy leader in 2014.
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A similar green transport hierarchy from the Green Party of Canada.
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