Jonathan Bartley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jonathan Bartley
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Bartley in 2018
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| Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales | |
| In office 2 September 2016 – 30 July 2021 Serving with
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| Deputy | Amelia Womack |
| Preceded by | Natalie Bennett |
| Succeeded by | Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay |
| Member of Lambeth London Borough Council for St Leonard's | |
| In office 3 May 2018 – 5 May 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Rob Hill (Labour) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jonathan Charles Bartley
16 October 1971 London, England |
| Political party | Green Party of England and Wales (2010–present) |
| Education | Dulwich College |
| Alma mater | London School of Economics |
| Occupation | Political activist |
Jonathan Charles Bartley (born 16 October 1971) is a British politician. He was a co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales. He shared this role with Caroline Lucas from 2016 to 2018. Later, he was co-leader with Siân Berry from 2018 to 2021.
Before becoming a co-leader, Bartley was the Green Party's spokesperson for Work and Pensions. He also ran for Parliament in the 2015 general election in Streatham. In the 2019 general election, he was a candidate for Dulwich and West Norwood.
From 2018 to 2022, Bartley served as a councillor on Lambeth Council. He represented the St Leonard's area in Streatham. During this time, he was also the leader of the opposition on the council.
Bartley founded a group called Ekklesia. This group is a think tank, which means it studies and shares ideas about important topics. Ekklesia looked at how religion plays a part in public life. Bartley also often appears on TV and radio shows in the UK. He is also a musician and plays drums in a blues rock band called The Mustangs.
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Early Life and Education
Jonathan Bartley was born in London on 16 October 1971. His father, Christopher Bartley, was a doctor who worked for the NHS. His father also served in the military during the Normandy landings in World War II. Jonathan's uncle, Anthony Bartley, was a brave Spitfire pilot during World War II. He was married to the famous actress Deborah Kerr. Jonathan Bartley is also related to Elizabeth Fry, who was a well-known prison reformer.
From 1980 to 1989, Jonathan attended Dulwich College. This was a private boarding school for boys in Dulwich, South London. After finishing school, he went to the London School of Economics. He earned a degree in social policy there.
Getting Involved in Politics
After college, Bartley worked at the UK Parliament for several years. He was a researcher and assistant for different political parties. This meant he helped politicians with their work and research.
In 2002, Bartley helped start Ekklesia. This group is a Christian think-tank. It studies how beliefs and values, both religious and non-religious, affect public life. In 2008, he also helped create the Accord Coalition. This group works to stop religious unfairness in schools in England and Wales.
Bartley often shares his views on TV and radio. He has appeared on BBC One's The Big Questions. He has also written for The Guardian newspaper.
Meeting David Cameron
On 27 April 2010, Jonathan Bartley was at the Evelina Children's Hospital. He was waiting for an appointment for his son, Samuel. A staff member from the Conservative Party asked if he wanted to meet David Cameron. Cameron was the Leader of the Conservative Party at the time. Bartley agreed to meet him.
Bartley talked to Cameron about plans for children with special needs. He said that the Conservative Party's plans might separate disabled children more. He asked why the party's plans didn't encourage children with special needs to attend regular schools. Cameron said that their plans did support this. However, a TV fact-checking group later said Cameron was mistaken.
After this meeting, Bartley became the head of the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education (CSIE). This group works to make education fair for all students.
Supporting Fairer Voting
After the 2010 general election, the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties formed a government. They agreed to hold a public vote, called a referendum. This vote was about changing how Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected. It was about using a system called "Alternative Vote" (AV).
Jonathan Bartley had always supported making elections fairer. He became a vice-chair for the YES! To Fairer Votes campaign. He spoke to the media a lot during this campaign. After the vote, he joined the council of the Electoral Reform Society. This group works to improve how elections are run.
Joining the Green Party
In 2012, Bartley became a candidate for the Green Party. He ran for the Lambeth and Southwark area in the London Assembly elections. He received over 18,000 votes. He also helped the Green Party with their media work for the London campaign.
In 2014, Bartley ran for a council seat in the St Leonard's area on Lambeth Council. He finished in fifth place.
Bartley has often represented the Green Party in the media. He debated welfare issues on the BBC during the 2015 general election. He ran for Parliament in Streatham in that election. He finished fourth, getting 4,421 votes. This was a big increase for the Green Party in that area.
Bartley wanted to be the Green Party's candidate for the 2016 London mayoral election. However, Siân Berry was chosen instead. He was still an active part of the Green Party's campaign for the London Assembly elections that year.
On 31 May 2016, it was announced that Bartley would run to be a co-leader of the Green Party. He planned to share the job with former leader Caroline Lucas. They became co-leaders on 2 September 2016. Bartley did not run for Parliament in the 2017 general election. He was also the Green Party's spokesperson for Work and Pensions from 2016 to 2017.
On 3 May 2018, Bartley was elected as a Green Party councillor for St Leonard's Ward on Lambeth Council. He became the leader of the Green group on the Council. This meant he led the opposition group on the council.
On 30 May 2018, Caroline Lucas said she would not run for co-leader again. Bartley then ran for co-leader with Siân Berry, and they won the election.
On 16 October 2019, Bartley took part in a protest with Extinction Rebellion in Trafalgar Square.
Bartley ran for Parliament again in the 2019 General Election. He ran in the Dulwich and West Norwood area. He finished second, and the Green Party's vote share increased by 14%. This was the biggest increase for any Green candidate in that election.
On 8 June 2020, Bartley announced he would run for co-leader again with Berry. They were re-elected on 9 September.
In May 2021, Bartley signed an open letter from Stylist magazine. The letter asked the government to do more to stop violence against women and girls.
In July 2021, Bartley announced that he would step down as party co-leader later that month. This led to a new leadership election.
Music Career
Jonathan Bartley is the drummer for a British blues rock band called The Mustangs. The band has released ten albums. In June 2017, The Mustangs played at the famous Glastonbury Festival.
Family Life
Jonathan Bartley has three children with his wife, Lucy. In May 2017, Bartley confirmed that he and Lucy had separated.
Books Written by Jonathan Bartley
- The Subversive Manifesto: lifting the lid on God's political agenda (2004)
- Your Child and the Internet (2004)
- (Co-editor, with Simon Barrow) Consuming Passion: Why The Killing of Jesus Really Matters (2005)
- Faith and Politics After Christendom: the church as a movement for anarchy (2006)
