Principal Speaker
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The Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales is the most senior political figure within the
Green Party of England and Wales The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW; ), often known simply as the Green Party or the Greens, is a Green politics, green, Left-wing politics, left-wing political party in England and Wales. Since October 2021, Carla Denyer and Adrian Ram ...
. The role was introduced alongside that of deputy leader in 2008. Prior to this, the party's public spokespersons were principal speakers. There were two principal speakers, one female and one male, who were elected annually at the Green Party's Autumn Conference and held no vote on the Green Party Executive (GPEx). A referendum passed on 30 November 2007 that abolished the posts of principal speakers and a leader and deputy were elected at the party's next autumn conference on 5 September 2008.


Role and history

The principal speakers performed the public and media roles undertaken by the leaders of more conventional political parties.
Green parties A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as environmentalism and social justice. Green party platforms typically embrace social democratic economic policies and form coalitions with ...
often consider joint leadership of this kind to embody the widely held Green beliefs in
consensus decision making Consensus decision-making is a group decision-making process in which participants work together to develop proposals for actions that achieve a broad acceptance. Consensus is reached when everyone in the group ''assents'' to a decision (or ...
and
gender balance A sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. However, many species deviate from an even sex ratio, eit ...
. It also symbolises their belief in the need for a society in which people are empowered and involved in making the decisions which affect them. In the party's ''Philosophical Basis'', it states that the
Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as environmentalism and social justice. Green party platforms typically embrace Social democracy, social democratic economic policies and fo ...
"reject the hierarchical structure of leaders and followers, and, instead advocate participatory politics" and it is "for this reason" that the Green Party has eschewed an individual leader. There were six principal speakers in the UK Green Party until 1991, when changes introduced by the
Green 2000 Green 2000 was a movement to streamline the constitutional arrangements of the Green Party of England and Wales in the early 1990s, with the stated aim of getting a Green government by the year 2000.Siân Berry Siân Rebecca Berry (; born 9 July 1974) is a British politician who has served as the member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion since July 2024, succeeding Caroline Lucas. She was a co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales alongsid ...
, were struck by the how "constructive" the debate turned out to be. On Friday 30 November 2007 the ballots were counted and members voted 73% to 27% in favour of the new leadership model, with a 48.3% turnout of Green Party members.


The 'Pro-Leader' side – Green Yes

Supporters of the 'Green Yes' campaign for a yes vote in the referendum included the then-principal speaker
Caroline Lucas Caroline Patricia Lucas (born 9 December 1960) is a British politician who was the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales from 2003 to 2006, 2007 to 2012, and 2016 to 2018. She was Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parli ...
MEP,
Siân Berry Siân Rebecca Berry (; born 9 July 1974) is a British politician who has served as the member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion since July 2024, succeeding Caroline Lucas. She was a co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales alongsid ...
,
Darren Johnson Darren Paul Johnson (born 1966) is a former English politician who was a prominent member of the Green Party of England and Wales. He represented the Green Party on the London Assembly from 2000 to 2016 and was a Green councillor in the London ...
AM (a
Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...
member of the
London Assembly The London Assembly is a 25-member elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds supermajority, to amend the Mayor's annual budget and to reject t ...
), environmental commentator and
Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...
member
Mark Lynas Mark Lynas (born 1973) is a British author and journalist whose work is focused on environmentalism and climate change. He has written for the ''New Statesman'', '' The Ecologist'', ''Granta ''and ''Geographical ''magazines, and ''The Guardian' ...
, former principal speaker
Jonathon Porritt Sir Jonathon Espie Porritt, 2nd Baronet, Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 6 July 1950) is a British environmentalist and writer. He is known for his advocacy of the Green Party of England and Wales. Porritt frequently contributes to ma ...
, councillors from Lewisham, Brighton, Norwich, Leicester and Lancaster, and members of the Green Party Executive (GPEx), including Jim Killock (external communications officer), elections coordinator Peter Cranie and
Khalid Hussenbux Khalid (variants include Khaled and Kalid; Arabic: خالد) is a popular Arabic male given name meaning "eternal, everlasting, immortal". It also appears as a surname.
, the party's financial coordinator.Green Yes Website
/ref> The Green Yes campaign believed that the Green Party needed a leader to reach its potential and that, if the party did not reach its potential, it would be "selling-short our planet and everything on it". They suggested that the party's success has been too slow and that "a leader would help set direction, political focus and make sure the party gets the resources to grow". The campaign hoped that having a Leader would be "about empowering the party" and "about accountability", in that a Leader would "mean we can identify who to hold to account when things need changing". The group added that other
Green Parties A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as environmentalism and social justice. Green party platforms typically embrace social democratic economic policies and form coalitions with ...
in the world had leaders and remained "just as Green as the rest of us".
Mark Lynas Mark Lynas (born 1973) is a British author and journalist whose work is focused on environmentalism and climate change. He has written for the ''New Statesman'', '' The Ecologist'', ''Granta ''and ''Geographical ''magazines, and ''The Guardian' ...
, in several editions of his ''
New Statesman ''The New Statesman'' (known from 1931 to 1964 as the ''New Statesman and Nation'') is a British political and cultural news magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first c ...
'' blog, further claimed that the name 'Principal Speaker' was not transparent to the public, that it wasted valuable time in explaining the system to the media and that it lacked credibility.
Darren Johnson Darren Paul Johnson (born 1966) is a former English politician who was a prominent member of the Green Party of England and Wales. He represented the Green Party on the London Assembly from 2000 to 2016 and was a Green councillor in the London ...
characterized the lack of single leader as "just a ridiculous barrier in terms of getting our really important message across".


The 'Anti-Leader' side – Green Empowerment

Supporters of the 'Green Empowerment' campaign for a no vote in the leadership referendum included the then-Principal Speaker
Derek Wall Derek Norman Wall (born 26 May 1965) is a British politician. He was the joint International Coordinator for the Green Party of England and Wales and stood against Prime Minister Theresa May as the Green candidate for Maidenhead at the 2017 ge ...
, Jenny Jones AM (a
Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...
member of the
London Assembly The London Assembly is a 25-member elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds supermajority, to amend the Mayor's annual budget and to reject t ...
), the late
Timothy Beaumont Timothy Wentworth Beaumont, Baron Beaumont of Whitley (22 November 1928 – 8 April 2008) was a British politician and an Anglican priest. He was politically active, successively, in the Liberal Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party ...
(
Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...
member of the
House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...
), prominent human rights campaigner and
Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a com ...
member
Peter Tatchell Peter Gary Tatchell (born 25 January 1952) is an Australian-born British human rights campaigner, best known for his work with LGBT social movements. Tatchell was selected as the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party's Parliament of the United Kingdo ...
,
Noel Lynch Noel Lynch (20 January 1947 – 3 August 2021) was an Irish politician living in England and a member of the Green Party of England and Wales. He represented the Green Party on the London Assembly between 2 May 2003 and 10 June 2004, after repl ...
(London
Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as environmentalism and social justice. Green party platforms typically embrace Social democracy, social democratic economic policies and fo ...
Coordinator and former
London Assembly The London Assembly is a 25-member elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds supermajority, to amend the Mayor's annual budget and to reject t ...
member), councillors from Scarborough, Lewisham, York, Norwich and Hackney, and members of the Green Party Executive (GPEx), including Campaigns Coordinator, Tim Summers, and Pete McAskie (Management Coordinator). Some members, like
Matt Sellwood Matt may refer to: *Matt (name), people with the given name ''Matt'' or Matthew, meaning "gift from God", or the surname Matt *In British English, of a surface: having a non-glossy finish, see gloss (material appearance) *Matt, Switzerland, a mu ...
, while in favour of a Leader system in principle, were opposed to the current referendum because the term of reelection would be extended to two years. Supporters of Green Empowerment wanted to "uphold the Green Party's long-standing commitment to non-hierarchical structures and 'grassroots' democracy" through "collective leadership". They believed that a single leader "would not only draw attention away from other speakers and the wider Party, but would bring with it risks that the other parties in this country are all too well aware of". The campaign focused on retaining
gender balance A sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. However, many species deviate from an even sex ratio, eit ...
in party structures, and avoiding the dilution of their radical policies. They focused on success under the Principal Speaker system, seen in the steady buildup of support from the low point of the 1992 general election to the situation at the time of the referendum, where the party has over 100 councilors along with two members of the
European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...
and two members of the
London Assembly The London Assembly is a 25-member elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds supermajority, to amend the Mayor's annual budget and to reject t ...
.
Derek Wall Derek Norman Wall (born 26 May 1965) is a British politician. He was the joint International Coordinator for the Green Party of England and Wales and stood against Prime Minister Theresa May as the Green candidate for Maidenhead at the 2017 ge ...
countered pro-leader arguments by stating that "if you are a clear speaker, there's no problem getting coverage and explaining the party's views." He was concerned by the history of past political parties that started off as being participatory until they adopted a single leader system in which the members became "puppets".
Wall A wall is a structure and a surface that defines an area; carries a load; provides security, shelter, or soundproofing; or serves a decorative purpose. There are various types of walls, including border barriers between countries, brick wal ...
also opposed the reduction in numbers of Principal Speakers from six to two in 1992, as advocated by the
Green 2000 Green 2000 was a movement to streamline the constitutional arrangements of the Green Party of England and Wales in the early 1990s, with the stated aim of getting a Green government by the year 2000.Natalie Bennett Natalie Louise Bennett, Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (born 10 February 1966), is an Australian-British politician and journalist who was the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales from 2012 to 2016. Bennett was given a peerage in ...
was elected her successor. After Bennett stood down in 2016 Lucas returned as leader, this time sharing the position with
Jonathan Bartley Jonathan Charles Bartley (born 16 October 1971) is a British politician who was a Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, a position he shared with Caroline Lucas from 2016 to 2018, ...
. In 2018,
Siân Berry Siân Rebecca Berry (; born 9 July 1974) is a British politician who has served as the member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion since July 2024, succeeding Caroline Lucas. She was a co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales alongsid ...
replaced Lucas as co-leader, with Bartley continuing in the role. In July 2021 Jonathan Bartley announced he would be standing down as the party's co-leader at the end of the month, triggering the
2021 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election The 2021 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election was held from August to September 2021 to select a new leader or leaders of the Green Party of England and Wales. It was triggered by Jonathan Bartley's announcement on 5 July 2021 t ...
. Siân Berry remained as acting leader, but decided not to stand in the leadership election due to her concerns over the party's message on
trans rights The legal status of transgender people varies greatly around the world. Some countries have enacted laws protecting the rights of transgender individuals, but others have criminalized their gender identity or expression. In many cases, transg ...
. In her statement, Berry cited unspecified spokesperson appointments as being inconsistent with her pledge to support trans equality.


Leaders


Principal Speakers (1990–1992)

Prior to 1992 six principal speakers were elected annually. *
Sara Parkin Sara Parkin (born 9 April 1946) is a Scottish nurse and political activist. She started her working life as a nurse in Edinburgh but rose to prominence as a green political activist during and after the 1989 European Parliament election, in whic ...
*Jim Berreen * Andrew Simms *
Jean Lambert Jean Denise Lambert (born Jean Denise Archer; 1 June 1950 in Orsett, Essex) is an English politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament for the London Region between 1999 and 2019. Early life and career She attended Palmer's G ...
*David Spaven *
Derek Wall Derek Norman Wall (born 26 May 1965) is a British politician. He was the joint International Coordinator for the Green Party of England and Wales and stood against Prime Minister Theresa May as the Green candidate for Maidenhead at the 2017 ge ...


Principal Speakers (1992–2008)


Party leadership (2008–present)


Timeline


Deputy Leadership (2008–present)


Election results


2021


2020


2018


2007


2006

The Female Principal Speaker post was won by
Siân Berry Siân Rebecca Berry (; born 9 July 1974) is a British politician who has served as the member of Parliament for Brighton Pavilion since July 2024, succeeding Caroline Lucas. She was a co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales alongsid ...
, without a contest.Election results announced
Green Party of England and Wales, 24 November 2006


2004

The Female Principal Speaker post was won by
Caroline Lucas Caroline Patricia Lucas (born 9 December 1960) is a British politician who was the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales from 2003 to 2006, 2007 to 2012, and 2016 to 2018. She was Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parli ...
, without a contest.Caroline Lucas & Keith Taylor returned as Greens' Principal Speakers
, Brighton & Hove Green Party, 3 November 2004


Chairs

:1990: Mallen Baker, John Laker and Judy Maciejowska :1991: John Laker, John Norris and
Sara Parkin Sara Parkin (born 9 April 1946) is a Scottish nurse and political activist. She started her working life as a nurse in Edinburgh but rose to prominence as a green political activist during and after the 1989 European Parliament election, in whic ...
:1992:
Sara Parkin Sara Parkin (born 9 April 1946) is a Scottish nurse and political activist. She started her working life as a nurse in Edinburgh but rose to prominence as a green political activist during and after the 1989 European Parliament election, in whic ...
:1993: John Norris :1994:
Jean Lambert Jean Denise Lambert (born Jean Denise Archer; 1 June 1950 in Orsett, Essex) is an English politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament for the London Region between 1999 and 2019. Early life and career She attended Palmer's G ...
:1995: John Morrissey :1996: Jenny Jones :1998: Alan Francis :2000: Penny Kemp :2003:
Hugo Charlton Hugo Charlton is a practising criminal barrister, international human rights lawyer, environmental activist, broadcaster and commentator. He was Chair of the Green Party of England and Wales from 2003 to 2005. Though he is no longer active in the ...
:2006: Richard Mallender :2008: James Humphreys :2009: Jayne Forbes :2011: Jo Steranka :2012: Tim Dawes :2014: Richard Mallender :2016: Clare Phipps :2018: Liz Reason :2022: Jon Nott


Regional variations

The leader of the
Wales Green Party The Wales Green Party () is an autonomous section of the Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) covering Wales. The Wales Green Party puts up candidates for council, Senedd, and UK Parliament seats. Since 2018, the Wales Green Party has been ...
is
Anthony Slaughter Anthony David Slaughter is a politician who has been the leader of the Wales Green Party since December 2018. He previously served as Deputy Leader from 2014 to 2015. In 2024 Slaughter was appointed as the President of Wales for Europe. He h ...
, who was elected as the party's leader in December 2018. Some regional and local groups have adopted a
gender balance A sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. However, many species deviate from an even sex ratio, eit ...
principle and emulated the Principal Speaker structure, including the
LSE Students' Union The London School of Economics Students' Union (LSESU) is the primary representative and campaigning body for students at the London School of Economics (LSE). Like other students' unions, it also funds and facilitates student activities of ca ...
Green Party, who have a Female and Male Co-Chair.


References


External links


Main


Co-Leaders page on the website of the Green Party of England and Wales


Historical


Darren Johnson AM on BBC site explains why the Green party needs a Leader

Siân Berry describes the debate and her preference for Co-leaders

Caroline Lucas: The greens need a clear voice – and a leader

Jenny Jones: A political party with a leader? – How 20th century
{{GPEW History of the Green Party of England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW; ), often known simply as the Green Party or the Greens, is a Green politics, green, Left-wing politics, left-wing political party in England and Wales. Since October 2021, Carla Denyer and Adrian Ram ...