Green Party's new leadership team to focus on power not protests

The Green Party's new leaders have vowed to make it a powerful electoral force across England and Wales.

Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay have been elected to replace Jonathan Bartley and Sian Berry.

Ms Denyer said voters were increasingly seeing Greens "can get elected".

She said the party agreed with many of the aims of Insulate Britain - the group staging protests on motorways - but did not "necessarily agree" with their tactics.

The new leadership team has pledged to build on recent electoral successes and take more seats at every level, including more MPs.

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The party currently has just one MP, Caroline Lucas, but gained 99 seats in May's local elections and became the joint largest on Bristol City Council.

Ms Denyer, who is a councillor in Bristol, said: "We increasingly are in power. The Greens are part of the administration on 14 councils in England and Wales now and in government in Scotland.

"That's a steep curve, that's improving all the time."

She said the party was the "electoral wing" of the Green movement, and while there was a place for "direct action in the wider political movement", Insulate Britain is "not necessarily always doing it in the most constructive way".

Mr Ramsay said strong voices are needed to make the case for a Green agenda, not just on the environment but a whole range of issues.

"Our country is in crisis - pumps running out of petrol, empty shelves in supermarkets and millions heading into winter fearing rising fuel bills" he added and Green polices would "help prevent the next crisis".

Analysis

The Greens launched their 2019 manifesto in Bristol

By BBC Political Correspondent Ione Wells

Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay put an emphasis in their campaign, and victory speeches, on becoming a serious electoral force.

Ms Denyer has often been touted within party circles as the "obvious next MP" and came second in the race for the Bristol West seat in 2019.

Mr Ramsay was part of the campaign team that got their only MP, Caroline Lucas, elected and has been credited with co-writing the election strategy that saw them deliver more Green councillors on more councils than ever at the English local elections in 2021.

They beat a number of other candidates including deputy leader Amelia Womack and Tamsin Omond, a founding member of Extinction Rebellion.

The new leadership were keen to stress that groups like Insulate Britain and Extinction Rebellion were different from the Green Party, and they don't always support their tactics, but credited the organisations for putting climate at the "top of the agenda".

For this pair though, winning influence through positions of power is a key aim.

They hope to use current issues like rising energy bills and empty petrol pumps to demonstrate their view that the UK is too reliant on fossil fuels.

Mr Ramsay said the Greens would create "sustainable, secure jobs with decent rates of pay" with policies to install insulation and renewable energy systems in homes, improve public transport system and prioritise sustainable food supplies.

Speaking after the result was announced, Ms Denyer said both she and Mr Ramsay would "focus on getting more Greens elected" at every level, including more Green MPs.

She said: "It is time for the Greens to shine.

"We intend to lead this party to the electoral success we know is within our grasp", adding: "A better future is possible."

Mr Ramsay and Ms Denyer took 44% of the first preference votes in the leadership contest.

And in the second round of voting, the new leaders secured 62% of preferences, with 6,274 votes.

Amelia Womack and Tamsin Omond came second with 30% of first preference votes. Ms Womack will continue to be the party's deputy leader.

The election was triggered after Jonathan Bartley announced he would be standing down as party co-leader and Sian Berry decided not to seek re-election.