30th Nov 2007

Yes - 73% | No - 27%

The Green Party have announced the results of the party-wide referendum to adopt a new leadership model, a shift from the current set-up of two Principal Speakers. Around 50 per cent of the party's membership voted. 73 per cent voted in favour of switching to a Leader / Deputy Leader or Co-Leader structure, 27 per cent voted to stay with the current system.

Green Party Principal Speaker Caroline Lucas said:

"I'm delighted about this result. The party can now move forward together and onto the job in hand. We have an urgent green message to communicate and many votes to win.

"This is a fantastic day for the Green Party and will help ensure we have a party that is understandable, recognisable and effective. But we now need to demonstrate to all our members, regardless of which way they voted, that this is not about weakening our principles, it's about strengthening our effectiveness."

Green Party Principal Speaker Derek Wall said: "We need a Green Party which is effective and empowering, doing things differently from the top down traditional politics that turns voters off.

"The result of this referendum challenges the Party to create a leadership structure that is true to green ideals. It has put our future leaders on notice that the membership expects a more focussed, more effective party, with a leadership team that is truly accountable to the membership in a real and effective manner."

was it not the responsibility of the non-hierarchical advocats to champion the non-hierarchical systems/approach and show what they mean and why they are important? especially in the context of politics-reality.

it was always odd that a so called non hierarchical party should take part in authoritarian party politics.

Now at least they can be 'understandable' as the arseholes they really are.

Thatchers children are rising to power

The following is posted on Greenman's Occasional Organ Blog:

The results are out in the ballot on changing the leadership model of the Green Party of England and Wales. Members voted by more than the required two thirds majority to change the Constitution of the Party so that Male and Female Principal Speakers are replaced by a Leader and Deputy Leader (or Co-leaders if a balanced ticket is fielded in the leadership election and wins on that basis). I have to say I am disappointed at this, but nevertheless, radical Greens will have to live with the vote and try and pull together with those members that voted Yes or abstained but hold similar views to Green Empowerment on structural and political issues other than the leader issue (i.e. those who voted for a Leader as a figurehead to make us more visible in the media, but seek to deepen and improve the democratic and anti-hierarchical structures) I am convinced the majority of those voting Yes did so on these grounds, not because they want a conventional leadership model and further erosion of the radical structures and policies of the party as a minority of the Yes Campaign appear to be eager for. Those who voted No must pick themselves up, dust themselves down and make strong alliances with those who voted Yes or abstained, but want to defend and improve a radical, left-of-centre, member-based party.

The vote was as follows :

Turnout 3605 48.3%

Yes 2634 73.07%

No 963 26.71%

Spoilt papers 8

It goes without saying that there will now be an election. Members will need to think very carefully about whether the people they elect as leader and deputy or co-leaders are fully committed to the vision of the party put forward by Green Empowerment which won support even where the Green Empowerment position on the specific leadership model did not. Beyond this of course, normal internal politics in the Party will resume without so much of the artificial division created by the leadership issue over the last six months.