Green Councillors for Genuine Leadership

Jenny Jones, London Assembly Member, Southwark Councillor, fmr GPEx Chair:
"We've proved in London that you don't need a leader to get good media coverage - there are plenty of opportunities for us all. What we need is more people prepared to do media, not rely on one fallible person to deliver our message." Read articles

Jonathan Dixon, Scarborough Councillor:
"To reach the point where our vision is truly shared by most of the population will require effort from many committed people in every community - inspiring and leading by example from the grass-roots upwards. Our philosophy and constitution recognise and aspire to that. To change it now would be to betray the future." Watch video

Rebecca Thackray, Lambeth Councillor and Humanist:
"As a pacifist & Humanist I like the Green smorgesbord of varied leadership styles. We do not waste energy on power struggles or hierarchical off-shoots like privilege and image. Allowing the Party to be dominated by the voice of one Leader will not guarantee success in the media or in the polls; our integrity will."

Dave Taylor, York Councillor:
"Those who want the Green Party to have a single leader are confusing leadership with accountability. History is littered with leaders who have never been held to account, and our recently ex-PM is a case in point."

Claire Stephenson, Norwich Councillor:
"I do not want to be a member of a political party in which celebrity is more important than policy. We will get a lot more media attention from the election of our first member of parliament than we will from making someone the leader of the party. What's the point of all the work we're doing if the Green Party is just to end up a clone of its mainstream rivals?" Watch video

Andy D'Agorne, York Councillor:
"I have always felt that a major strength of the Green Party has been its approach to cultivating new leaders, promoting gender equality and challenging 'conventional wisdom'. We have people of stature and experience in the party who would not have that if they had had to challenge a Leader position to do so."
Watch video

Romayne Phoenix, Lewisham Councillor:
"To move forward we need our elected members and our many excellent speakers to reach out to their local communities. Let them know that we stand for social and environmental justice. Engage with them in their campaigns. Tell them about our local, national and international policies. And build strong 'grass roots' support that will deliver real electoral success."

James Abbott, Councillor and Climate Change & Space Issues Spokesperson:
"I would like to support the petition maintaining the Green Party's current position that promotes open democracy and does not mimic the centralised structures of the other parties. We do not need to change to having 'a leader'."

Dilys Cluer, Scarborough Councillor:
"I've canvassed for years and almost never got anyone saying our lack of a leader was an issue. It would be lovely to have a better party machine (eg better literature and a better press operation) but I think that depends on plenty of money and good people, not on having a single leader."

Adrian Holmes, Norwich Councillor
"At a time when the people are becoming more disillusioned with conventional parties and the extent to which they are manipulated and dominated by their leaders, I find it difficult to see why we should move in this direction. As a Green councillor in one of the most deprived wards in the Eastern Region I am often asked about what the Party stands for on issues like tax and schooling - not about who the leader is."

Mischa Boris, Hackney Councillor
"One of the most positive things about our Party is that we try to be unhierarchical. I don't think a leader would bring us more media coverage or win us more seats. Our electoral successes come from grass roots hard work. We oppose clone towns - let's not become a clone party! And leaders can bring bad publicity as well as good."

Matt Sellwood, Oxford Councillor:
"The proposal before the Party would abolish Principal Speakers, who are elected annually, and introduce a leadership model with elections only every two years. This is a clear reduction in internal democracy, and I will be opposing it."

Sushila Dhall, Oxford Councillor
"If we alter our basic policies to woo the press we are no better than the Lib Dems. We may need to alter our structures, and we may need a single spokesperson with a deputy, but we do not need a 'leader' to load all our hopes and aspirations onto. I suggest we all vote against this to give us a chance to come up with a new structure that we can all live with."