New Members Don't Want a Party Leader

Priya Shah, new member of Brent Green Party:
"To advocate the participation of all in a party without hierarchical structures is the only base on which to develop the politics of the present and future. Naturally, if we were to be an elected government, we would need a party spokesperson, but this is not to be mistaken with the obsolete idea of a party leader."

Amanda Penfold, Southwark Membership Secretary:
"Hierarchical structures dominated by one person's vision (usually male) are anti-democratic. Our core principles are too valuable to begin jettisoning as soon as we get a whiff of power. We would risk suffering the same mass exodus of activists and supporters as Tony Blair's Labour Party has."

Anthony Staples, Huntingdon Green Party Election Agent:
"Enough of the cult of personality, we had Thatcher, then Blair (Brown) and god help us it'll probably be Cameron next. We're better than that, it's the policies of the party that count and that's what people vote for - not one person enforcing their views on the party and the country. One of the things that attracted me to the Greens is the fact that they had no specific leader. It's an advantage not a disadvantage."

Farid Bakht, Ealing Green Party:
"The Green Party should be ambitious to win seats and influence political power. That does not mean that it must ape the three big parties. Electing one leader does not make it "serious". It makes it another wannabee. Instead, we should focus on getting a message that is relevant to hard pressed voters and resonates with their daily lives."

Simon Lynn, Hackney Green Party:
"I've joined recently and one of the things that attracted me has been the contributions of different people in leadership roles. This perhaps gives at least a glimpse of an alternative model of politics."

Malcolm Bailey, Luton & Bedfordshire Green Party:
"The absence of the traditional party 'leader', with all the associated negative baggage, was a key feature which attracted me as a new member of the Green Party."