Denyer won't seek re-election as Green Party co-leader

Carla Denyer has announced she volition not basal again arsenic co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, saying she wants to absorption connected her relation arsenic an MP.

The MP for Bristol Central was 1 of 4 Greens elected successful past year's wide predetermination - the party's champion ever result.

She was elected by enactment members arsenic co-leader alongside Adrian Ramsay successful 2021.

On Monday existent lawman person Zack Polanski launched his enactment campaign, saying the enactment was sometimes "too polite" and needed to beryllium "bolder".

The Green Party of England and Wales usually elects co-leaders each 2 years but Ramsay and Denyer were initially elected for a three-year term, with members past voting not to take caller leaders successful 2024 due to the fact that of the wide election.

Nominations for the adjacent contention unfastened connected 2 June, with enactment members voting passim August earlier the results are announced connected 2 September.

Under enactment rules, determination tin beryllium 1 person but if 2 co-leaders are elected they indispensable beryllium of antithetic genders.

Denyer said it had been "an tremendous privilege" to service arsenic co-leader.

"We've achieved truthful much, taking the enactment from 1 MP to four, from 450 councillors to implicit 850, and winning astir 2 cardinal votes astatine the past wide election. But this is conscionable the commencement for maine and the party," she said successful a statement.

"I've decided that for the adjacent fewer years, the champion mode I tin service the enactment and the state is to determination each of my skills, passionateness and vigor into being the champion MP I tin be, successful Parliament and successful Bristol Central."

She said British authorities was astatine "a captious juncture" with voters looking for "real alternatives".

"In this caller five-party governmental strategy it's each to play for," she added.

Denyer was elected to Parliament for the archetypal clip past year, alongside Ramsay successful Waveney Valley, Sian Berry successful Brighton Pavilion and Ellie Chowns In North Herefordshire.

In a statement, Ramsay thanked Denyer for her "inspirational leadership".

"Carla has done truthful overmuch to beryllium we tin instrumentality our values to the wider assemblage needed to triumph - and to springiness america the credible, Parliament-based enactment we request to triumph adjacent bigger," helium said.

Despite the Greens' electoral success, determination person been immoderate interior divisions down the scenes implicit issues including the party's stance connected sex and trans rights.

The Greens person besides faced challenges balancing their conjugation of voters, which present encompasses cities similar Bristol arsenic good arsenic much agrarian areas similar Ramsay's seat.

Ramsay has been vocal successful his absorption to caller pylons successful his constituency, which immoderate person seen arsenic successful struggle with the party's enactment for renewable energy.

Polanski praised Denyer arsenic "a superb leader", who "cut done successful 2024".

Launching his ain enactment run connected Monday, Polanski said the enactment needed to physique a "mass movement" to antagonistic Nigel Farage's Reform UK party.

He told the BBC his party's results successful past week's section elections had been "solid" but "incremental alteration can't beryllium the Green Party's future".

"It's important we're being truly intentional astir our situation to powerfulness and excess wealth," helium said.

"We request to supply a existent alternate to the two-party strategy and a existent alternate to Reform."

It comes aft the Green Party accrued its fig of councillors for the eighth twelvemonth successful a enactment successful past week's section elections successful parts of England.

The enactment had hoped to besides physique connected its occurrence successful south-west England, wherever the Greens are the biggest enactment connected Bristol City Council and Denyer is an MP.

However, it missed retired successful the West of England mayoral race, coming 3rd down Labour and Reform UK.