Greens in Exile Press release Sept 5 2024
On Friday 6 September at 12:00 noon, former and suspended members of the Green Party of England and Wales will be demonstrating outside the party conference at Manchester Central.
They are the Greens in Exile, a group of long-serving and loyal Green Party members forbidden to attend conference even though many have not yet had their cases considered. One is Eric Walker, a D-Day veteran now aged 99, who is likely to hear from the King before he has a chance to make his case to the party’s Disciplinary Committee.
They are united in their concern for internal Green Party democracy and freedom of speech. Many are ‘gender-critical’. Among other things, they have criticised the party’s governance; defended women’s sex-based rights; advocated child safeguarding and supported the Cass Review of gender identity services for children and young people.
They are members who have made enormous contributions over decades to the Green Party. They have delivered countless leaflets, served on national committees, and been elected as town and county councillors.
Alison Teal of Greens in Exile and a former Sheffield City Councillor and nationally-known defender of street trees said:
“We want a return to our founding principle to ‘Do Politics Differently’ and to our roots in ecology. We used to pride ourselves on following the science but gender ideology is an unscientific ideology that has captured the party.”
The Greens in Exile want to explain to ordinary party members attending Conference how the complaints system has been abused, resulting in these suspensions and expulsions.
Jude English of Greens in Exile and a former Bristol City Councillor said:
“We want Greens to come and talk to us outside Conference – as we’re not allowed in. We hope they will hold the party to account and vote down the power-grabbing Motions on the Agenda.”
Ends
Notes to editors
Photos of the protest can be made available on request.
For further information, contact: Robbie Spence, phone 07920 137934, roadlesstravelleruk@gmail.com
Or email contact@greensinexile.org.uk
See Greens in Exile website www.greensinexile.org.uk which has biographies of many of the Greens in Exile, including the following (in alphabetical order by surname):
Emma Bateman
Emma Bateman, three times Co-Chair of Green Party Women and three times expelled. A passionate campaigner against the expansion of nuclear power, she is now outside Conference for questioning whether a trans-identified male who sat on the Green Party Women committee was biologically female. Emma said: “I believe that I have been targeted by leading Green Party members, including Amelia Womack and Sian Berry, simply because I hold gender-critical views. This has resulted in me taking legal action against the party, which I am confident that I will win.”
Jude English
Jude English, a former Bristol City Councillor, was placed on ‘no-fault suspension’ in March 2024 after she hosted a webinar on women’s rights with the barrister, Sarah Phillimore. Jude’s suspension meant that she was unable to defend her seat as a Green Party candidate in the 2024 Bristol City Council elections. The Free Speech Union has taken up Jude’s case and wrote to the Green Party National Executive in June.
Liz Reason
Liz Reason, a former Chair of the National Executive, has been subjected to four complaints which were all dismissed, with one being held to be vexatious. However, as she says: “Disciplinary Committee heard the latest round of complaints against me in a distinctly ill-disciplined way and suspended me for four years. I am waiting for an appeal hearing. But I am not expecting one because the process is part of the punishment.”
Alison Teal
Alison Teal, former Sheffield City Councillor and nationally-known defender of street trees was properly selected as the Parliamentary candidate for Sheffield Central but was suspended and therefore unable to contest the election as a Green Party candidate. She resigned in order to stand as an Independent and is another considering legal action. Other members have been expelled for supporting Alison’s campaign.
Green Seniors: Freda Davis and Nicola Watson and Eric Walker
Three Green Seniors Committee members were all suspended due to allegations that they had posted confidential information or allowed ‘queerphobic’ posts on an internal email list. One of the three, Eric Walker, is a D-Day veteran now aged 99, who is likely to hear from the King before he has a chance to make his case to the Disciplinary Committee.