Nominations for leadership of the Green Party also close today. Here is why I won’t be standing.
First of all, I would like to say thank you to people who suggested I might stand for the leadership of the Green Party. I appreciate your confidence in me and the kind words you have said about my work as an MEP.
I have worked for our party for nearly 30 years and I am glad that I can now make more of a public contribution, particularly in the area of economic policy where I believe our ideas are needed more than ever.
From a practical point of view it was never going to be possible for me to organise a campaign when I was fighting 100% to keep us in the European Union. I am devastated by the result of the referendum but this convinces me that I was right to put all my effort in that direction. Although we didn’t get the result we worked so hard to achieve I would certainly have felt much worse if I had thought any of my energy had been diverted by an internal party campaign.
I also have a different view of leadership from that which is currently enshrined in our party’s constitution. I believe in cooperative working and shared leadership rather than in personalities and individual leaders. It is disappointing for me that because the media is focused on personalities it is always an uphill struggle to get media space, but I am not prepared to sacrifice my principle on this. Indeed, I believe the current crisis in British politics is evidence of the destructive consequences of the dominant model of political leadership.
I see my future role as building up support and credibility for the Green party in the South West, as well as keeping an eye on the post-Brexit negotiations. I am concerned that the party leadership has been consistently focused on London and the South East for some years. I do not think it is appropriate for me to endorse candidates but I would ask you to consider the need to address the Metropolitan bias when casting your vote.
