Adrian Ramsay will seek re-election as co-leader of the Green Party alongside fellow MP Ellie Chowns in what the duo are calling the party’s “most ambitious chapter yet”.
The Waveney Valley MP announced the re-election bid on X on Monday morning, days after current co-leader Carla Denyer announced she would not stand again in order to focus on her work as an MP.
“We’re standing to lead @TheGreenParty into its most ambitious chapter yet,” he said. “As co-leaders, @EllieChowns and I will grow Green power, hold government to account, and lead with ambition, unity and deep-rooted values,” he said.
The duo were two of four Greens elected to Parliament in last year’s general election, the best result the party has ever had at Westminster.
The double ticket could not be filled by two man, as the Green Party’s rules mean two co-candidates cannot be of the same gender.
Zack Polanski, the party’s deputy leader and a member of the London Assembly, has announced a leadership bid and told The Guardian his bid would be focused on transforming the Greens into an “eco-populism” mass movement. He said the party needs to be more “bold”.
Announcing her decision not to seek re-election as co-leader, Ms Denyer said: “For me, my guiding light has always been ‘How can I make the biggest positive impact?’.
“And I’ve decided that for the next few years, the best way I can serve the party and the country is to pour all of my skills, passion and energy into being the best MP I can be, in Parliament and in Bristol Central.
“We’re at a critical juncture in British politics. People are feeling deeply let down and are looking for real alternatives.
“And with the hard-right on the rise in the UK and across the world, it’s never been more important for Greens to offer a genuinely hopeful vision for our future – and crucially to put forward real solutions to make people’s lives better.”
She said she would focus on issues like rent controls, moves to “futureproof British industry to secure good green jobs for this generation and the next”, and to “replace the racism and xenophobia at the heart of our migration system with common sense and compassion”.
The Greens usually hold leadership elections every two years, but an internal poll has not been held since 2021.
That year, an out-of-sequence election was held, and Ms Denyer and Mr Ramsay were elected for a three-year term.
The party did not go ahead with an election in 2024, as it would have coincided with the general election.
Nominations for the election open at the start of June, and a ballot will be held throughout August.
