Green Party of England and Wales

Green Party of England and Wales
File:Green Party of England and Wales logo.svg
Leader	Caroline Lucas MP
Chairman	Jayne Forbes
Deputy leader	Cllr Adrian Ramsay
Founded	1990 (1990)
Headquarters	56-64 Development House, London, EC2A 4LT
Youth wing	Young Greens of England and Wales
Membership	12,768 (2010)
Ideology	Green politics, Authoritarianism, Republicanism, Social progressivism Ecosocialism
Political position	Far-Left
European affiliation	European Green Party
European Parliament group	The Greens–European Free Alliance
International affiliation	Global Greens
Colours	Green
House of Commons	1 / 650
House of Lords	0 / 724
European Parliament	2 / 73
London Assembly	2 / 25
Local government	147 / 21,871
Website
http://www.greenparty.org.uk/
Politics of the United Kingdom Political parties Elections

The Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) (Welsh: 'Plaid Werdd Cymru a Lloegr') is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including the semi-autonomous Wales Green Party. The party currently has one Member of Parliament in the House of Commons, Caroline Lucas, who represents the constituency of Brighton Pavilion, and who is also the current party leader. They also have two MEPs in the European Parliament and two members of the London Assembly, as well as 147 councillors in various local councils across England and Wales.

The Green Party of England and Wales was created in 1990 when the former UK Green Party, which itself had grown out of the 1970s’ PEOPLE party, devolved into separate parties for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and England and Wales. It currently has friendly relations with its Scottish and Northern Irish counterparts, and is affiliated with the Global Greens and the European Green Party. While primarily known as an environmentalist party, it has a history of support for communitarian economic policies, including well-funded, although locally controlled, public services within the confines of a steady-state economy. The party is strongly supportive of proportional representation and follows a line of euroscepticism based on its suspicion of the domination of European policy-making by corporate interests. It takes a liberal approach to social policies such as animal rights, LGBT rights and drug policy reform.

The Green Party of England and Wales won its first seat in the House of Commons in the 2010 general election, following its first two MEPs elected in 1999.

History

Main article: History of the Green Party of England and Wales

See also: Green Party of England and Wales election results

The Green Party of England and Wales has its roots in the PEOPLE party started in 1972/3 by a group of four professional friends in Coventry (Michael Benfield, Freda Sanders, Tony & Lesley Whittaker). It changed its name to the Ecology Party in 1975, and to the Green Party ten years later. In 1990, the part of the "Green Party" that was in England and Wales became The Green Party of England and Wales, although it is registered with the Electoral Commission simply as Green Party.

Present

In the 1999 European elections, two Greens were elected Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), Dr Caroline Lucas (South East England) and Jean Lambert (London). They retained their seats in the 2004 European elections, despite a reduction in number of seats available. Overall, the Party gained 1,033,093 votes in the 2004 European election.

However, the Greens have not yet managed to break through in other European electoral regions in the UK or the Welsh Assembly. Three Greens were elected to the first London Assembly. It currently has two Green Party members out of 25, Darren Johnson and Jenny Jones.

The Green Party achieved its highest-ever UK General Election result in the 2005 General Election with a total of 281,780 votes. It went on to win 258,954 votes in England in the 2010 General Election, and 6,293 in Wales. Party leader Caroline Lucas won the Brighton Pavilion seat.

The party had 136 local councillors following the 2011 local elections. The Greens are the biggest party and administration on Brighton & Hove City Council. They also have significant representation on Lancaster City Council, Norwich, Lewisham, Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Kirklees Council, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and Stroud District Council. The Green Party is the official opposition on Norwich City Council.

The Green Party of England and Wales had one member of the (unelected) House of Lords, the Upper Chamber of Parliament, Lord Beaumont of Whitley, who died in 2008.

According to MORI, Green issues are currently rated as importantly as during the Green Party's last high point in the late 1980s. The party currently has record local candidate numbers and high electoral support.

The party held its first-ever leadership election in September 2008. Caroline Lucas was elected Leader, and Adrian Ramsay Deputy Leader.

Controversies

Caroline Lucas, wants to ban me and everyone else working on the parliamentary estate from being able to eat meat on Mondays. She has written to the parliamentary catering authorities asking them to provide, on one day a week, "a totally animal-free menu in order to help tackle the world's environmental and other problems".

2009 European Parliament election

In the June 2009 European Parliament election the party secured 1,223,303 votes or 8.7% of the popular vote compared to its 2004 vote share of 6.1%. Green MEPs Caroline Lucas in the South East and Jean Lambert in London were re-elected. The Greens came first in Norwich with 25%, Oxford with 26% and Brighton and Hove with 31%, the latter a clear 6000 votes ahead of the Conservatives in second place, but despite making steady progress all over the country with its share of the vote substantially increasing compared to the 2004 European Parliament election, it failed to gain any extra MEPs. This is thought to have been partly because of the re-apportionment of seats from 78 to 72.

The regional breakdown of the vote was as follows:

Constituency	Candidates	Votes	%	±%
East Midlands	Sue Blount, Richard Mallender, Ashley Baxter, Matthew Follett, Barney Smith	83,939	6.8	+1.4
East of England	Rupert Read, Peter Lynn, James Abbott, Marc Scheimann, Angela Thomson, Andrew Stringer, Amy Drayson	141,016	8.8	+3.2
London	Jean Lambert MEP, Ute Michel, Shahrar Ali, Joseph Healy, Miranda Dunn, Shasha Khan, George Graham, Priya Shah	190,589	10.9	+2.5
North East England	Shirley Ford, Iris Ryder, Nic Best	34,081	5.8	+1.0
North West England	Peter Cranie, Maria Whitelegg, Ruth Bergan, Samir Chatterjee, Jill Perry, Justine Hall, Margaret Westbrook, Geoff Smith	127,133	7.7	+2.1
South East England	Caroline Lucas MEP, Keith Taylor, Derek Wall, Miriam Kennet, Jason Kitcat, Hazel Dawe, Jonathan Essex, Matthew Ledbury, Steve Dawe, Beverley Golden	271,506	11.6	+3.8
South West England	Ricky Knight, Roger Creagh-Osborne, Molly Scott Cato, Richard Lawson, Chloë Somers, David Taylor	144,179	9.3	+2.1
West Midlands	Felicity Norman, Peter Tinsley, Chris Williams, Ian Davison, Vicky Dunn, Dave Wall	88,244	6.2	+1.1
Yorkshire and the Humber	Martin Hemingway, Shan Oakes, Leslie Rowe, Kevin Warnes, Lesley Hedges, Steve Barnard	104,456	8.5	+2.8
Wales	Jake Griffiths, Kay Roney, Ann Were, John Matthews	38,160	5.6	+2.0

2010 UK General Election

The Green Party fielded more than 300 candidates for the 2010 general election. Party leader Caroline Lucas became the first Green candidate to gain a seat in Westminster, after being elected MP for Brighton Pavilion by a margin of 1,252 votes.

Policy

A Green Party placard against the UK government's cuts to public services, 2011.

The Green Party was founded to counter what it sees as threats to the environment, but it has always had social equity and justice at its core. Like other parties, it produces a new manifesto for each election, but it also maintains a long-term strategy known as the Policies for a Sustainable Society (PSS). This document contains the Philosophical Basis and a statement of the Core Values of the party, as well as detailed policies on a range of issues. The document is around 124,520 words long.

Tuition fees

The Green Party opposes tuition fees for Higher Education and campaigns for universally accessible, free education, with a focus on vocational, as well as academic education. The party gave free membership to students and people under 30 years old throughout December 2010 through to the end of January 2011 as part of their campaign against the rise in tuition fees.

Animal welfare, farming and food

The Green Party is opposed to all animal experiments and believes in replacing them with non-animal alternatives. It also wants to end factory farming and badger-baiting. The party seeks to ban live exports, genetic engineering, patenting of animals, blood sports, circuses, zoos except for the benefit of the animals concerned, seal and fur products.

It proposes an end to the Common Agricultural Policy subsidisation of industrial agribusiness that in 2007 gave almost half of the UK's €6.45 bn subsidy to 10% of the biggest recipients. Instead it supports the subsidisation of local consumption and organic farming in small free range units with an eventual aim of phasing out all forms of intensive farming, including fish farms. The party is against the production and importation of genetically-modified (GM) foods. It supports Fair trade over free trade.

Climate change

The Green Party has a twelve-point plan to deal with climate change. It supports the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol but does not see that as anything more than a first step. It is strongly behind the 'Contraction and Convergence' model as a method of reducing carbon emissions. Within Britain it supports tradable carbon quotas. A proportion of the quotas would be distributed on a per-head basis. The remainder would be sold to firms and organisations. The quotas would be reduced on a year-by-year basis in line with the 'Contraction and Convergence' model.

The party has set a goal of 90% carbon dioxide emissions reductions by 2050. It proposes scrapping the national roadbuilding programme and investing the estimated £30bn from the programme in green transport. It wishes to end the £9bn annual tax break to the aviation industry by 2010 and to pass the Air Traffic Emissions Reduction Bill, aiming for 50% CO2 reductions in aviation by 2050. The party is opposed to the use of nuclear energy because it believes it is too expensive and too much of security risk, and that it uses huge amounts of carbon dioxide in the extraction and production process, and is therefore an unsuitable response to climate change.

Drugs

The Green Party believes that the prohibition of drugs does not work. It supports the legalisation of the possession, trade and cultivation of cannabis. It would decriminalise small-scale possession of recreational drugs like ecstasy and gradually move towards the legalisation of all recreational drugs. It hopes that this would "take the drug trade out of criminal control and place it within a regulated and controlled legal environment" and cites studies that show in countries where cannabis is decriminalised, the use is much lower than in the UK. The party has run a Green Party Drugs Group Website to promote research into ending addiction and ensuring the safe use of recreational drugs. The party wants to ban advertising or sponsorship by alcohol and tobacco firms.

Economy

Like many Green parties, the Green Party of England and Wales does not consider economic growth to be the only or the best indicator of progress, as it sees endless growth as incompatible with a planet of finite resources. It is against mass consumption and the modern capitalist lifestyle of the world, it hopes to encourage an economy built on sustainability and long-term use.

The party supports economic localisation on grounds of environmental concern, social justice and democracy, as detailed in Green Alternatives to Globalisation: A Manifesto, by Dr. Caroline Lucas, MEP, currently leader of the party and the late Dr. Mike Woodin, former Principal Speaker of the party. This includes helping local businesses through subsidies and import tariffs, "democratisation" of the banking system with the creation of a "network of publicly owned community banks", and encouragement of informal economies in local areas.

The Green Party seeks to address the "poverty trap" by introducing a "Citizen's Income" (also known as a Citizen's dividend and similar to the Basic income and Living wage), an unconditional, non-means-tested, weekly payment made to every citizen whether they are working or not. This would replace benefits such as Job Seeker's Allowance, as well as replacing personal tax-free allowances. The party hopes that this would ensure that people can take a job and come off benefits without falling into the poverty trap, and make working part-time or becoming self-employed easier by eliminating the poverty trap. Clive Lord, a member of the Green Party of England and Wales, published A Citizen's Income, a book that sets out how to fund the Citizen's Income with an increase to the top bracket of Income Tax. Lord suggests that the Citizen's Income is a means by which to achieve prosperity within a zero-growth economy.

Green members of the London Assembly Cllr. Darren Johnson AM, and Cllr. Jenny Jones AM demonstrated their commitment to this policy in 2007 by using their casting vote over Mayor Ken Livingstone's budget to back the Living Wage Unit's campaign and increase the minimum wage for employees of the London government – then just £5.35 – to £7.45 an hour.

On taxation, the Green Party believes in increasing the top rate of income tax to make the system more redistributive. It is in favour of a more progressive system of corporation tax to encourage small businesses over large corporations. It supports eco-taxes, such as those on packaging and carbon emissions, along the lines of the 'polluter pays' principle. Also, the party wants an increase in trade union rights and the renationalisation of the railways and other public utilities..

They are also saying "NO" to HS2.

Europe

The party is moderately Eurosceptic but supports UK membership of the European Union subject to democratic reform, and is open to working with those that share common goals within the European Union. It opposes the Euro currency on economic localisation and democracy grounds, including concerns over the unaccountability of the European Central Bank. It was also against the proposed EU constitution for similar reasons. It opposes the militarisation of the European Union and favours the disbandment of NATO to be replaced by a well-resourced Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OCSE).

Other issues concerning the European Parliament that are pursued by the Green Party include mandatory disclosure and registration of all lobbying, gender equality in parliament and an end to the monthly rotation of Parliament between Brussels and Strasbourg.

Government

The Green Party wants "to modernise and decentralise" the current governmental system in England and Wales. It wants to end the place of the British Monarchy in the British constitution and replace the House of Lords with an elected second chamber. The party supports elected Regional Assemblies in England and the creation of more parish and community councils. On issues of voting, the Green Party is campaigning to introduce proportional representation (specifically the Additional Member System used in Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament elections) and reduce the voting age to 16.

It is usually to be found on the civil liberties side of the "liberties versus security" debate, and opposes national ID cards and New Labour's anti-terror legislation. It is strongly opposed to measures like the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006.

Health

Supporters of the Green Party protest against the government at the 2011 anti-cuts protest in London.

The Greens support reducing the influence of the major pharmaceutical industry in the National Health Service. It intends to promote health services that place as much emphasis on illness prevention, health promotion and community self-reliance as on the treatment and cure of disease, while particularly tackling the growing and preventable mental health crisis being caused by an over-competitive and market-driven culture. It wishes to make healthcare more local and introduce free eye tests and dentistry under the increased authorities of the NHS, in addition to abolishing the "confused and discriminatory" practice of prescription charges. It plans to increase public funding of the health service to at least the pre-2004 EU average of around 9% of GDP. The Green Party's health policy states that health services must be "effective, efficient, comprehensive, accountable" and also supports the use of alternative medicine.

International issues

The Green Party would increase funding to and reform the United Nations by democratising the UN Security Council and abolishing the right of veto there. The UN should publish annually a Global Index of Human Rights that would give a measurement of the Human rights performance of each country.

The Green Party supports an international legal framework, both treaty-based and customary.

A "General Agreement on Sustainable Trade", where producers are guaranteed a reasonable price for their products before planting, and a portion of the payment is set aside for community development should replace the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

It would ban arms exports, as well as banning and attempting to mitigate lasting damage caused by military use of depleted-uranium-tipped shells. On the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, the party believes in boycotting Israel until it complies with the 80 UN resolutions it is defying and making the EU-Israel Association Agreement conditional on an end to the occupation of the Palestinian territories whilst urging Palestinians "not to perpetuate the cycle of violence".

Aid projects should observe the following rules: aid should be aimed at the poorest; should mobilise the poor; should be locally designed and managed; should be subject to local oversight and scrutiny; and should be specific to local communities and environments.

The party opposed the Iraq War, both prior to, during, and after the US-led invasion. It has claimed that it did so "on principle", criticising the Liberal Democrats for "only opposing the war because no second UN Resolution was obtained". Previously, the party had opposed the Kosovo War– a rare stance in Britain. Although it supported "self-determination" for the Kosovo Albanians, it did not support independence for Kosovo, and stated that the media had ignored the crimes of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

The Green Party supports the right of asylum and "seeks to change negative attitudes and stereotypes associated with refugees". The party concentrates on the causes of immigration, aiming "to alleviate problems caused by war, the arms trade, environmental devastation, past colonial actions and human-rights abuses".

Transport

The Greens support giving priority to more sustainable methods of transport, favouring low emission and public transport over high emission, private transport. By diverting money allocated by the government to road-building schemes it would reduce dependency on the car, improving public transport to a point where it is substantially cheaper and more efficient than private motoring. New systems such as urban tram and light rail would be expanded, and all transport systems fully integrated with each other to provide comprehensive and integrated ticketing systems. Walking and cycling would be promoted as alternative means of transport by Home Zones, Safe Routes to School, pedestrianisation and mixed-use development.

It would not renew private-sector train operating companies' contracts and instead return railways and tube systems to public ownership, citing the strategic failure of the introduction of private competition. Higher priority would be given to railways, new lines introduced, the rail freight network expanded, land adjacent to tracks set aside for freight distribution projects, additional stations opened on existing routes, and investment allocated to new light rail systems.

Where effective and appropriate, existing schemes such as road pricing and congestion pricing would be extended. A move to fuel-efficient cars would be encouraged by increasing fuel duty and abolishing the tax disc for cars. Some of the revenue raised would be used to support research and development into more sustainable forms of transport, with an emphasis on energy efficiency.

With air travel predicted to reach 15% of total UK emissions by 2050, the Green Party will work towards a shift from shorter air journeys to the railways (45% of all air trips in the EU are under 500 km), resist further expansion of UK airports such as that of Heathrow and ban night flying. It would also address the absence of fuel tax and VAT on ticketing or aircraft, that is in effect a public subsidy of the industry worth around £9 billion a year (2005).

Organisation

The Green Party meets to vote on issues of organisation and policy at bi-annual Party Conferences (the Spring Conference and Autumn Conference). It is bound by a Constitution, which can be amended only by a two-thirds majority vote at one of these Conferences; policy motions need only a simple majority (more than 50%).

Leadership and Principal Speakers

Main article: Principal Speakers

Caroline Lucas speaking as the first Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales at its autumn conference in 2008.

The Green Party has in the past consciously chosen not to have a single leader for ideological reasons; its organisation provided for two Principal Speakers, a male and female Principal Speaker, who sit but do not vote on the party's Executive (GPEx). However, a referendum of the party membership in 2007 on the question of creating a Leader and Deputy Leader (or, if candidates choose to run together and are gender balanced, Co-Leaders without a Deputy Leader), who would be elected every two years (instead of annually) and able to vote on GPEx, passed by 73%.

The final Principal Speakers were Dr Caroline Lucas MP (who succeeded Siân Berry in October 2007), and Dr Derek Wall, who succeeded Keith Taylor, a councillor in Brighton & Hove, in November 2006 (Taylor had been elected in 2004 after the death of Dr. Mike Woodin). The roles of Principal Speaker no longer exist and Dr Caroline Lucas MP is currently the party leader.

Leadership election

Main article: Green Party of England and Wales leadership election, 2008

The declared candidates in the leadership election were Caroline Lucas and Ashley Gunstock for the post of Leader and Adrian Ramsay for the post of Deputy Leader. Nominations closed on 31 July and the result was declared at the Autumn Conference on Friday 5 September.

Green Party conference, 2004

Executive

Until September 2011, the national Green Party Executive (GPEx) consists of the following positions:

Green Party of England and Wales Executive (GPEx)
Leader	Caroline Lucas MP
Deputy Leader	Cllr Adrian Ramsay
Chair	Jayne Forbes
Campaigns Co-ordinator	Romayne Phoenix
Elections Co-ordinator	Judy Maciejowska
Equality and Diversity Co-ordinator	Shan Oakes
External Communications Co-ordinator	Penny Kemp
Finance Co-ordinator	Dean Walton
Internal Communications Co-ordinator	Charlotte Dingle
International Co-ordinator	John Street
Local Party Support Co-ordinator	Gayle O'Donovan
Management Co-ordinator	Tom Beaton
Policy Co-ordinator	Chris Hyland and Jim Jepps (jobshare)
Publications Co-ordinator	Edward Milford

The party's Leader and Deputy Leader are elected every two years by a postal ballot of all party members. All other GPEx positions are elected annually by postal ballot or by a vote at Conference (depending on the number of candidates). To become a member of the Executive, the candidate must have been a member of the party for at least two years (or if the candidate has been a member for one complete year preceding the date of close of nominations, their nomination will be allowed if it is supported by a majority of Green Party Regional Council (GPRC) members in attendance at a quorate official GPRC meeting).

The chair is currently Jayne Forbes, a former chair of the World Development Movement and Tourism Concern. The 2008/09 chair was James Humphreys, former head of Corporate Communications at 10 Downing Street. A previous Chair, Hugo Charlton (2003 to 2005), resigned following criticism of his nomination to the House of Lords before the Party had carried out its internal selection process. Subsequently Jenny Jones was elected to be the party's nominee in the event of the party again being asked, but this was too late for the current round. For the purposes of its registration with the Electoral Commission, the party used to designate the Chair of the Executive as the Leader of the party, until the first formal leader was elected in 2008.

Members of GPEx are individually responsible for every action taken within their area of responsibility (except decisions taken collectively within GPEx itself). GPEx meets at least once every six weeks, and whenever a meeting is necessary. The Executive has the power to create whatever committees and posts "it considers necessary for the efficient conduct of its business". It appoints a Panel of Speakers as spokespeople for policy areas, a Treasurer and the National Election Agent. GPEx is responsible for implementing the decisions made at Conferences, and controlling expenditure and fundraising.

In the party's Autumn Conference of 2008, members elected the first Equality and Diversity Co-ordinator.

Regional Council

Oxfordshire Green Party hosting a "Green Fair"

The Green Party Regional Council (GPRC) is a body that coordinates discussions between Regional Green Parties. It supports the Executive (GPEx) and is responsible for interim policy statements between Conferences and enforcing constitutional procedures.

Each Regional Green Party elects two members by postal ballot to be sent to the GPRC. These delegates' terms last two years before re-election. GPRC meets at least four times a year. The Council elects male and female Co-Chairs and a Secretary. GPEx members are often required to give reports on their area of responsibility to the GPRC; the GPRC also has the power to recall any member of GPEx (by a two-thirds majority vote), who is then suspended until a re-election for the post is held; similarly, if GPEx suspends one of its own members, GPRC has the authority to decide whether that member should be reinstated or not (again, by a two-thirds majority vote). Although The Cornish Green Party (Bagas Gwer Kernewek) is an umbrella of the party itself which promotes for enhanced autonomy for the Cornish people within the UK.

Conferences

The Green Party of England and Wales holds a Spring and Autumn Conference every year. Conferences are governed by the Constitution and Standing Orders, and feature votes on policy and organisational matters. The Autumn Conference is the party's "supreme forum", with elections to GPEx, committees and other bodies; the Conference held in the Spring, although having the same powers as the Autumn Conference on policy and organisational votes, holds elections only for vacant posts and can have its priorities decided by the preceding Autumn Conference. The conference itself is organised by Conferences Committee, but the Standing Order Committee (SOC) is responsible for interpreting the Constitution and arranging the order of business.

The Green Party Conference features fringes, talks and plenary sessions. The agenda for plenary sessions is usually:

• Section A – Reports from various bodies within the party, including SOC, GPEx, GPRC and others
• Section B – Policy Voting Papers (a motion, either submitted by members or chosen by the Policy Committee, which submits a section of the Policies for a Sustainable Society for review and amendments, which are then voted on)
• Section C – Policy Motions (motions from members on different sections of the MfSS, but also including those which express a policy position without altering the MfSS, and Enabling Motions, which start the process of building policy on a specified area)
• Section D – Organisational Motions (motions from members that amend the Constitution)

Policymaking within the GPEW is a long process involving consultation with various bodies and individuals. The party has released leaflets and books on how to properly amend policy.

Constitution

The Constitution of the Green Party of England and Wales governs all of the party's activities, from the selection of election candidates by local parties, to nominations for the House of Lords, to the conduct of GPEx and so on. The Constitution stresses "openness, accountability and confidentiality" in its decision-making guidelines. It can be amended only by a two-thirds majority vote at a Conference or by a two-thirds majority in a ballot of the membership.

Status of the Wales Green Party

Main article: Wales Green Party

Unlike any other regional party within the Green Party, the Wales Green Party (WGP) (Plaid Werdd Cymru in Welsh) is a "semi-autonomous regional party" within the GPEW. It has greater control over its finances, and produces its own manifesto. Wales Green Party members are automatically members of the Green Party of England and Wales.

Also differently from the full party, the Wales Green Party (and the North West region of England) elects a Principal Speaker who may refer to themselves as the 'Leader' of the Wales Green Party, although, like the Green Party of England and Wales's former Principal Speakers, they have no powers of leadership. The current leader of the Wales Green Party is Jake Griffiths.

Young Greens

Main article: Young Greens of England and Wales

The youth wing of the Green Party, the Young Greens (of England and Wales), have developed independently from around 2002. The Young Greens have their own Constitution, National Committee, campaigns and meetings, and have become an active presence at Green Party Conferences and election campaigns. There are now many Young Greens groups on UK university, college and higher-education institution campuses. Many Green Party Councillors are Young Greens, as are some members of GPEx and other internal party organs.

Membership and finances

Year	Membership (as of December 31)
2002	5,268
2003	5,858
2004	6,281
2005	7,110
2006	7,019
2007	7,441
2008	7,553
2009	9,630
2010	12,768

According to accounts filed with the Electoral Commission, for the year ending 31 December 2010 the party had an income of £770,495 with expenditure of £889,867.

Groups within the Party

Several groups are active within the party. These include groups designed to address certain areas of policy or representation, including the Green Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Group (LGBT), the Green Party Trades Union Group, the Drugs Group (on drugs policy and research), The Green Economics Policy Working Group, the Monetary Reform Policy Working Group, and others. The centrist faction known as Green 2000 sought to achieve a Green Party government by the year 2000; the group fell apart in the early 1990s. The Green Left represent some of the anti-capitalists and eco-socialists in the party who want to engage with the broader Left in the UK and attract Left-wing activists to the Green Party, although it is a group of party members, rather than a group within the party.

Stop Murder Music

Along with OutRage! the Green Party have campaigned on behalf of the Stop Murder Music campaign which attempts to censor anti-homosexuality lyrics in the music of various Jamaican dancehall artists.

See also

• Green party
• Green politics
• List of environmental organizations
• Policies for a Sustainable Society (PSS)
• Politics of the United Kingdom
• Principal Speaker
• Green Party of England and Wales Election Results

Subdivisions:

• Young Greens of England and Wales (YG[EW])
• Wales Green Party (WGP)
• Green Left (UK) (unofficial faction)
• LSESU Green Party (London School of Economics Young Greens group)
• Green 2000 (1990s constitutional reform movement)

Related organisations:

• European Federation of Green Parties
• Scottish Green Party
• Irish Green Party (Northern Ireland region)

External links

• The Green Party of England and Wales
• Wales Green Party
• Green Parties in the UK at Curlie