We are grateful to the candidates for taking the time to answer our questions which are posed to help our members and supporters decide how to vote. Answers wre limited to 100 words:
Answers from Ellie Chowns and Adrian Ramsay
1. HOW SHOULD THE PARTY BUILD ON ITS POSITION AS A PARTY OF THE LEFT?
We are proud that our party is now the foremost champion of social and environmental justice in British politics. We know there is strong public support for many of our key social justice policies – e.g. on wealth tax, rent controls, resisting the ongoing privatisation of the NHS, and taking monopoly utilities back into public hands. We need to keep foregrounding these policies, and to work more closely with trade unions who should be our natural allies, for instance on fully repealing anti-union legislation passed by the Tories.
2. SHOULD GPEW SUPPORT TACTICAL VOTING STRATEGIES AND/OR ELECTORAL PACTS TO COMBAT REFORM?
We want to give as many people as possible the chance to vote Green, and our default should be to stand in every seat unless there is a very strong reason not to, as set out by Conference in 2024. In many places, we believe that Greens are likely to be the strongest candidates against Reform. The political landscape is changing fast, and it is much too early to be contemplating electoral pacts at a general election that is probably still four years away.
3. HOW CAN THE PARTY IMPROVE THE WAY IT COMMUNICATES ITS POLICIES TO PEOPLE OF COLOUR AND/OR WORKING CLASS VOTERS?
By working with Global Majority Greens, Muslim Greens and others who have lived experience, to make sure that every level of our Party is promoting participation, representation and leadership that fully reflects the diversity of the communities we want to represent. It’s also crucial to make the connection between social and environmental justice by showing how Green policies can bring real and immediate benefits to working class people.
4. SHOULD THE GREEN PARTY REVIEW ITS POLICY ON NATO AND SUPPORT WITHDRAWAL OR A REFERENDUM ON WITHDRAWAL IN VIEW OF THE CONFLICTS IN THE UKRAINE, MIDDLE EAST AND PALESTINE AND THE DEFENCE COSTS REQUIRED FOR MEMBERSHIP?
We must review all our policies regularly to make sure they are fit for purpose, including the structures we need to build peace. Party policy on NATO changed to reflect the need for an (albeit imperfect) defensive alliance in the face of Putin’s aggression, but we need to work tirelessly to avoid nuclear escalation, push for nuclear disarmament and ensure that NATO remains a defensive alliance.
Our focus on peacebuilding must also include measures to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, not least Russian oil & gas, which is currently helping to finance Putin’s war of imperialist aggression
5. WHAT IS YOUR VIEW OF DECOLONISATION OF THE SCHOOLS' NATIONAL CURRICULUM ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO THE TEACHING OF HISTORY?
History – and other areas of study, including literature and science – should be inclusive and empowering. Decolonising the curriculum is especially important for a country like ours with a dark history of slavery and imperialism, whose impacts are still felt by millions within and beyond the UK. Everyone needs to see what happened to people who looked like them, to understand the forces that have driven oppression and injustice, and how people have resisted these.
6. WHAT SHOULD THE GREEN PARTY’S POLICY ON UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME, UNEMPLOYMENT AND DISABILITY BENEFITS BE?
We fully support the Party’s manifesto pledges on UBI and benefits, and are working in Parliament, day in day out, to hold the government to account and call out its attempt to balance the books on the backs of the poorest. We will continue to resist cruel austerity cuts and push for Green solutions to tackle poverty instead of exacerbating it, such as wealth tax and equalising capital gains tax with tax on earned income. The rapid growth of AI threatens to destroy many jobs and concentrate wealth even further, and UBI is an increasingly essential response to this.
7. THE GREEN PARTY HAS RECENTLY ENCOUNTERED DIFFICULTIES IN MAINTAINING A RESPECTFUL AND COMRADELY DEBATE ON ISSUES WHERE THERE HAS BEEN SHARP DISAGREEMENT. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR APPROACH TO IMPROVING THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH THESE DEBATES TAKE PLACE?
We strongly support our Party’s commitment to freedom of thought and speech, but recognise at the same time that abusive or harassing behaviour has no place in the Green Party. We need to draw a very clear distinction between respectful expression of belief and abusive behaviour, and to encourage a culture of listening to those with whom we disagree, remembering that what unites us is much bigger than the few issues that have caused angry division in recent years.
Answers from Zack Polanski
1. HOW SHOULD THE PARTY BUILD ON ITS POSITION AS A PARTY OF THE LEFT?
Well first of all - everyone needs to know that we’re the party of the left. That means being bold in our communications: everyone knowing what the Green Party stands for and what we stand against. That we are the party that stands with working class and marginalised communities to challenge those with wealth and power. That we are the party that works with trade unions and movements. And that we are the party that stands with Palestine and calls a genocide exactly what it is. The Party that knows when workers on picket lines ask for solidarity - we [word limit reached].
2. SHOULD GPEW SUPPORT TACTICAL VOTING STRATEGIES AND/OR ELECTORAL PACTS TO COMBAT REFORM?
The Green Party are the party with the policies for environmental, social, racial and economic justice. We should be proud of our policies - and know that getting people elected under the Green Party banner is the best way of making this change happen. We got nearly 2 million votes and nearly 40 second place finishes. Rather than focusing on electoral pacts, let’s focus on getting people elected. Rather than electoral coalitions - what about intellectual coalitions - working with those we agree with to build the anti-fascist movement. That’s how we defeat Reform by winning both arguments & elections.
3. HOW CAN THE PARTY IMPROVE THE WAY IT COMMUNICATES ITS POLICIES TO PEOPLE OF COLOUR AND/OR WORKING CLASS VOTERS?
Recognise that inequality is the root of all our problems. In every communication, we’re making - how are we supporting those with the least and challenging those with the most who aren’t sharing.
Our parliamentary representation is not diverse. We need to make sure that
we’re doing the work now to grow our movement - that’s about authentic
community engagement. Really being in communities and listening to those who
previously have not felt at home in our movement. It cannot be them and us. It
has to be one us - that’s how the party expands.
4. SHOULD THE GREEN PARTY REVIEW IT’S POLICY ON NATO AND SUPPORT WITHDRAWAL OR A REFERENDUM ON WITHDRAWAL IN VIEW OF THE CONFLICTS IN THE UKRAINE, MIDDLE EAST AND PALESTINE AND THE DEFENCE COSTS REQUIRED FOR MEMBERSHIP?
Trump is a dangerous tyrant and a threat to humanity. He is an incredibly powerful position - and uses his power to bully his way into whatever he wants at any moment. That’s not a person that we should want to be in an alliance with.
He’s threatening to annex Greenland.
Either Keir Starmer doesn't believe him or doesn’t have a plan if he does it – neither an acceptable scenario. We need to look at alternative alliances based on peace and diplomacy and look to build them with other European countries & the global south. So called Special Relationship clearly [word limit reached].
5. WHAT IS YOUR VIEW OF DECOLONISATION OF THE SCHOOLS NATIONAL CURRICULUM ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO THE TEACHING OF HISTORY?
Essential. And should be lead by the voices who have previously been erased - and we should support them in their efforts (particularly in the Education union) and through the support of arts and culture too.
6. WHAT SHOULD THE GREEN PARTY’S POLICY ON UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME, UNEMPLOYMENT AND DISABILITY BENEFITS BE?
I support Universal Basic Income. Often pitted against Universal Basic Services - a false binary. We should support people’s freedom to do with money what they wish - poverty is not a lack of character, it’s a lack of money. Anyone on UBI must be better off than they are currently under unemployment or disability benefits. This is all in the design of the Basic Income to design out unintended consequences - Guy Standing (Former advisor to John Mcdonnell), who I’ve worked with lots, has worked all around the world on pilots helping make this happen.
7. THE GREEN PARTY HAS RECENTLY ENCOUNTERED DIFFICULTIES IN MAINTAINING A RESPECTFUL AND COMRADELY DEBATE ON ISSUES WHERE THERE HAS BEEN SHARP DISAGREEMENT. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR APPROACH TO IMPROVING THE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH THESE DEBATES TAKE PLACE?
This isn’t solely for a leader - but for every single party member. This is for us all to ensure that the spaces we’re in are safe environments particularly for most marginalised people in the room. To ensure boundaries are clear of acceptable behaviour. To be able to have respectful conversations that can be heated and impassioned but everyone knows where the line is.
Also galvanising people to focus on winning. We have an inequality crisis and last year racist riots on our streets - we don’t have time to be arguing amongst each other. Let’s go get Greens elected.
