Green Party Co-Leader, Carla Denyer MP, has today announced that she is not standing in the up-coming internal Green Party leadership elections. Announcing her decision Carla said:
“It’s been an enormous privilege to lead the Green Party alongside my excellent co-leader Adrian, wonderfully supported by our deputy leaders – first Amelia and then Zack. We’ve achieved so much, taking the party from one MP to four, from 450 councillors to over 850, and winning nearly two million votes at the last General Election. But this is just the start for me and the party.
“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.
“That’s what I’ll be focussing on over the next four years as an MP: fighting for rent controls so that everyone can afford a decent roof over their heads, 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. These are all issues that my constituents in Bristol Central feel passionate about. This city which I am so proud to live in and represent will continue to be at the heart of everything I do as an MP.
“Thank you to our membership for trusting me and Adrian to lead this party through challenges and successes. It has been a pleasure to work alongside him and with fellow members, staff and elected representatives at all levels of the party, especially my wonderful fellow Green MPs. For the next four months I will continue to serve alongside my brilliant leadership colleagues, Adrian and Zack. Then I will hand over the baton to the new leadership team in the Autumn when the results of the internal election are announced.
“In this new five-party political system it’s all to play for. The future of the Green Party is bright, and I’m so excited to play my part in this next chapter as a committed and passionate Green MP.”