2020 Green Party Executive Elections – Young Greens written hustings

Daniel Laycock

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

We are in a pivotal moment, not only for the party but for the planet. With only ten years remaining for real action on the climate crisis, we need to change our strategy on campaigning and be the party of social and climate justice. That’s why I’ve decided to stand to be the next Campaigns Coordinator.

As a hard-long campaigner, working on national and local campaigns, I’ll provide my skills and knowledge to the party. As the former Campaigns Manager during the 2019 General Election, where I led the campaign to the third largest vote share and increases, I know what’s needed to win. With nearly 10 years experience in campaigns and elections I know what’s needed to move the party forward.

The Party has the policies that will transform not only my life but your life, the LGBTIQA+ community, those from marginalised groups to the single mum in a two bed flat on the 9th floor in Birmingham.

We need to go back to basics and build campaigns in ways not done before. Bringing how we have always campaigned, into the 21st Century, Using new tools, such as Action Network or branching out to other tools.

Campaigning from street stalls, marches, petitions, local, regional and national campaigns. We need to campaign on the issues of today and tomorrow. We need real campaigns - on Proportional Representation, on a Green New Deal, rights for the LGBTIQA+ community, inequality in society, government announcements and campaign wins, just to name a few. Be proactive on issues and not reactive.

Provide local, regional parties and liberations groups with resources and support on campaigns.

Collaborate and listen to all parts of the party on their views, concerns and ideas. For far too long, GPEx has drifted away from the membership and we need to ensure [truncated at 300 words, answer continued for another 12 words]

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

As a progressive, eco-socialist, I want to see Young Greens increase their membership, to hold the party and myself to account, and fight for social and climate injustice. After all, this is your future.

I don’t expect every young green to agree with me, but I will listen and learn from you, while providing guidance, support and advice.

From my vast amount of experience, we need to go back to basics and see campaigns that will make the difference.

We can do better, be effective in our campaigns, relevant in our messaging, ensure we are inclusive. No one should be left out, nobody should be forgotten.

As a party, we don’t always work collectively. Now we need too. We will always see liberation groups, local and regional parties campaign separately, but on big issues, we can campaign together. Fighting for everyone.

It’s time to do things different, and work towards effective, inclusive, transformative, winnable and powerful campaigns to win.

Vote for Daniel Laycock as your number 1 for Campaigns Coordinator

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

Within my first 30 days once I'm elected, I would sit down (though this would need to be via Zoom, due to social distancing) and speak with the Young Green Co-chairs and the Executive to hear your views, concerns and ideas for what you would like to see from the party.

As the youth and student wing of the party, you’re the future of the party, and we need to listen to you. Bridges need to be mended, relationships re-built and your views need to be taken seriously.

I’ve seen the campaigns that Young Greens have done over the last couple of years, and GPEX needs to take a lesson from this. You know how to campaign, make your voices heard, but this has not been the case on GPEx.

GPEx categorically needs to support the Young Greens at all levels and all areas where necessary.

I would be your voice on and off GPEx. We may not always agree, but as I missed out on being a Young Green, I like to think I’m a secret Young Green as I’m still near 30.

One of the things I would like to see, would be to have Young Greens, liberation groups and regional parties on the campaigns committee. Our campaigns committee has been defunct for some time. I will relaunch this

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

As a party and within my role as Campaign Coordinator, we need to amplify our policies, from abolishing SATS, scrapping tuition fees, and be the party of Education, Education, Education. The Liberal Democrats and Labour used to be that party, now we need to take that position.

We need to promote Young Greens, especially, but not exclusively with freshers across the country in as many colleges and universities as possible. Work to attract students to the Green Party in all different ways, on fundraising campaigns and the promotion of freshers, campaigns and the Young Greens as a whole in a comprehensive way.

Strive to campaign consciously with the Young Greens, in order to address the social and climate injustice, the structural equalities that perpetuate oppression and prejudice today.

Work on campaigns that will attract young people to the party but crucially that will want to campaign with the party and the Young Greens.

Learn and listen, as the Green Party Executive cannot know what would work well for students and young people but campaigns, communication and messaging needs to be collaboratively executed.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Unlike Gordon Brown, who couldn’t commit to his favourite biscuit, I can. My favourite is Bourbon. I’m a chocoholic after all.

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Britta Goodman

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

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Hannah Graham

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

I decided to stand for GPEx, and in particular the Campaigns Co-ordinator role because in the last couple of years I’ve felt a total disconnect from the membership to the Executive. Decisions have been made without consultation of the wider membership, lack of transparency and accountability and almost non-existent representation from diverse and marginalised groups.

For far too long, I have attended demonstrations and supported campaigns where the Green Party has appeared to be in the background. It’s time for the party to have an equal stake in campaigning, especially when we have the right policies to back our actions up!
Recent attacks on our basic human rights have shown that more than ever we need campaigners to face threats head-on and mobilise people for a progressive alternative. It is important our campaigns are relevant and spearheaded by people with lived experience.

One of my first priorities would be to support the staff by creating a process to ensure we are more responsive in our comms, through producing reactive video and social content for when events happen (like government announcements and campaign wins) and that members have a stake in this. I’d really like to set up a group of members who are interested in campaigns and press work who can quickly draft statements or create content that can be passed to staff for sign off or posted in our leaders names. This would support the staff by ensuring there was diverse and creative content for our channels.

I am a progressive and radical campaigner, a believer in direct action, and an advocate for diversity and inclusion of marginalised groups. I’ve led many high-profile campaigns and I work full time in civil society so I’m the right person to get us there.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

Young Greens are not one homogenous group, so I would never assume that all Young Greens think the same way, or vote the same way. I would not expect all Young Greens to vote for me, but I can give you some good reasons as to why you might like to.

I am a former Young Greens Co-Chair. I was elected to this role alongside Ben Parker during the period 2017-2018. During this time we also held the Young Greens seat on the Green Party Executive Committee (GPEx), so I am experienced in how it is structured, and how it works. As Co-Chairs of the Young Greens, Ben and I worked really hard to re-invigorate and re-energise a strong Young Green presence after a difficult 2017 General Election left member engagement at a low.

We launched the Young Greens Candidate Community, a platform aimed at supporting more Young Greens to be elected into local government and we facilitated a fantastic practical and skills-based 30 Under 30 scheme, seeing many participants go on to be further involved in the party.

As Co-Chairs we led the Young Greens EC to run priority campaigns about Reforming Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and on ending immigration detention. The #PeopleNotNumbers campaign saw us build relationships with allied campaigning groups to lead demonstrations to Yarl’s Wood and produce a report investigating the hostile environment and forced deportations.

We worked really hard to build bridges with groups and bodies in the main party, the benefits of these relationships becoming clear already as we secured the Young Greens access to support and resources previously untapped. There’s still lots of work to be done in this area and my experience doing this in the Young Greens puts me in good stead to do this as Campaigns Co-ordinator too.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

I would start by going back to basics. Re-building relationships between GPEx and different groups in the party. Firstly, the Campaigns Committee and campaigns staff, but also liberation groups, regions of England and Wales, and of course Young Greens who are achieving real change and results through your campaigning efforts on an ongoing basis.

Now I’m not suggesting our campaigns should be coordinated as it’s very important that groups have their own autonomy, but we should support each other with allied messaging, timing and should have clear communication channels to amplify each other’s campaigning work.

As I mentioned earlier, I would like to set up a group where we could write, to ensure diverse and creative content for our communication channels. Alternatively, this group could reach out to groups in the party to gain quotes, campaign ideas or pledges in order to amplify the messages of people with lived experience through the party’s main communication channels. I would love for Young Greens to be part of this group. I’d really love to create opportunities for Young Greens who are established campaigners, or who are completely new to the party to speak out and have their say through mainstream media channels.

Finally, I’ve done this before. I have held the position of Young Greens Co-Chair, as part of the GPEx. I work full-time for a youth campaigning organisation, assisting young people to take action and speak out. I’m no stranger to speaking up for the rights of young people and I will continue to prioritise youth rights and interests wherever I go.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

In order to appeal to the mass public, our campaigns need to stay relevant. And that’s not just in the issues and campaigns we tackle, it’s in the strategies we use and the different channels and mediums we use to engage others.

Young people have taken the world by storm in recent years. The climate strike movement is one of the fastest growing campaigning movements I have seen in my lifetime, and one that has captivated the globe due to being totally spearheaded by young people. The Green Party have been slow to respond, often in the background of demonstrations and missing the chance to work alongside these movements.

To stay relevant, we need tailored messaging to groups in different areas of England and Wales, and targeted messaging to different demographics, not being afraid to innovate using new channels and media.

Ultimately, these decisions lie with our excellent communications staff, however I would coordinate with the staff to ensure new, diverse channels of communication are accessed with tailored messages on different platforms to ensure our campaigns are attractive to new, young first-time voters and are reaching people we have not been able to reach before.

Then there is the issue of our spokespeople. Who are our spokespeople? How are they chosen? How representative are they? I aim to get to the bottom of this minefield of questions and ensure we start putting forward young, diverse candidates with lived experience of the issues they are chosen to represent. People need to see people like them in media to be energised and awakened by a cause. To have young, diverse spokespeople would attract and mobilise more young people and students as we would connect to people in ways we haven’t before. The more personal we can be, the better we will connect.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

For me, this question was definitely the most challenging. Just one biscuit? But there’s so many great ones! In true millennial style, I assisted the help of VICE news as to what my favourite biscuit says about me. In all honesty, my favourite biscuit has always been a Jammy Dodger. Not just because they’re unbelievably tasty, but also because my mum used to call me a Jammy Dodger when I was playing up! There’s just something quite special about that little heart on the top filled with tasty jam. Yum!

Ewan Jones

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there

I was persuaded to stand for Chair of GPEx by sufficient people whose opinions I rate.

The urgency of the triple global ecological emergencies of Climate, Social Justice, and Democracy demands a strong, bold and brave, campaigning Green Party. Sadly, GPEx has become repetitively snarled with internal discord. We do not have time for this.

My purpose as Chair is to guide our Executive to working co-operatively and effectively together – releasing our Party’s full collective potential.

As Co-ordinator (Chair) of the South West Green Party since December 2015, the SWGP Committee has guided our Regional Party to…

• Support local campaign teams and our SW Field Organiser in electing so many Green Councillors that our regional total currently stands at 69 (of 358 across England & Wales);
• Return Molly Scott Cato as our SW MEP with a record 18.0% of the regional vote;
• Fight two General Elections, including supporting Carla Denyer to 24.9% of the vote in Bristol West on 12 December (the best result for a Green Candidate outside Brighton, after our 26.8% Bristol West result in 2015).
• Deliver the best Green Mayoral vote to date: 11.2% for West of England Metro Mayor in May 2017.
• Build strong collegiate relationships with many current & previous GPEx Officers, central Party Staff, and fellow Regions.

In all organisations where I have worked, I have built collegiate cultures by leadership, while gaining copious line-management experience, with people of diverse personalities. My first GPEx Meeting as Chair will include a training workshop on the role and responsibilities of a Co-operative Director. As GPEx Chair, I will ensure that our Chief Executive and her Staff team receive the stability and support that they need, to maximise the Green Party’s political impact over the coming years.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

I hope Young Greens will vote for me, as #1 for GPEx Chair, for similar reasons to all Green Party Members – as the Chair who will guide GPEx to maximise the Green Party’s political impact over the coming years.

My track record as SWGP Co-ordinator has been to include and develop younger Greens in full Regional Committee roles…

• One Member joined as SWGP Young Greens Liaison, rapidly outgrowing this to become Membership Engagement Officer, and they are now a Green Party Regional Council (GPRC) Co-Chair.
• Another was selected for the first Campaign School cohort, after impressing as SWGP Internal Communications Officer. He then became SWGP Elections Co-ordinator, 2017 West of England Metro Mayor Campaign Manager, and most recently was Campaign Manager for Carla Denyer in Bristol West during the 2019 General Election. I am proud that two recent SWGP Elections Co-ordinators are now standing for GPEx Elections Co-ordinator.

I am particularly sceptical of (small c) conservative nods to “future generations”. The urgency of the triple emergencies of Climate, Social Justice, and Democracy demands action NOW – and demand younger Greens at the heart of our solutions.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

My leadership style is human and collegiate. I will empower all GPEx Members to excel in the roles to which they have been elected.

Some Young Greens, and other GPEx Members, have felt that they have not been listened to, “condescended to”, or worse. I guarantee that all voices will be heard on GPEx under my Chairing, whatever their age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, or county of birth.

I will encourage co-operative and collaborative discussion between GPEx Meetings, so that these Meetings are able to take timely and positive decisions, for the good of our Party, all people, and our planet.

GPEx and the Green Party can do much better – and we will. Better is Possible.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

We are living in an (extremely) political time. Everyone is getting involved. It is decentralised. It has a green heart. It is energising.

The Green Party has indeed made dramatic progress over recent years. We doubled our number of elected Councillors last May, thanks to ever-more effective local campaigning, and increased our representation from three to seven MEPs in our foreshortened membership of the current European Parliament. Our Green Councillors are at the forefront of Local Government action on the Climate and Ecological Emergency, following Bristol Green Councillor Carla Denyer’s leadership of the UK’s first Climate Emergency Declaration in November 2018. They all prove the power of “a Green in the room”.

Greens currently share power on 18 English Councils, even under our mediaeval electoral system. Greens must be bolder in seeking the power our public support deserves, and join the green wave washing across Europe. To be heard louder, we must tell a consistent, clear, story that attracts.

Secondly, we must rapidly learn the flexibility to localise our Green story within people’s real lives and communities. “Fridays for Future” school strikers, Extinction Rebellion, and now Coronavirus mutual aid groups, have shown that the energy for political action is there within our communities. This energy is fivefold among younger Greens. Local Green Parties must go out into younger communities to genuinely include, rather than expecting young people to simply come to them.

When a student, I believed I needed to participate in a Westminster Party, so had already joined Labour by the time I voted Green in the 1989 European Elections. Politics in 2020 is plural. And we no longer have time to waste. Our position ‘outside’ the political establishment combined with our de-centralised (ecological) culture are our greatest assets. Neither Labour nor the Conservative Party could ever breathe decentralised.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Bourbon. My Grandad’s favourite, and are still mine. I admit to dunking them in black coffee.

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Ashley Routh & Benjamin Smith

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

We’re standing because we believe transparency and a more inclusive policy platform has been missing from GPEx for a number of years. We also want to ensure that the party is unapologetically trans inclusive. We also have experience of being members across the GPEW, We think this provides us with a solid background in being able to work with all regions. Especially as one of our platforms is increasing the powers of regional parties. We desperately need more representative leadership of the party. We need to shift our leadership away from the much-overrepresented middle class, middle aged demographic. Our vision is for a radical, modern, Eco Socialist Green Party, one focused on itself rather than comparing our policies and positions to other parties. We are a political party, not a lifestyle movement.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

Well, we both are Young Greens for a start! We have both served on Young Green committees, Ash as chair of Sheffield YG for two years, also serving on cross party committees as a parish councillor. Ben spent a year as the Wales Young Greens Press Officer. We want GPEx to foster a stronger working relationship with the YG. The Youth wing has some of our best activists and councillors across the country, some older members could learn a lot from us, and we would work closely with the YG committee to ensure that we get the best out of young members, as well as doing our best by them.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

We will in our role as chair ensure that young people's voices are lifted up, as it is our future we are fighting for. We will ensure young people's voices are heard within GPEx and encourage and support any YGs who stand as candidates at any level.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

Speak to them on their terms. We are improving in the way we come across to younger people, but it really is important that we shake off the remnants of the middle class, middle aged image the party still has. We are the obvious choice of party for students. In Ash’s experience our most successful events in Sheffield Young Greens were a mix of social meetups and Q+A sessions with prominent greens. If we're going to engage, we need both. We need to attract interest, but we also need to foster social circles- those are the glue that keep people coming back.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

For Ash it’s Custard Creams for Ben it’s Oreos, though before he went vegan it was definitely a bourbon.

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Adrian Spurrell

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

I’m standing for Chair of GPEx as we stand at the start of the pivotal decade for addressing climate breakdown. The IPCC were clear that we had to hit a minimum of a 50% carbon reduction by the end of this decade. Many of us in the Green Party don’t believe that will be enough and that as a Party we need to chow clear leadership on what can be achieved and should push for a much greater reduction.

To do this the Green Party needs to become a genuine influencing force in environmentally related politics and at the moment we are not. If you look at articles talking about the environment or climate breakdown then it’s rare that we get mentioned or quoted. Many environmental activist groups have little or no idea what we are trying to achieve as a Party.

This has to change

So we need to put the structural changes we need in place – the new constitution, robust and flexible IT and proper funding. Some of this is happening, but it’s not enough and not fast enough. But we need to build on firm foundations – so it’s important to ensure the work we are doing now is robust and thorough and provides us with the springboard for the next decade.

And we need to create a new culture in the Party. One where we can argue and debate robustly and safely amongst ourselves; and come together, even if our differences are not fully resolved, to change politics in this country and start the transition we urgently need.

In my normal job I help organisations large and small change their behaviours and learn to work differently. I’ve spent three years pushing this in GPRC and now it’s time to move to GPEx where there is [truncated at 300 words, answer continued for another 2 words]

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

Firstly, I’m not going to patronise you or dismiss your views. As far as I am aware I am the first person to specifically invite Young Greens to participate in the political strategy formulation process.

I am amazed by the energy and enthusiasm and insights you bring and think the party will be better for ensuring your voice is fully integrated into what we do. The challenges we face will impact on all of us, irrespective of our ages. Climate breakdown, pandemics, social injustice – all of these don’t care how old you are.

I’ve been working with a current Young Green who is co-chair of gprc. I value their views and ideas hugely and I would suggest Young Greens talk to them to see what it would be like if I were Chair of GPEx.

Secondly, you should vote for me because I will be straight with you. I will tell you when I disagree with you or am not going to do what you want. I will disagree and argue with you, but you will know. I’m not going to just nod and say yes and then not do what we agreed.

Finally, you should vote for me because I am determined to do what I have set out in the answer to 1 above and I would really like your help and support in that crucial work. I want you to be part of the change that needs to happen to the Party. I want all Greens to be part of that work and I need your help and support to take our voice out to the country.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

I am standing to be Chair of GPEx. As Chair I will be setting the tone for how GPEx runs and how everyone is heard. I will therefore treat your representatives on GPEx as an equal voice and ensure that you are given the same respect and space to speak as all the other members.

I am already a member of AfCOM, the Party’s finance committee, by virtue of my role in gprc, so am aware that the Party provides some staff resource to help you in your activities. Obviously, our ability to provide staff time and/or financial support for your activities will be dependent on the Party’s overall financial state and the other priorities we have.

However, I see youth recruitment and mobilisation as critical strategies that we need to master if we are going to deliver on our wider political ambitions. And that can only be done with a healthy and vibrant Young Greens organisations that is supported by the national party.

Equally though you need to let me know how best GPEx and the rest of the party can support and integrate your activities better, so we really drive forward our membership and electoral success. We have to co-create the best way of working we can; acknowledge quickly when it isn’t working the way we would like it to; and keep on experimenting until we find the way of working that will truly enable you.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

You tell me. I’m not a Young Green and am not likely to be best placed to answer this.

However, if we are not seen as a vibrant and effective organisation that can allow young people to have a voice, to be heard and to make a difference, then it is highly unlikely we will attract people, of any age, but especially young people, to join and become active.

The current work around Project Together, which I am deeply involved in, is designed to put in place the key elements that we need to create that Party – the elements I mentioned in questions 1. Good infrastructure, a robust constitution, strong funding, an exciting strategy and vision and an electric culture. A culture that is challenging, robust, stretches people’s minds and excites them. A culture that isn’t; judgemental, cynical or fearful but that steps into the future with compassion, curiosity and courage.

Climate change can quickly become overwhelming. As a Party we know what needs to be done to slow it down and if we show young people what can be achieved, we remain stubbornly optimistic and make a difference then young people will come. We have to give everyone, but especially young people, success and hope.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Who ever said this questions wouldn’t take 300 words hasn’t heard about my biscuit making. But I will restrain myself I first started with biscuits, making plain biscuits for my children to decorate when my eldest was about 7 or 8. Since then I have engaged in a long search for the best choc chip cookie recipe, which I think I have now found, and extended my repertoire significantly.

I’ve also diversified into biscotti, flapjacks and brownies – all worthy cousins of biscuits and each with a huge number of variations.

But difficult as it is to choose one – I have to say I am most frequently making an outstanding vegan hazelnut and dark chocolate cookie at the moment that is simply to die for.

Anyone who has tried on will tell you how good they are!

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Liz Reason

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

I have been chair of GPEx for two years during which real progress is being made towards the objectives I set myself at the outset – making the party more efficient and effective, increasing our financial resources so we can build a stronger party, and modernising our governance arrangements.

Our new Chief Executive is overseeing the development of a new evidence-based framework which will feed into an enhanced and ambitious political strategy to set us on the way to becoming an increasingly influential political force. Project Together has all the hallmarks of being transformational for the party in terms of strategy and messaging, but also to drive membership and funding. When our ambitions are backed by sound evidence, we will have credibility and with that, election success.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

Young Greens should vote for me because I bring clarity of vision, the organizational ability to help shape that, and to raise the funds to deliver it so that we can look forward to a future when the Green Party is electable. I care enormously about the future, and am well aware that previous generations have left an unenviable legacy for those following on. Young people deserve a future. I commit to working hard to create a Green Party of which we can all be proud. The best way to do that is to make it happen.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

I have always admired the terrific work that Young Greens have put into election campaigning. I attended a YG conference in Sheffield and was impressed by so much of the work that had been done, especially that of engaging with our European partners. We have recently employed a Young Greens Officer to support the Young Greens and our YG representative said that the officer had achieved in a couple of weeks what they had been trying to do in many months.

For the next elected GPEx we already have plans in place to provide much more training and support for GPEx members that we have to date, and greater clarity and understanding around what is expected of GPEx members in terms of providing oversight of our professional staff team.

My main concern is building a modern, effective party that can increase its representation and bring about a fairer sustainable society as soon as we can.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

First we need to promote the message that a Green in the room really does make a difference and that we need young people to step up into elected roles. I would like us to organise regular programmes of 30 under 30 to bring on younger members and give them the skills and confidence to stand for office. Second, I want to increase the diversity of our membership so that we are talking to young people of all colours and genders and representing society as it is across the spectrum. I feel that we could use much more imagination in how we approach people and I would look to young people themselves to help us establish a programme to achieve that.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Not to sound too Marie-Antoinette-ish about it, but I prefer cake.

Kai Taylor & Claire Stephenson

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

We decided to stand because we believe we have the skills and experience needed to help move the Green Party forward. We want to see The Green Party take over as the third main force in British politics and ensure that environmental and social justice is at the heart of the political debate. We want to develop a long-term general election strategy, identifying targets and providing support over the full term of a parliament to ensure we elect more Green MPs

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

The Young Greens are the future of our party and we want to support them to access the necessary training and resources to empower young people to stand for and win elections. From the council chamber to parliament, we need more young green voices in influential positions.

The Young Greens have become a real fighting force in the party, organising action days and training events supporting Young Green candidates. We would work with the co-chairs to ensure that Young Greens play a role in shaping our election strategy and messaging platform.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

As Election Coordinator, we would recognise the valuable input young members bring to our party - not just their determination and hard work as election activists, but also their expertise and real-life experience on issues like housing and education.

We want more Young Greens elected! To do, this we’d work with the Young Greens to support their fantastic training programs like 30u30 and ensure that GPEW staff recognise and support the value of these courses.

Kai was elected as the youngest Green Party Councillor in 2017 at the age of 19 and is the leader of The Green Group on Knowsley Council. We both recognise the fantastic contribution young people can provide in Politics and want to ensure the training and resources are there to enable them win elections and help drive the agenda of our political direction.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

Young people often feel pushed out of political parties. We need to empower and support the Young Greens to continue to play an incredibly active role within the party and encourage other young people to join.

Labour’s decision to move to ‘centre ground’ politics means there is a real opportunity for The Green Party to become the voice of young people in England and Wales fighting for universal basic income, action on climate change and rent controls. To do this we need more elected young greens.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

We’re both in agreement on this one. It has to be Jammie Dodgers!

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Louis Williams

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

We’re at a critical point for both our party and our planet. We need to elect an Elections Coordinator that will meet our party’s ambitions and achieve our goals. I believe that we need to do better.

We keep seeing more and more people turning towards Green politics, but not ours. Like in France where they’ve just elected more Green Mayors and Croatia, where they just had their best results ever.

I feel we could do better as a party to mobilise and channel the energy being generated by movements like School Strikes for Climate, Extinction Rebellion, Covid Mutual Aid and Black Lives Matter.

Fixing this should be one of our main priorities.

So, as your Elections Coordinator, I would put into place a plan to get a Green elected onto every Council by 2030. Expand Campaign School into every Regional and Local Party. Increase the diversity in our candidates so that we can represent all parts of England and Wales - and be accountable to you as the membership.

I’m appealing to you to give your vote to someone with the experience, professionalism and knowledge to serve the party to the very best it can be on the limited budget we have.

In return, I will serve you diligently and do my best to help turn things around and lead the party in the direction of becoming the challenger to Labour and the Conservatives.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

I started my elections journey back in 2015 knocking on doors for Lin Patterson in Lambridge ward where I lived in Bath. She and I would knock for hours, deliver leaflets and in the end - we won that election. That feeling of winning, celebrating at the count, is one I won’t ever forget and I want more Young Greens to feel that because, honestly, after that. I was addicted to elections.

I want to see more Young Greens elected, greater diversity in our candidates and a Green on every Local Council by 2030 and for that to happen - we need the most experienced candidate to win.

So if you want the most experienced candidate elected, which will help see more fantastic Young Greens elected as well as expand our pool of Young Green campaign managers - voting for me is the best way to do that.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

I was fortunate during the 2019 General Election that Bristol Green Society was so active and able to organise campaign events at short notice - with such incredible enthusiasm. I knew I could let the Young Greens there flourish and they always did, I could always trust in them to deliver.

For this to work, it required me to work closely with their Chair and team which I would like to do on a bigger scale if I am your Elections Coordinator. I would pursue closer engagement with the Young Greens Executive and especially the member responsible for Elections. Working with them to create a plan to combine student campaigns and election goals to get more Young Greens elected - as well as expand the number of Young Greens who are campaign managers in the Party.

This would then give the Young Greens a direct link to GPEx with someone who is working closely with them on their goals of more Young Greens elected in England and Wales.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

With closer engagement and cooperation with the Young Greens Executive, especially working with student groups across England and Wales, it will, I hope, attract, mobilise and inspire young people. When we look at the incredible work of the School Strikes for Climate, led by school students, they inspire each other and inspire us to take part.

By sharing stories, promoting the fantastic work of Young Green councillors and campaign managers, we can hopefully encourage and inspire others to go on the same path. Increase the number of election campaigners in our party and represent all parts of England and Wales.

I’d also like to work with the Young Greens Executive, to further aid in supporting all parts of 30 Under 30 to draw in expert knowledge across the party. To develop and expand Campaign School within the Young Greens and, like what happened with me in 2015 winning that election in Bath, get hooked on fighting and winning elections.

To do this, though, we need someone experienced working as a Young Green in all aspects of the party. Someone who has benefitted from and sees the impact Young Greens resources and support has and can champion it within GPEx.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Oreos and if I am really specific, the mint Oreos. I remember having these at Campaign School when the member of staff running it at the time (Cami) bought a cardboard box full of just total junk food. She grabbed these, and the strawberry ones, and everyone turned their nose up at them! But they remind me of then. Plus, they’re great dipped in coffee.

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Zoe Nicholson

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

I was first elected to GPEx in 2018, where I have been management coordinator. It’s been a steep learning curve as the party’ governance structures are confusing and ambiguous. However, what made me decide to stand again, this time for Elections Coordinator, was the realisation that we have an opportunity to shape an election strategy for 2024 General Election that could actually see us win a further constituency or two or more.

Never before have people been ready to vote Green, both the covid crisis and the climate emergency are bringing more people to us. We need Greens in every town hall and more in Westminster, it’s not enough for us to be shaping the policies of other parties. We need those Greens in power because they fight injustice and inequality, stand up for their communities, lead a just transition for workers away from fossil fuel dependent industries and find solutions with their communities to the climate crisis. We need more Greens in power to hold our broken systems to account.

I have learnt that the role of a GPEx member is to act like a non executive leader, supporting our staff team to do the best job they can. Our elections team including the field team, and the young greens are super experienced campaigners and activists, who know how to win elections. What is missing is focus, evidence based approach to constituency selection and an understanding of the demographic that will vote Green come what may. I want to bring my strategic skills and collaborative approach to cohering a team at national level that can support local parties to win in the General Election 2024.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

I guess, like any potential member, you want to vote for someone that you think might do a good job, who might fulfil the role well and do it to the best of their ability. All the candidates for Elections Co-ordinator have lots of offer and all have lots of campaign experience.

I have won 10 district council seats, and 14 town council seats in 3 years, I’m Leader of Lewes District Council, and Campaign Organiser for our local party. The perhaps distinctive thing that I am offering to the role is that I have been on GPEx for 2 years already, and therefore I know and understand how decisions get made, or not made. I also have existing relationships with many of the key stakeholders and also staff members. I say this as a distinctive offer, because I do not think time is on our side, we have the biggest elections of our history in 2021and we need to start to plan to win for 2024 now.

The role of Elections Co-ordinator does not need to be just about having good ideas. Rather they need to be someone who understands the role and has the skills to get GPEx to focus its available resources on winning. By resources I mean time, money AND people! I have a deep understanding of the role within GPEx and the way it needs to work collaboratively with the staff team, I also understand the existing barriers and challenges in the way GPEx and the national party work. These must be overcome to make swift progress to agree a General Election Strategy for 2024, as well as all the other elections we need to support in Wales and in local councils.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

We cannot win any election without the organising power of the Young Greens, who have done amazing work galvanising activists and volunteers to train, support, mentor others. We need Young Greens in power, on the doorstep, in the media and on the campaign trail. In my role on GPEx I have supported the requests for additional resources to support to the Young Greens Co Chairs. I have really enjoyed working with the Co Chairs who I find to be dynamic, honest, thoughtful and constructive. I hope to continue that relationship.

We need a part of our election strategy that articulates how to engage Young Greens that is developed and designed by Young Greens. There is also a wider point about how as a Party we engage the 18 – 24 electorate, as part of the demographic data we need to study in order to expand our core vote, which must be a core task in the coming months, we need to understand these voters and what matters to them, as they are likely to be critical to us over the coming years.

I expect to work alongside and collaboratively with the Young Green Co Chairs and Executive committee to develop a shared strategy and approach to working together.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

Understanding what matters to young people and students is critical to developing clear messaging that will extend our core vote and first time voters, as well as activists and volunteers. Profiling our young greens in power and in campaigns to inspire others that politics is a place that you can make a difference.

There is so much we need to change about local government and local politics, including making it attractive for young people to be able to participate, particularly those of working age to be elected into local government.

We also need to build campaigns on issues that connect in engaging ways, this needs to be lead by the Young Greens and our national comms needs to dovetail with it. The reality is that not all messaging will land for every different segment of our voter and activist base and we need to accept. Our approach to attracting and mobilising young people needs also to be evidenced based, so as part of our demographic data we must commission research in collaboration with the Young Greens that understands this question fully.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Custard Creams (tacky but true!) I have been known to eat a whole packet.

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Laurie Needham & Joe Levy

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

Both of us have spent time working with our local parties and other local parties to help win elections over the past few years. We felt we could be an effective team, given that we have worked in different parts of the country, different communities and have different experiences of election campaigning for the Green Party. We have also developed a good working relationship since we were in Campaign School together in 2018.

Our vision is for a better working relationship between the local, regional and national levels of party when it comes to elections, and that includes liberation groups. We need to build trust and strong lines of communication so that people feel the national party is their party and not just a head office.

Part of how we do this is by updating and improving election resources, something that can only be done in consultation with the activists and groups that need them. We also want to ensure campaigners and candidates have the opportunity to develop and learn, so we want to engage in training programmes and support initiatives such as Campaign School. We’d like to see positive long term relationships with liberation groups to ensure inclusive candidate selection, and this would benefit from periodical meetings with these groups to discuss shared strategy.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

We want to work with the Young Greens to ensure training and support is in place for young people and students to engage with elections, whether that’s at the level of candidate, campaigner or campaign manager. Joe is a Young Green who has helped run a successful local election campaign and stood as a target parliamentary candidate. He has achieved this with the effective support and encouragement of the Young Greens throughout his time in the party, so we need to ensure that others have the opportunity to benefit in the same way. We want Young Greens and other liberation groups to be included in conversations and decisions about elections from the outset. While our policies are undeniably policies that would benefit young people and students, the truth is that we can’t achieve real change unless we get young people into positions of power. We see part of our role as elections coordinator to enable this to happen.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

We’d like to have regular catch ups with Young Green reps and ensure the Young Greens as an organisation is informed about training and development opportunities in relation to elections. We also want to work with the Young Greens to ensure other parts of the party are provided with the tools to support their Young Green activists and get more Young Greens elected. Since GPEX is an executive body, the decisions we make will have significant financial implications for the party. We want to make sure that in budget decisions on GPEX, the Young Greens are not short changed or undermined. Ultimately, we also want to see more Young Greens run for positions of power within the party - the best way young people’s voices can be heard on GPEX is if there are young people on GPEX!

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

The party needs to showcase the hard work of elected Young Greens and Young Green campaigners via national media output. We need to normalise the idea of young people standing for election and running election campaigns, and the message we send out with our platform is a big part of that. We must ensure Young Green activists are provided with necessary support to set up local groups, both within education institutions and without. Some of our activists are isolated or in remote communities, so one of our biggest challenges is ensuring they feel they can engage and activate interest from young people in their area or region. Another key task is helping local parties to engage with their Young Green members and supporters so that election campaigns benefit from the insight and experience of Young Greens, and Young Green members can be included in local decision making. Some local parties have been exemplary in supporting Young Greens, but there is a huge amount of inconsistency so if we want to mobilise students and young people to not just vote for us, but campaign with us, we need to ensure we are working to the highest standard possible.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Joe: Homemade ginger biscuits - I leave some in the oven longer as they’re better for dunking.

Laurie: My favourite biscuit is a chocolate digestive on the proviso that it is to be dunked.

Peter Underwood

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

I’m one of those people who doesn’t sit around waiting for other people to do something. That’s why I’ve stood as a candidate in elections at all levels for the past five years, I am currently one of the London representatives on GPRC, and I also spent two months working in the European Parliament last year supporting our Green MEPs. I have academic qualifications and professional experience in management and external communications so that’s why I’m standing for GPEx.

The Green Party needs to be a major force in politics. We shouldn’t just be campaigning to get others to make decisions; we need to be in the room helping to make those decisions. For the environment we don’t have time to waste, we know we can’t rely on the other party’s half-hearted promises, we need to act now. On social issues, people are suffering now and need justice and a fairer system to support them.

We know people think our policies are great, but most people don’t vote based on what they think, they vote based on how they feel. My expertise is in messaging - that is about hitting both the head and the heart. My aim is to help us create and articulate a clear image of what being a Green voter/supporter/member is. We need to make people want to be seen as a Green, whether that’s highlighting and amplifying our diversity so people know there are members like them or focusing on the core bread-and-butter issues that affect everyone so people know we care about them whoever they are.

I’ve produced messaging/communications strategies and guides in the past and I believe I have the skills and knowledge needed to work with our professional staff and volunteers to create a more electable image for the Green Party.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

Because I am the person best qualified for the job.

In academic terms, my first degree was in philosophy and psychology and I also have a Master of Business Administration where my dissertation was on the impact of messaging. I spent many years working in Whitehall as a civil servant advising Government Ministers on messaging, developing communication strategies, as well as the day to day work of writing speeches, press notices, briefing notes, and whole host of other communication products. On the management side of this role, I have extensive management experience in the public, private and charity sectors. During my career I have also produced a wide range of strategies and plans from small scale projects up to producing the UK Government’s ten year strategy for increasing renewable energy.

In addition to my UK civil service work, I spent two months last year working in the European Parliament with our UK Green MEPs. I have stood as a candidate in every election at all levels in the last five years and I have spent the last few years working on the Green Party Regional Council.

So I have experience of working both inside the Government and inside the Green Party.

I hope to bring those two areas together to position the Green Party as ready to play a role in Government at local, regional, and national levels across England and Wales. We need to engage with voters on a positive emotional level. We need to improve our image so that more people want to be seen as a Green Party voter. And we need to translate the support for our policies into votes for our candidates.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

One of the key ways to encourage people to join the Green Party is to show that it already includes people like them. That means that in our communications we need to show the full diversity of our members and let them speak for themselves, not have other people speak on their behalf. This means that I will be promoting members from our liberation groups in our communications materials and of course using Young Greens to show that young people’s voices do matter in the Green Party.

But it has to be more than just image. I genuinely do believe that all voices in the Green Party should matter. The Young Greens co-chairs do sit on GPEx so they already have a direct input but as part of my role I also need to understand how best to communicate with younger voters and so I need to reach out to get input from young greens to help develop messaging.

I have spent years working with Government Ministers and Senior Civil Servants to prepare them for public events and I want to do the same for Green Party members. When I was working in the European Parliament I ran a training course for the staff supporting our MEPs on speech writing and I would hope to do similar things for the wider Party, which would include young greens and specifically members of the 30 under 30 programme. Even if I am not elected onto GPEx I would still be happy to run training in speech writing and delivery; messaging and framing; and writing for the press - if Young Greens thought it would be helpful.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

One of the simple rules in engagement is don’t talk to people about what you care about, talk to them about what they care about. We spend a lot of time telling young people that they should care about ‘green’ issues when we should be spending far more time telling people why electing Green Party members is the best way of tackling issues that already matter to them.

We also need to look at ‘nudges’ i.e. indirect ways we can encourage young people who already do care about the same issues that we do to actually join the Green Party. That’s partly to do with the image we present as I’ve discussed elsewhere but it also to do with what other campaigns we are involved in and supporting. We need to show Greens at the forefront of supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, Trans rights, education funding, creating sustainable green jobs, and all the other issues that matter to young people. I don’t pretend to know what they all are and that is why I will be working closely with the Young Greens to better understand this target audience.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

I am going to cheat on this answer in two ways.

The first is that I don’t really have favourites in my life. There are some things I like more than others, but it has always felt like a capitalist idea to make the enjoyable experiences in my life compete with each other to be my ‘favourite’. There are lots of biscuits I enjoy (as you can tell from my waistline) but I wouldn’t normally say I have a favourite.

But, for the purposes of answering this question, I am going to say my favourite biscuit is a Jaffa Cake. This is also a cheat because a Jaffa Cake isn’t a biscuit, it’s a cake. I remember when McVitie’s successfully argued in court that despite the VAT office wanting to call a Jaffa Cake a biscuit it wasn’t. So I have always had some respect for the fact that Jaffa Cakes fought for their right to identify themselves as what they are, not just how others may see them.

Finally, I am also picking Jaffa Cakes because they are very lovely and I can kid myself that a Jaffa Cake is good for me ‘cause it’s got fruit in it ☺

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Molly Scott Cato

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

While I held elected office I relied on others to ensure the smooth running of the party’s internal structures. Now I feel I should play my part in supporting the governance and functioning of our party. I have always been ambitious for the Green Party and deeply committed to the policy agenda we advocate together. As a member of GPEX I would prioritise good and timely decision-making and the wise investment of our limited funds in ways that would progress and support green politics.

I want the Green Party to be as powerful as the Green parties I have witnessed in other European countries. I want Greens to be playing our part in a pluralist democracy, having the 40-odd seats in Parliament our support merits, and playing a role in coalition governments. Achieving that means transforming our constitution with a fair voting system, written constitution, and democratic second chamber. These are priorities for me.

Most voters only know about the Green Party and green politics because of the work of our excellent media team. I see the role of the External Communications Coordinator as crucial to sharing our radical and inspiring ideas with the wider public. When it works well this brings us votes but also helps to shift the political climate.

To achieve this the ideal candidate needs three main types of experience: understanding how media works, political judgement, and an ability to work cooperatively with both media staff, other GPEX members, and elected representatives including our local councillors. I believe I have demonstrated I have all these skills and experience.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

I would appeal for the votes of Young Greens – and other party members – on the basis that I am the best qualified of the candidates.

• During my six years as MEP I built up a strong network of media contacts and developed a good understanding of how political media works. I would like to put that knowledge at the service of the party in this role.
• I’ve been a Green Party member for 30 years and believe I have developed sensitive political antennae and sound political judgement during that time.
• I have worked with and researched cooperatives and would use this experience and knowledge to help rebuild some of the party’s structures that have not worked as well as they could of late.
• In terms of issues that are central to improving the lives of young people I would highlight some to which I have contributed.

I am fundamentally committed to the need to address the gross intergenerational inequity in our society. Older generations are hoarding money and power and preventing younger generations from having a fair share. There are numerous examples I have researched and worked on but I would highlight three: the need for free higher education and to cancel accrued students debts; the need for radical changes to the housing market including managed decline in house prices, rent control and protection for renters, and public support for housing cooperatives; redistribution of wealth through preventing tax avoidance and introducing wealth taxes.

I have worked closely with young people, inviting them to contribute to my South West roadshow on the Green New Deal, admiring and supporting Fridays for the Future, and publicising the excellent Teach the Future campaign.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

If I am elected I think we should talk about this and you should tell me how you think we can do this constructively. I would obviously listen responsively to proposals coming from Young Greens reps on GPEX. I’ve worked closely with some excellent young Green MEPs who came up through the European Young Greens – especially Terry Reintke and Ernest Urtasun – and am impressed by their training and support models that perhaps we could use better. I think exchange programmes with elected Greens who can still be considered young in other European Parliaments could be fruitful.

As I have grown older I have greatly valued the fascinating and sometimes challenging insights that young people have shared with me, through the Green Party, from my own children, and from those I have taught in universities. It can be quite taxing to accept that the world is changing and some of the things we have always held to be self-evident are now out of date. But I do put the effort in to doing this.

My initial thoughts about external communications is that we need to increase the diversity of voices who represent us in public and have a programme for training and support for young people and people from less well represented groups to have the skill and confidence to become our spokespeople.

One aspect of my platform for the post is to work to build a strong reputation for the Party in particular areas extending beyond the stereotypical green issues. Related to this, I will undertake to mentor two Young Greens in public advocating for our economics policies.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

Community organising and mobilisation is not my strength but I am concerned that so many young people have been drawn in by frankly deceitful campaigns and messages from the Labour Party (especially around climate) and that when they find promises being reversed they will lose faith not just in Labour but in democracy. So we have to do better here.

In terms of communications, I would welcome advice from the Young Greens on our media strategy and the kinds of issues that would appeal to younger members and voters. It is clear that younger generations communicate quite differently from older generations and so the advice of younger members in developing communication strategies for traditional as well as social media is vital.

I applaud the work that Young Greens have been doing encouraging their members to stand for elected office and their success at local level. We could certainly find ways to recognise that success. I would value the support of Young Greens in campaigning for Green votes to be represented fairly and to ensure that we have the younger people prepared and ready to take those positions in Parliament when we achieve them.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

To be honest I am more of a cake person and, in keeping with my local economic loyalty, I am going to choose homemade Gloucestershire apple cake.

Alice Hubbard & Sam Murray

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

We joined the Green Party because we are proud to be global citizens, we believe nobody is illegal, and that we must act now on the climate emergency. We aren’t afraid to speak truth to power and act to make change. This is what makes our party important.

We have decided to run for GPEX and specifically the role of International Coordinator to do something radically different. We want to make the case for why international work is important to everything we do as a party.

International work is important because the major issues we face in this world require us as global citizens to be united in making necessary change. We believe in a vision of a Green Party ready to play our role in a new compassionate global movement which works closely with our green family across the world to act on issues that impact us all.

We both have a clear plan for what we want to achieve as international coordinators. Our top three priorities are:

1. Amplify our voice, influence and impact in European and Global Green governance

• We will provide training support to all GPEW representatives in European Green Party Councils, Global Green Congresses, and for COP26.

2. Open up and democratise GPEW international work to better connect it with members and local groups

• We will organise networking and knowledge exchange sessions on key issues, for mutual learning (webinars, panel discussions, zoom exchanges)
• We will disseminate regular ‘international news’ bulletins to all members on international activities.

3. Reflect and extend our equality and social justice commitments, and fully represent the diversity of GPEW in international work

• We will make sure Young Greens and our liberation groups remain front and centre in international work; we will work to make sure the Green Party of Wales is included and represented.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

You should vote for us because you want to be a part of the vision we have to make international work open for anyone in the party regardless of background. You should vote for us because you agree that we need to work across borders to make meaningful change and you want to make a difference.

We want to empower you with the skills and training you need to carry out international projects and represent the party on an international level.

We want you to be as passionate and enthusiastic about international work as we are.

Through green international experiences you can have opportunities of a lifetime meeting greens from around the world, working to tackle the global challenges young people face. Through international work we as a green community fight climate change, global social justice, human rights and for a sustainable future. We want you to be part of this.

So why us especially? Well, not only are we the youngest candidates for the International Coordinator role, but we are experienced in Green Party international work having:

• Delivered more than 10 international training sessions for Greens across the world.
• Helped to develop resolutions across 5 European Green Party Council Meetings
• Attended international green events over 5 years (including campaign events, seminars/workshops).
•  Sat on the Executive committees for Global Young Greens and the Federation of Young European Greens.
• Campaigned for the Green Party across 2 European, 5 local and 3 general elections, 1 Senedd election, as well as for Remain during the European Referendum.
• Helped organise Global Young Greens Congress, Liverpool 2017.

We have got to where we are because of the support and training we received through the Young Greens and we want you to have access to the experiences we did with international work.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

Young Greens are crucial to our international work, we want to give you international platforms for your voices to be heard and support you through our role on GPEX. Here is how we intend to do this:

1. The first thing we want to do if elected is to invite the Young Green EC to send a representative to International Committee meetings.This allows a connection in activities and joint campaigning.
2. We want to keep up our record of young green delegates at European Green Party Council meetings, training and mentoring young greens to represent us. Over the past two years we have worked to ensure young green representation on European delegations as a party. A high point was in Finland last year where 4 out of 6 delegates were young greens.
3. We want to continue funding international exchanges for young greens. We have both worked hard to ensure Westminster Foundation for Democracy funding can be used on international projects for young greens and other liberation groups. We have already been facilitating an exchange with young greens in Macedonia, which has been a success. We have had exploratory discussions for exchanges with young greens in Albania and East Africa. Already we’ve had young greens delivering workshops as part of these programmes and we want to support more young greens to have skills to deliver and receive training.
4. If elected, we will provide support to Young Greens Co-Chairs on GPEX. Alice has been a young greens voice on GPEX supporting Young Greens Co-Chairs voting on key decisions. She has also ensured young people’s perspective is considered in discussions. Previously Sam was on GPEX as Young Greens Co-Chair, alongside Hannah Clare, so has an understanding of the GPEX/Young Greens relationship and would raise key issues for young greens.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

Next year the world’s biggest climate change conference, COP26, is coming to Glasgow and we need your help. We know you have been striking for the climate and we have marched with you but now is time for a call to action. As world leaders descend on Glasgow we need you to join us on the streets, via your computer or however you feel you can get involved to demand action on climate change. We simply cannot do it without you!

We need you to run for election to Parliament, Senedd and councils. We need a recognition with the Green Party that Young Greens are not leaders of the future but leaders of the present. Look at the incredible work of young greens councillors, imagine having young green MPs and Senedd members!

Currently the party is actually bound by European Green Party policy to support youth wings, representation in external debates, ensure young people have seats on party boards, and to put young people into electable positions: Renewing and rejuvenating the Greens | European Greens (we both helped to develop this policy). The party must be held accountable to deliver this resolution it signed up to.

We need to properly resource Young Greens to carry out international training and activities and we will always vote for the allocation of more resources to the Young Greens. Sam worked with Young European Greens on a campaign to elect more Young MEPs. Sam has also led young candidates training on topics such as public speaking, campaign design and ran a support community for them. Alice oversaw the implementation of a 30under30-inspired programme for Young Greens in Macedonia, facilitating the visits of 8 GPEW Young Greens to Macedonia to support the project. We are committed to continuing to centre Young Greens in our international work.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

As we are running for the international coordinator role we felt it absolutely necessary to choose our favourite biscuits from another country!

Sam: My favourite biscuit from another country has to be the moomin biscuit from Finland. I discovered this tasty delight when I was in Finland helping to organise the FYEG Arts, Crafts and Politics seminar. After a long day of planning and organising an international youth workshop we had a social to go and see sing-a-long sound of music, let me tell you this is a big deal in Finland! When I returned last year to go to the EGP council in Tampere with Alice, I stocked up on these tasty delight with at least 6 boxes in my suitcase! They are small sugar biscuits that are suitable for vegans in case you were interested.

Alice: My favourite biscuit is a champurrada, originally from Guatemala, which I had the privilege to taste whilst I was living with an indigenous family and working for an art project supporting families in poverty. During our mid morning snack I would drink tea and eat champurradas with the children. It’s a kind of sugar cookie meets biscotti. Delish.

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Alex Horn & Erwin Schaefer

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

We are standing for GPEx because within the context of the role of International Coordinator, we feel we have a lot to offer the Green Party. We are innovative, creative and organised. Furthermore, We are truly international: together we have lived in at least six countries and speak four languages (English, French German and Spanish) fluently. We feel this gives us a deeper insight when dealing with International matters and affairs. For example we can participate in Zoom meetings in four different languages across continents and build bridges and lasting relationships across the globe. We have a lot to learn from our sister parties abroad, many of which are in power, nationally or locally. e.g. nationally: Ireland and Sweden; locally – ref: recent municipal Green Party wins in France. Our vision for the GPEW: let’s be bold – prove ourselves in local government, make headway in general elections, gain as main seats as possible on the London Assembly, act professionally, broaden our appeal and grab votes from any corner. The transfer of knowledge and know-how from electorally successful sister Green Parties abroad to the GPEW will form a key part of our strategy in achieving our goals. We are ambitious – now is the time.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

Young Greens should vote for Alex Horn and Erwin Schaefer because based on our experience, skills set and talents we are the best candidates to be frank. Creative, talented, open to new ideas, ready to learn, multilingual and great at cooperating with other people as proven by our experience of organising physical and online events for West Central Green Party and Greens of Colour.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

By listening. We are open to new ideas. We also intend to look into cross-border training opportunities between global Green Parties. We are innovative and creative. Ideas will emerge organically from our dialogue. Furthermore, if possible, we intend to set up a European Young Green Business Group as well as European Greens of Colour with affiliated Young European Greens of Colour. Young people are the future and have the energy that is needed to drive new ideas through to fruition. We are here to cooperate, implement and act – let’s work together!

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

Be bold, don’t just preach to the converted. We can grab votes from any corner by the power of our argument. Think big. We are science and fact based – we make sense, we just need to get the presentation right. We need to be credible and appear to be credible. Setting up Young European Greens of Colour will form part of our strategy. We also need to reach out to all parts of Youth, regardless of class. The Planet is in an emergency, it’s the young that will suffer most as they inherit a polluted and abused Environment from their forefathers/ancestors. Above all we need to provide hope that change can happen.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Bahlsen Choco Leibniz Biscuits

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Frank Sheridan

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

I decided to stand because we are firmly in the time of action. the decisions and actions we make in the next 2 years, and in the next 10 years, will determine what the whole 21st century and beyond will look like. Are we on a path to instability and continued crises that you young people and your children will inherit? Or can we create a huge amount of positive change and bring to life a new way for humanity to live on the planet? I know what I’m gunning for. There is no greater cause.

The social justice and climate justice fight got real. I mean REALLY real. And the mix is getting frothier and stronger. Brexit, austerity, pandemics, BLM’s, XR, school strikes for climate, populism and much, much more, all under a fractured international scene, just when we need unity and clarity of vision. And by 2030, we need to have enacted HUGE systemic changes to put us on track for a sustainable 21st century.

As International Coordinator, in the next two years, I want to fight tooth and nail for the Green New Deal- and I will work cross-nationally on this, sharing skills, combining campaigns to put pressure on all our governments to get a GND that is a global movements, expressed locally. Secondly, the UK will host the next climate conference (COP26). We HAVE to get confirmation of the Rulebook. We HAVE to ensure countries sign off on their NDC’s. And the UK needs to lead the way on this. I want to work cross-nationally, and cross-organizationally to build a huge amount of pressure to ensure COP 26 is a success. We simply can’t afford it not to be.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

Young people are not represented by mainstream politics, and yet you are often the most clear and impassioned (and correct!) in your views. The education system and political system directly disenfranchises young people from participating, and then dismisses and patronises when you do engage (see all criticism of Greta Thunberg, ever). In the GP, diversity is our strength. The pluralism of having different voices being heard and represented makes us more relevant, and makes our actions and policy more poignant.

I want a GPEx that has mechanisms for YG to shadow and train under the different roles to ensure you gain vital skills, knowledge, and experience, and your voice is a part of the work we do. In the next 20 years, I want to see a Prime Minister who has been a YG.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

Engagement. As someone who has been teaching and working people younger than me for over 10 years, we need to have more mechanisms for YG to work in and at the GPEx level. If someone is not engaged and not represented, they are out of the system. The system therefore is weaker and has more potential to be flawed if those voices are not heard.

Firstly, I will produce regular communications and reports specifically for YG’s- steered by you.

Secondly, I would initiate a series of collaborative opportunities for YG’s to work on and participate in projects I am working on. Collectively, we can get much more done.

Thirdly, as an events specialist, I will create more opportunities for YG’s to connect with other YG’s globally, and support the preparation and work for key international moments, as well as the Euro, and Global Greens events.

But before all that, I will devise and facilitate workshops to listen to you, and enable you to steer what your roles and participation should be.

[Referring to the second part of the question]

Firstly, by asking you directly how this should be done, and helping your voices steer how we can do this. I’m a facilitator, and that’s how I will undertake this role. I envisage that, much like we are devising a shadow cabinet, we have a YG shadow GPEx, that trains and supports the roles in the executive. However, YG’s can tell me how this should be.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

Again, I would ask you what you think- through consultations, meetings and workshops. You know your peers and their motivations better than anyone. I want to know how I can support you with this.

The GP is one of the only parties that is directly international. I’ve lived my life abroad, and I’ve seen that, throughout the world, there are similar-minded and impassioned people fighting for the cause. And we can see the issues as global issues, but expressed locally. What you do in your local community, group or town really matters, and it knits together with all the other Green work throughout the world to create a patchwork of positive change.

Look at how the School Strike for Climate swept throughout the world last year. It was you guys who did that. The green appeal and the international appeal are ready bedfellows. The inherent internationalism of the GP is something we can use to engage and mobilise. But again, I have lots of ideas of how to do that, but I want to hear from you.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Phwooar!! Now THAT’s a question! So many good choices. The humble Custard Cream? The cheeky Bourbon? The zesty Ginger?? The strangely-named Jammy Dodger??

For me, it has to be the Dark-Chocolate Digestive. They are egalitarian and inexpensive. EVERY supermarket and shop has them, and everyone loves them. They are not a brand so anyone can make them.

They are combination of very different entities that work as a beautiful whole- proving strength in diversity. They are fancy enough to feel like a bit of a treat, but simple enough to have every day. They are preeminently dunkable and don’t falter under the heat (I see you Rich Tea, collapsing into my blumin’ brew). They are big biscuits and you get big packs, so you get value for money. Finally, they are dark-chocolate, so you don’t need to have a cow, man.

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Claudine Letsae

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Richard Bearman

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

Because I have relevant and extensive experience in the Green party. It is also the right time for me as well, as I now have more time to commit to the challenging role of being a member of GPEx.

At this time of unprecedented climatic and social change the Green Party must look to the future and embrace further internal changes however challenging that may be. I believe I can play a key role in moving the party forward by working collaboratively as part of the national Executive body.Teamwork is an essential part of the Norwich Executive committee, or a council group, and I can work as part of team or show leadership when needed.

We must also make the breakthrough to get more MP’s elected to Westminster. That won’t be easy under the FPTP system, so continuing to work for electoral reform to embrace a fairer, proportional based, voting system is also very important.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

I have been a member of the Green Party since 2003 and have held a variety of roles at local, regional and national level, including line management of local party staff and previously serving on GPRC. These positions include:

• Norwich party co-ordinator Nov 2007 - July 2011
• Eastern region joint co-ordinator 2006 - 2008.
• Green Party Regional Council rep. for Eastern region 2008 - 2012

I was a Norfolk County Councillor for 8 years from 2009 to 2017 and leader of the Green Party Group for most of that time. I am currently active in Norwich local party as both Treasurer and a 2021 target ward co-ordinator, which will keep me directly connected to the experience of campaigning on the ground getting Greens elected to the local councils.

Whilst I was a county councillor I took a keen interest in the Norwich Youth Advisory Board. These boards (YAB) were set up across Norfolk for 11-19 year olds to have a voice at the County Council. With my support Norwich YAB members attended Council meetings, sat on interview panels for senior posts at County Hall and got really engaged with local politics. As co-chair of Norwich YAB, I supported the other co-chair, who was a 17 year old student at the local high school. With the consent of the school, she spent ½ day a week doing a ‘work placement’ with me as the leader of the Green group. Those six months helped bring real experience to her politics A-level, now she is studying for a Politics degree.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

My track record with Norwich Green Party shows that I want to support & encourage young people to take key roles in the Green party. 10 years ago we elected Ash Haynes on her 20th birthday to Norwich City Council, and as recently as 2019, Jamie & Nannette were elected as principal authority councillors to Norwich City Council where they are already having a great impact.

We have had several young Greens take jobs with Norwich Green Party, both in media support and Volunteer co-ordinator roles. Whilst we cannot afford ‘London’ wages here locally, I and other experienced Greens have taken very effort to support, mentor and help those in this part-time work. In their turn they have been key to our success in getting Green councillors elected. It has been my pleasure and privilege to be able to work with Ben, Tom, Cami, Rosie (Rawle), Chris Williams, to name but a few; and watch them grow and develop during their time in Norwich.

A key part of the GPEx Management Co-ordinator role is in Human Resources. All organisations need HR polices that are fair, robust, transparent and legal. Then they should be applied consistently at all levels of employment, from Chief Executive right through to interns. However those in position of authority should always remember we are dealing with people, not ‘units of production’ so HR practices can also be flexible, compassionate and supportive, taking account of individual circumstances.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

What I think about mobilising students doesn’t really matter, seeing as my student days are well over! What is important is what YOU think will help the Green party attract new young volunteers and keep them. My role in this will be to listen to what you tell me works for young people, then get those ideas put to the decision makers in our party and act on them.

Another part of the GPEx Management Co-ordinator role is about Governance. Members in any organisation don’t often notice Governance until it goes wrong! There are many types of governance around and the Green Party has struggled recently to find the right one for the party. My background in community activism and voluntary group engagement, combined with professional experience in HR and charity Governance can be of great value to the Green Party.

Those who take on significant senior roles within the Green Party, either on GPEx, GPRC, or are elected to represent the party as MP’s, Assembly members or Councillors, need to understand the relationship between all the Governance bodies across the Green Party. Strengthening the ties between head office in London, the regions, Young Greens, Liberation groups and also with International Green groups, by finding common goals for everyone is vital.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Ah - the biscuit question? - enjoy.

I will start with Rich Tea. It provides the ground floor on which the rest of the biscuit tower block is built. Above this everything just gets better, below this is ‘poor tea’. But what are ‘poor tea’ biscuits and what on earth to they taste like? One can only imagine as Rich Tea is not exactly a self-contained biscuit flavour festival!

Rich Tea are perfect for one thing, and that is dunking. In fact they are one of the few biscuits that actually improve on dunking, in tea for preference, but of course others may use coffee. Be warned though, some biscuits will not like being immersed in hot drinks, and the casual dunker may well encounter the dreaded ‘bottom sludge’ which digestive biscuits of all types seem to create with ease. Not a pleasant mouthful when you drain your cup and find neither liquid beverage nor solid biscuit crumbs, but a kind of ‘mudslide’ when you were least expecting it.

So if Rich Tea are your basic ‘working class/building site’ type of biscuit. What is my preference for impressing the visitors to afternoon tea, with delicate cups, saucers, silver spoons, sugar tongs and the tower of triangular sandwiches with the crusts cut off? I think chocolate Hobnobs fit that bill quite nicely. I will also say mine are Plain chocolate Hobnobs. Now, I know this can be controversial, as I am aware there are strongly held views on milk or plain chocolate covered biscuits.

And maybe here is a lesson for life, not just biscuits, whichever variety we prefer as individuals, others may choose different ones. I will respect everyone as a person for themselves, not judging them by their biscuit choice, nor any other of my own perceptions.

This is the [truncated at 300 words, answer continued for another 14 words]

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Matthew Browne & Florence Pollock

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

We are standing because we share a positive vision of what the Green Party can be – and how GPEx can help get us there.

We have both been involved in the Green Party for a few years (London Greens for Florence and Green governance for Matt) and have seen the Party at its best – radical, inclusive, a thing of joy and wonder. We have also seen it when it has not been so good - grumpy, run like an old boys club with no great interest in achieving the social justice we need to see delivered along with climate justice.

As a result, we are standing on a platform of more ambition. Ambition to be more inclusive, ambition to be more radical, ambition to work harder and more urgently to redistribute wealth through the process of restoring the natural world.

GPEx, and the Management Coordinator role, needs to be part of this increased ambition. We need people with the right professional skills working hard to empower Party members, being accountable and always remembering what should be the golden rule of Green policies – where there is privilege, we should be fighting it.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

We are both fully committed to strengthening the voices of young people in the Green Party, along with those of all marginalised communities. We also both know what it’s like to be patronised as young people in this Party – to be told that you don’t yet know enough, that you haven’t yet earned your Green voice. We will always remember what this feels like when taking Green Party decisions, and will always scrutinise and review our actions to ensure that we are not marginalising anyone.

We are also passionate supporters of the work of the Young Greens, and believe that focus of the Young Greens on electoral campaigning, political education and inclusive practice constitute a winning approach that the rest of the Party needs to learn from.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

Florence took part in the Young Greens 30 under 30 scheme in 2017, and has previously been a member of the Young Greens Executive Committee and London Young Greens committee. She has learnt so much from those experiences and knows first hand what an amazing asset the Young Greens are to the party.

We intend to issue a monthly written report on our work via social media, which Young Greens (and all other members!) can question us on, and use to highlight the areas where we need to do more. We would also like to spread awareness of the right of every Young Green (and all other members) to sit in on GPEx meetings, and to help more people to exercise this right.

More widely, we will encourage all GPEx members to support Young Greens on the doorstep. As a Party, we often talk about how we want to get more young people into positions of power – GPEx members can help make this happen, by providing more training for Young Green candidates and by putting boots on the ground in key campaigns.

Finally, we always listen. Listen to the views and recommendations of Young Greens on GPEx, listen to the outcomes of Young Greens Convention, listen to the experience of Young Greens across England and Wales. Our ears (and inboxes) will be open!

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

The Management Coordinator role involves oversight of Green Party HR practices – and there is so much we do on this front to attract and empower young people.

We are standing on a platform that includes:

• Giving all Green Party staff the option to work from home, on a permanent basis. This will open up all Green Party work to young people living outside London.
• Making it clear on all Green Party job adverts that a university education and professional experience are not pre requisites for an application. Commitment and vision are what we must look for in applicants, not tick box requirements which automatically favour those with years in work already.
• Paid internships for young people of colour. As a Party we talk a lot about creating new opportunities – it’s time put our money where our mouth is.

Part of the Green vision for the future involves changing the world of work, to tackle privilege and to recognise the inherent value of every single person. As an employer the Green Party can and should pioneer this future. If elected, we will blaze this trail and make the Green Party a beacon for trade union and worker rights.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Florence: A chocolate bourbon! Delicious and accidentally vegan, what more could you want.

Matt: An oatcake (I promise to work on being less boring in future)

Liam McClelland

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

The Green Party Executive makes decisions for the Green Party around our electoral strategies and political alliances, budgets and messaging. These impact liberation groups, Young Greens, the public image of us, and more importantly our ability to campaign for environmental and social justice. Without marginalised voices being heard by the second decision making body of our party after conference decisions could be made that could impact not only the party but the communities we seek to empower and support. I would like to see the Green Party focusing on our strengths. I believe our strengths lie in local activism and government. Bring motions to councils were we have Green Councillors to start implementing some of the short-term policy ideas we have to help combat climate change and create a more equal society. Once we can show the electorate the positive impact that Green Councillors are making by implementing these policy ideas successfully we can start to see gains when it comes to General Elections.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

I have the experience required. From within the Young Greens, co-chairing and completing the 30 under 30 training and development program. As well as already serving on GPEx. I have worked within the Holistic Review Transition Team. As someone who voted against the Holistic Review I felt it was important to ensure the concerns of those who voted no were considered in the implementation of the recommendations. As an active member of the Drugs Policy Working Group I brought a young voice to this, as well as a voice of lived experience. Within the Federation of Young European Greens I have been an active member of the Social Working group, were we got policy passed at the European Green Council. I have ensured Young Greens of England and Wales still continue to have opportunities within European Politics and activism. My entire activism and involvement within the Green movement is centred on inclusivity, accessibility and representation for marginalised communities.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

Young Greens pass some fantastic policy ideas at convention, these need to be supported to the bi-national party level so that we can implement these in local government and bring these ideas to parliament were we have representation in both the House of Commons and House of Lords. With the changes coming to the extraordinary general conference to implement the changes voted on during the Holistic Review the Young Greens Co-Chairs will be losing their automatic seats on GPEx and GPEx will cease to exist as it is currently structured and will be replaced with a smaller less accountable Political Executive. Therefore, we need to ensure that the Young Greens EC is running training and development programs that equip young greens with the skills they need to stand for positions within our main party and get involved with other party structures such as Policy Development Committee, or Policy Working Groups.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

From my own experience I have always felt mobilised to campaign when the candidates I’m volunteering my time for fully support the aims and objectives of the Young Greens. I believe that representation at all levels within the party of young people and students will encourage more to join. We also need to point out were we are different and how our policies and ideas change due to evidence based research, not the whim of a newly selected leader. Leaders come and go, our inclusive environmental and social justice aims remain.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Oreo’s, American manufactured Oreo’s are purposefully kosher[1], and accidentally vegan (depending on your view of ‘cross-contract/cross-contamination’). UK manufactured Oreo’s have not been certified Kosher.

[1] ‘What is the status of Oreo Sandwich Cookies? Do they contain actual dairy ingredients?’ (ONLINE: OU Kosher, 26/02/2020) https://oukosher.org/faqs/what-is-the-status-of-oreo-sandwich-cookies-do-they-contain-actual-dairy-ingredients-2/ accessed 12/07/2020

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Peter Sims & Sam Alston

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

We are standing for this role as we feel that there is more chance for society to change direction now than there has been for a long time. The pandemic, schools strikes and Black Lives Matter protests all highlight our broken system and the desire for a better world. Our policy needs to meet these challenges and opportunities do we will:

1. Better direct the resources the party put into policy (not just conference). At the moment our policy making resources are monopolised by conference. This is neither, effective, inclusive or leading to the best policy. We envision a boarder process.
2. We need to agree a shorter, more structured set of polices (PFSS) with detail and reasoning in background papers. The amount of policy hinders accountability and accessibility.
3. The Policy community needs to work together and have a collective voice within the party making policy more accessible to elected greens and spokespeople. We support proposals for a Policy Network, as an umbrella organisation a partial replacement for Policy Working Groups to enable multi discipline collaborative working.
4. The Party should have policy to use it. We would promote policy dissemination, both with members via local parties and elected greens via the Association of Green Councillors.
5. Party needs to be willing to stick it’s neck out by making policy on the fundamental yet difficult issues and publicly build civil society coalitions and engage with unlikely allies.

On to many issues we either have the policy, but can’t or won’t communicate it effectively, or on fundamental ‘green’ issues we don’t have enough consensus within the party.

Policy is a critical part of the party and could play a large role in increasing our impact, if we are prepared to both be bold, but also do the ground work.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

Although, we worked together as activists in the People and Planet network we have very different experiences, which we feel make us the best candidate for the role.

Peter Sims is heavily involved in the Green Party policy process and is heavily involved in many policy working groups including the Tax & Fiscal working group and the Land use working group. He is also Website Officer for Chiltern Green Party, and was a general election candidate in 2017. He bravely took on writing the new policy process document (see here) after the holistic review.

Outside the Green Party he is a member of the Core Group of the Green House think tank where he has taken a leading role in the Climate Jobs Modelling work. He has a masters degree in Electronic Engineering. He has been working with local Extinction Rebellion and Black Lives Matter groups.

Sam Alston is completing a Masters in Climate Change and Energy Policy at SOAS, and works in home care. Previously he worked in education, community organising and volunteer mobilisation. During the 2019 South East European election campaign he was responsible for social media. He was Campaign Manager for Oxford in the 2019 general election where he had doorstep conversations in persistent rain on a range of issues including: tidal power, anti-Semitism and bike lanes.

He is founding member of Jewish Greens and a former Co-chair of South East Young Greens and a current committee member of the London Young Greens. He has co-proposed motions on youth and forestry policy, amendments to policy motions and has been a workshop reporter.

Although we are both Young Greens, please don’t vote for us on that account alone. Voting for people who are ‘like you’ is a great way to marginalise those us who are, often proudly, atypical.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

The Policy Community is mostly an older person affair in the party, with the exception of a few notable policy working groups which have much more diverse demographics. Young Greens can, at least as much as others, facilitate workshops, take minutes, and have passionate discussions about a ‘Sustainable Society’. We hold to not only be pathfinders to that show other Young Greens that the policy community ‘is for them’ but also to make the workings of the policy community more engaging and accessible to young people, partially by encouraging policy to be discussed more broadly in the party. The national Young Greens events are a model of how policy events can work.

Like campaigning the policy community relies on people willing to take on roles at all levels. It needs young greens willing to coordinate working groups, facilitating work shops and vote on the content of policies, but it also needs people willing to organise meetings, keep GP spaces up to date and generally manage technology. We need more Young Green voices both for the ideological direction and energy of the party, but also to ensure policy reflects our experience.

We joined the policy community with interest and ideas, but with little experience of how the process worked, by just turning up to some meetings, where we were only people under 40. By listening, asking questions, and getting involved we’ve not only learnt a great deal, but made a positive contribution.

Our focus on bringing in liberation groups and other relevant groups into the policy process applies particularly to young Greens. Young Greens should be engaged in all policy areas, but explicitly consulted in policy areas where they have particular insight.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

It is clear that the Green party is underachieving in terms of attracting votes from young people. This is despite the massive progress that the Young Greens have been making in the last few years. One of the things that attracted us to the Green party was that policy was owned by the members and that it was and still is the only party that focused on a better future.

These elements need to be preserved, continuing to put the interests of future generation before the interest of today in all decision making, but particularly when it comes to policy.

Many of the changes we want to make would benefit the Green Party in this area.

A more active approach to policy dissemination and discussion would enable us to bring in more directly the input of our student members who are already engaged. It would also empower them to more effectively promote a clearer Green Policy platform.

Sam is currently finishing a masters and both of us have worked as regional organisers for the student activist network People and Planet are keenly aware of the difficulties and opportunities in mobilising students. One of the impacts that we hope to have over our one year term is to facilitate and promote a policy programme that appeals and engages students alongside a policy process that is open and accessible to them.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Peter Sims → One without a name → It’s probable not manufactured by one of the big six food companies and won’t of had any money spend of advertising it. The best biscuit, is the one I choose freely, rather than one I am subconsciously manipulated to want.

Sam Alston →Breakstick. There are various reasons that the breadstick is the superior item which I am going to outline some of the most pertinent below.

1. It is versatile it goes with a number of different condiments, accoutrements and spreads.
2. It is largely immune to corporate capture and monopolisation that bedevils various other biscuits such as recces pieces.
3. There are various possible uses of them they can be eaten quickly as a nourishing snack, or savoured over time.
4. Are healthy with little negative nutritional effect
5. Come normally at little cost and with limited additional packaging
6. Are excellent for very short sword fights they can also be used as a short range ineffective javelin
7. Can be given to small children to limited danger of them covering themselves with them.
8. Within the UK they are largely ubiquitous that means they can be found anywhere.
9. Can be burnt
10. Hard to poison unless you get them very early on in creation process

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Mick Gregg

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

Although I have been involved in the Policy Development Committee since 2017, I have not considered myself ready until now to stand for GPEx. I wish now to move to take the concerns of members within the Policy community, (in which I include the liberation groups and Young Greens), to GPEx to make our processes more efficient.

I had hoped that the ‘experiments’ with allegiances and pacts might have brought about a ‘friend’ in the Commons for Caroline; that these approaches have failed, now gives an opportunity to move forward again with our own Party identity and promote the strengths of what we offer to the electorate. We are not here to be tools in an economic model but to feel our life is for personal enlightenment and advances.

Our collective mental health crisis is directly attributable to stress and no more so than in the younger generation. I want the Party to make more of the goal, and primary function of Government, to provide a life for our citizens that can be simply enjoyed. To present this not as some ‘Utopian vision’, but a real choice we can collectively make and to display the map to getting there.

• Education that has a function of far more than churning out products to fit capitalist need,
• Employment and housing security that is not limiting but allows choice and growth,
• Social engagement that brings us out of narrow understanding of the ‘standard’ family as the blocks that build our nation,
• A legal system that acts quickly and decisively to words and actions of hate

These are the things that make us different and should be pushed forward as our stand-out differences now that we know we are not trying ‘to get into bed’ with any other party.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

I am an honest, straight forward and relaxed person. I am someone who has been involved in social work, mental health, safeguarding and substance misuse with young people for 30 years, and i am still involved. I am not a young person, but I still start every professional relationship with a young person on the basis that i can still remember what it felt like to be a young person. I see that the challenge in my day job as being how to merge the issues that my organisation sees as important with what the young person sees as being important, and that i cannot succeed unless I use what the young person wanst as what we are goig to achieve. I have skills, experience and the values to bring young people onto the table to ensure that your views are being directly represented and understood.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

See above (mostly) - if there is no place at the table for young people then i would use mechanisms to ensure that this place is made available, either through my taking your views forward directly through your words into my written reports to GPEx or by seeking to invite you to attend in my place.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

The present policy process is convuluted and relies heavily on the writers of policy fitting new policy into a standard format. It is no coincident therefore that nearly all new policy motions at Conference probably originate from about the same 20 people. Whilst it is necesary that our body of policy translates to an understanding by the electorate, there is benefit in developing new methods of presenting policy to the electorate rather than be left behind as we stick rigidly to words and paper. New ideas can push us ahead of other parties and the new and best ideas nearly always come from young people.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

No question: Chocolate Hob Nob - stand up well to tea dunking

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Vix Lowthion

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

After 6 years in the Green Party, attending all the conferences I can and standing in elections to be a Green MP and MEP and being a national spokesperson, now seems the right time to give something back to the Party.

I have spent years feeling so proud to tell voters about all of our policies – because they are the best! Not only that, but as they are all determined democratically by the consensus of the membership, our policies distinguish us from all the other parties in the way it is created, developed and available for all the world to scrutinise.

There is no more important role than Policy Development Coordinator to ensure that our policy remains robust, contemporary and radical in order to properly equip our spokespeople and leadership team to give the Green Party the platform and direction we need.

My vision for the party is for it to be inclusive, dynamic and purposeful. Policy is the engine which drives us there (no emissions involved).

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

I would hope that Young Greens would vote for me if they want a GPEX officer who is focused on doing a good job for the party much more than their own personal ambitions. In getting stuff done! It is important that GPEX officers have no personal agendas, and understand that they are servants of the party. The Young Greens constantly give the national party a boost of enthusiasm and of new ideas. An effective GPEX must listen, reflect and act upon these ideas – and development of robust policy is central to this. On a personal basis, in my ‘day job’ I work with 16-19 year olds as a teacher in a Sixth Form, teaching Science, Social Science and Humanities subjects. Their questions keep me on my toes, and my dealings with Young Greens have been similarly interesting! Young Greens help to keep our party relevant, and are an essential part of making good policy for the present and the longer term.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

As Policy Development Coordinator I would prioritise working with a wide variety of interest groups, working groups, trade unions, charities and campaigning groups. Young Greens are often found leading the debate in these groups, and it would be a privilege to support these wide interests. In addition to this, the national political debate has rightly moved into analysing each party’s policies for Young People. The strong Labour vote in 2017 and also 2019 was a direct consequence of Young People registering to vote and becoming politically engaged. Specific campaigns and direct action – as shown by Extinction Rebellion, School Strikes for Climate and Black Lives Matter – have largely been led by Young People, and our party’s policies should reflect this. Young People during election time have also turned to the Green Party as, rightly, the party of young people. We cannot take these votes for granted!

Pressures on housing, employment, job security, tuition fees, human rights and access to health care have been disproportionately placed upon the shoulders of young people. Green Party policy must remain uptodate and relevant, in order to support our leaders and spokespeople to speak on the widest platform. As Policy Development Coordinator it would be my privilege to oversee keeping our policy relevant and strong – and I would both support and need the support of the Young Greens in order to achieve that aim.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

As Education spokesperson since 2016 it has been my absolute pleasure to speak out and tell the nation about the great policies the Green Party have for students and young people. However, in recent months it has become clear that these good policies have been superseded by both the greater Conservative damage to Education, and also Labour adopting many of our good policies. This is a win! But we are in danger as a party of being seen as less radical, and thus being left behind.

The Green Party would become better at attracting and mobilising young people if we focused on keeping our policy relevant to the pressures on young people at this time, and with an eye towards the future. As Policy Development Coordinator I would support the Young Greens in this mission, through regular contact and encouragement to update all policy and through this also act as a bridge between GPEX and the Young Greens.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Is a flapjack a biscuit?!

Jack Lenox

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

I decided to stand for GPEx because we're running out of time. This coming decade is the most important since the inception of the modern climate movement in the 1960s, and therefore for the Green Party.

I've spent a lot of time trying to work out the most effective way that I can contribute to this effort. And with my experience of working on both print and digital publications, I think the role of Publications Coordinator is the one to which I have a lot to offer.

My vision for the Green Party is for us to be a party of government. And from what we've seen in countries like New Zealand and the Netherlands, this shouldn't be considered far-fetched. But there are of course many steps between where we are now, and where I would like us to be.

Over the next ten years, we have to do everything in our power to steer our country (and our planet) away from its calamitous crash-course with catastrophic climate breakdown. We know from experience that this means environmental justice has to be our core philosophy.

Our democracy is broken and disillusionment with politics in this country has soared. Yet again, a party with a minority of the public vote has been given a crushing majority in parliament. And their pitiful response to the coronavirus pandemic has revealed them for the feckless charlatans that they are.

The Green Party needs to be a beacon of hope. Now is the time when we need to present ourselves as a serious alternative to the dismal two-party system that has led the UK from one disaster to another.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

This makes me feel really old! It's only been a couple of years since I was a Young Green myself.

I believe the Young Greens are one of the most positive forces within the Green Party right now and I was very proud to stand as a Young Green in the first parliamentary by-election that I contested. Young Greens should vote for me because I wholeheartedly support the core values they promote. To be honest, when I see the passion displayed by many Young Greens I regret not getting involved in the party sooner.

I feel very profoundly unified with the Young Greens on the issues of intersectionality and solidarity. It is so important at this time of phenomenal division in politics – both within the UK and globally – that we stand united as one unstoppable force. Now is not the time to persecute people for being different to what some might deem conventional.

I support absolutely the Young Greens' advocacy of unapologetically radical policies. As I've said above, the issues we face now couldn't be any more urgent, and we need radical measures to pull ourselves back from the edge of the abyss.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

I would like to ensure that the Young Greens, along with all of the Green Party's liberation groups, are represented in our publications. I promise that Young Greens voices will be heard in every issue of Green World. I would support the Young Greens in all of their campaigning efforts, including the production of a Young Greens Manifesto which I think would be an excellent campaigning platform.

I would also of course advocate for the Young Greens whenever the opportunity presented itself on GPEx.

However I also feel it's important to make it clear that I would be very keen to hear how the Young Greens feel I can help them. I would have an open door to Young Greens who want to meet with me and discuss issues with me and would be very keen to have a constant line of communication with my counterpart(s) on the Young Greens Executive.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

I took part in the Extinction Rebellion's October demonstration and have worked to support the Fridays For Future movement – including getting my company to publicly support the Global Climate Strike last September. It's clear from these initiatives that young people are very engaged in the climate movement and this needs to be reflected in our membership. I think we need to be unapologetically allied with movements such as these and provide the political voice for them.

From an organisational point of view, I think the Green Party needs to do more to support and foster the youth groups that we have. This means providing as many resources as we possibly can to the Young Greens and all of the various school, college, university and regional branches of the Young Greens.

We have to provide more support to Young Greens in elected positions and should never be in a position where Young Greens are feeling ostracised or unable to perform their duties on GPEx or any of our other administrative bodies.

With specific reference to my role, I think it's vitally important that we produce high-quality and well-designed content for our publications. I include in this all of the avenues through which we publish, including our social media content. We need to be absolutely committed to having strong messaging and not dropping the ball in ways that might dissuade young people from wanting to support or join the Green Party.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

So, biscuits are totally my favourite thing, and this is therefore probably the most difficult question. In my pre-vegan days (before 2013), my favourite biscuit would have probably been a garibaldi. However I've always been a big fan of a number of the classics, and was delighted to discover the likes of hobnobs and bourbons were accidentally vegan. I've had a tumultuous relationship with jammie dodgers. Back in 2013 they were accidentally vegan, but then switched to a recipe that included milk. I'm delighted to see they're switching back to a vegan recipe again.

Of course, one cannot overlook the stalwart of the vegan biscuit stable: the oreo. And there's the favourite from my earliest memories, the venerable party ring (also accidentally vegan!). If I'm drinking coffee and I'm feeling a little continental, I might reach for a lotus biscuit, and in my pre-vegan days this might have been a choco leibniz.

But, I'm probably going to have to bring this back to one of the oldest and finest of biscuity pleasures. One that brings me back to my Scottish ancestry and that is increasingly available for vegans. I speak of course, of shortbread.

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Danny Keeling

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

I ran for GPEX to ensure more younger people are elected and heard. I believe we need that diversity on our executive to ensure debate and progressive change in our party. I stood for Publication Coordinator as I have more than 6 years experience as Creative Director for multiple print and online publications. As the Chair of Newham Green Party I also know the resources available to local parties when it comes to campaign material and predesigned templates are not up to scratch and are not accessible for all levels of designers.
Our resources need to be open and easy to use for all local parties to ensure we can really push out our message to voters. We need to explore new forms of publications such as looking at the use of podcasts, social media, blogging platforms, Green World and further external platforms including how we contact local press and other platforms in people’s communities.

I am a realist. I understand we need to do a lot in order to win the voters we need to take more seats on currently elected councils and on new councils. Our focus should be to prove to the electorate that we are not a wasted vote but a true, strong, green voice that can be trusted to create change and look out for our communities.

The climate crisis will always be our number one issue but I believe that as Publications Coordinator it is my job to help ensure that we push the other parts of our manifesto when we communicate to the public. We have strong and inviting policies that can gain the confidence of voters that we are on their side.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

When I applied to be on this ballot I was officially a Young Green. I only “expired” 12 days ago, I do still feel I am a Young Green! Through my previous years of being a YG I have ensured that we had representation on the ballots here in Newham standing as many YG candidates as possible. Newham Green Party has had a YG as Chair for at least 4 years now (until 12 days ago). I was the last Senate Co-Chair for the Young Greens before the Senate was abolished and I ran in the last London Local election and General Election as a Young Green target candidate.

Being a previous member of the Young Green Exec, I fully understand the priorities of ensuring Young Green voices are heard. I will stand up for Young Greens on GPEX and the progressive views we hold. I would ensure voices from TERFs are shut down and I would ensure diversity as someone who defines as a queer man (he/them) is top of my agenda.

We need younger, green voices. They need to be elected on executive committees, they need to be heard at conferences, they need to be standing in council seats and they need to be target candidates in General Elections.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

I believe the staff should be working side by side with the Young Greens. By electing me you have an ally and someone who understands the importance and mass movement of our most active part of the party. I believe the Young Greens should be receiving more support – whether this is staffing, resources or even finance because I see the Young Greens as our strongest asset in this party. I would be more than happy to set aside time for any members of the YG Exec team to assist and support if required.

I know that those under 30 are naturally organic when it comes to technology, social media and other digital platforms. I want to use the skills and experience in YG to help those who aren’t as tech savvy as us are taught or assisted. On the other side, YG’s should be given all the resources they need to create fantastic content rather than the shoddy Powerpoint templates we see. The work that happens at GPHQ in creating content for social media platforms, manifestos and campaign material should utilise the expertise of the YG’s. Through this common knowledge we can create more impacting, relatable and engaging material.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

I believe the YG’s need to have a voice on GPEX to push the issues that will attract and mobilise. That voice is just not there right now. For far too long GPEX and the YGs have not worked together and that needs to change. You need to be consulted in campaigns and be brought closer in the loop. If we truly wish to mobilise the party then why are we blocking out our most passionate and engaged asset in the decision making processes?

When it comes to students, further work needs doing at the freshers fairs and support should be given to this. We must attract more to the membership and without the support of GPEX to the YG’s we simply will not expand our YG’s membership and our overall Green Party membership. As Publications Coordinator, I would be happy to facilitate between the YG Comms Officer and GPHQ to make sure they have the support needed for our freshers campaign.

Campaigns should put the YG’s at the forefront and ensure that the younger voters know we have a voice for them. I would like to see the Young Greens produce a manifesto that can be professionally produced and digitally marketed to the under 30’s and students.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

I am very keen on Highland Shortbread. I love biscuits that are slightly creamy in taste and sugared on top. I would go as far as saying I am comfortable dipping it in a coffee. However, I draw the line at round shortbread; they must always be thick fingers.

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Julia Lagoutte

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

I’m an editor, writer and podcaster and former editorial assistant at the Green European Journal. You may have come across the podcast I host with Seden Anlar: the Big Green Politics Podcast. I’m standing for the same reason that we founded that podcast: a passion for spreading the inspiring, ground-breaking, and media-starved phenomenon that is green politics today - in an accessible, perhaps even populist, way. We need more green media, that functions outside mainstream and establishment blinkers and makes green politics come alive for people, not only as something you do, but as a way of looking at the world – and one that is life-changing and empowering.

I am a big fan of our magazine Green World - a key part of what I want to do is increase outreach and get people reading the great content, through printed editions, a podcast and better social media strategy.

I also want it to be a space where we can connect, learn from and be inspired by each other, have the crucial debates that we need to have as a movement, and generally contribute to a cohesive and supportive community, which has been lacking in recent years. It can also be a means to elevate and support those who are under-represented in our party and be part of making the Green Party more diverse – especially in terms of class and ethnicity. We won’t reach voters until we are reflect the population – not only because people are compelled by those who look like them and because it is good for democracy in general to have representative politics, but also because I believe that as a political party we won’t truly understand the what and the how of doing politics until these voices are more central in leading us.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

I’m a young Green myself – and got involved in the Green Party first through my uni society and then through Young Green schemes like 30 under 30. I understand the importance of groups like the Young Greens in recruiting new members and powering the party and would want to listen and support YGs (and all liberations groups). I’m experienced in publications, green media, green politics and will be a dedicated, creative, and hardworking member of GPEX, working on making the party function as smoothly and cohesively as possible and on the plans and ideas I’m outlining in these questions.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

Publications coordinator has two main areas: publications such as manifestos and our magazine Green World. I’d want to help the Young Greens with their own professional materials, and just generally work hard to make sure our publications are a strong tool for the YGs to use in their campaigns. I want to support the great training programmes run by YG, supporting them through publications, Green World and contributing to trainings on areas from writing and editing all the way to social media and podcast production.

Putting Green World into print once again and creating a podcast will help to reach and actively engage new young members and give new members something concrete for their membership that demonstrates with its content that this is a movement that can engender systemic change but also help you learn and evolve as a person and activist. I want to use it as a platform to hear from and increase the profile of Young Greens with talent and potential. I want to help to nourish talent, upskilling and giving opportunities to YGs to interview people and write for Green World. I understand the importance of and would always listen to and work with Young Greens.

Having first got involved in politics just after the Tories got in in 2010 through my university’s anti-austerity and Green party society, I want to support student groups (especially in less politically active universities like mine…) in retaining members, having interesting meet ups, and building a movement that is also social and enjoyable. One idea which to explore is creating ready-made ‘Pint and policy’ packs for uni societies and other ways to work with the Young Greens officer in turning young supporters into members and members into activists. I’d love to hear your ideas: tweet me @julialagoutte!

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

I’m enthusiastic about the potential of Green World. What the Mont Pelerin society understood when it was founded in 1947 to impose neoliberalism into every corner of the world was the importance of purposefully flooding the media and the world with articles, reports, publications with a certain analysis and way of understanding the world (in their case, a rejection of the state and collective power and an emphasis on the free market and individualism). A key part of building what Gramsci would call a counter hegemony is creating content that undoes and challenges this, by putting out articles, interviews, reports, and analyses with a completely different way of analysing the world and building solutions: the Green perspective. When I say Green I mean left-wing (but less statist), ecological, anti-growth, feminist, anti-colonial, pro-democracy (in a meaningful way, i.e. deliberative democracy), and internationalist. Basically, a whole new way of understanding the world which exposes the current model for what it is: elites destroying nature and other people(s) for their own profit.

An absolutely key part of that green vision isn’t just to impose a different, constructed lens onto how people view the world, but also changing how we do politics and making people think critically and feel empowered to engage with the world and democracy. Greens are different because they also do politics differently. Publications are a key part of that.

If we tap into the talent in our party, train up and support young people to interview politicians and thinkers and write pieces, link up better with other publications such as the Green European Journal, we can make Green World an even more exciting place where people can hear different perspective and get excited about what the world could look like. That will attract young voters looking for something [truncated at 300 words, answer continued for another word]

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

I’ll rarely turn up to a meeting without a packet of bourbons. Essential fuel.

Kefentse Dennis

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

How can us as The Green Party act like a big party with matching internal structures but not have any trade unions or affiliates groups of any significant to speak of? It a massive potential being wasted.

In addition, our messaging has become one dimensional where climate change seems to one our 'only focus' as important as climate change is there are people out there that care more about social justice which we are failing.

Lastly, I am worried about our attitudes towards ourselves as a party and our position within politics. sometimes I feel like members want us to be 'teachers or facilitators' of the other parties, and to teach them how to conduct themselves and use our policies to their benefit. We are not a political advocacy group!

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

I, as a 30-year-old understand the complexities of transition from student academia to work life and career. Having a present and secure jobs is paramount otherwise "what the point?" of wasting 3-6 years on education or those who went into work from school/college and want to progress into better jobs?

I want to secure existing and future jobs through the Green New Deal with unionisation and cooperatives strengthen.  I want young people to be hopefully with their futures in work and education.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

I want Trade Unions and Affiliation Groups to Work within the Green New Deal.

I want to Strengthen Cooperatives and their Communities.

I want to Expand Mutual Aid Schemes.

My three campaign points, will be beneficial towards young people as it with not only generate millions of new jobs, but also secure them as well as allow young people to be heard through their own students' unions and affiliation groups that my role will incorporate into the Green Party.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

Networking relationships with students' unions of schools, colleges, and universities and their society groups is away with remaining in the minds of young people in education. in the wider capacity keep for pushing for social justice and climate justice, lowering the voting age, the scrapping of tuitions fees and making Universal basic Income happen.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

Bourbon biscuits is my favourite because it's chocolate and vegan.

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Matthew Hull & Paul Valentine

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

We’re standing for GPEx because we want to reshape the Green Party’s relationship with trade unions. As the political arm of the environmental movement, we must be embedded in the organisations and institutions of working people in order to mobilise a large, durable social coalition for climate justice.

Working people are subject to intense exploitation in this economic environment, and young people in particular. But the last few months have revealed something vital: that when it comes down to it, it is working people who keep the world turning, not bosses and landlords. We want Greens to recognise the power that organised people have, both at and away from the ballot box. We want to fight unwaveringly with trade unionists for a Just Transition to a society with environmental justice at its heart.

By doing this, we believe that we can make the Green Party’s offering to the public and our support base broader and deeper, and build lasting support among those most acutely affected by the climate crisis. We take inspiration from some of the most radical insurgent trade unionists, like the Independent Workers’ Union (IWGB) and United Voices of the World (UVW).

Paul has already done fantastic work bringing the party closer to many unions, and encouraging the leadership team to actively support union campaigns.

We want to skill-up and empower Greens to take action with trade union campaigns. For us, this means a mapping exercise to build a detailed picture of union membership and activity in the party, working closely with the membership team. We will work with the campaigns team to develop activity in strategic trade unions and other collective institutions. We’ll lead from the front by offering regular training on campaigning closely with trade unions at all levels, for all Green Party officers.

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

Between us, our track record proves that we’ll continue to fight tirelessly for the interests of young people.

Paul has been Trade Union Liaison Officer since 2018, but before that he was Union & Membership Officer for the Young Greens. There he led on the Young Greens ‘Get Organised!’ campaign to drive up trade union membership and activity among young people. Since 2018, Paul has been the Young Members’ Councillor for Equity, the performers and creative practitioners union, and has worked extensively with TUC Young Workers. He is a proven fighter for the interests of young people in trade union circles.

Matthew is currently Young Greens Treasurer, and was Co-chair of London Young Greens. While on the Young Greens executive committee, Matthew has worked hard to ensure that their messaging and communications are unabashedly in favour of radical democratic trade unionism. Matthew has also worked to build links with insurgent unions, including by organising and hosting a talk with workers from the United Voices of the World (UVW) trade union. He established a link with the union-backed Campaign Against Climate Change, who sponsored a stall at the Young Greens Convention in 2019, and arranged for Unison’s Eatsern Region to hold a stall.

We are committed to promoting the importance of organising unionism, which recognises that social justice, environmental justice, and other struggles are inextricably linked. Confronting the many oppressions in society requires that we end the unjust and exploitative capitalist order, and we believe in bringing together unions and social movements to fight and win this struggle together.

We are committed to ensuring that our generation is the one that organises to build a just world in the ashes of the old. Young Greens will be vital to achieving this, and we are passionate about building a powerful Green youth movement.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

We think that the Young Greens are a unique and indispensable voice in the Green Party. The contributions made by the Young Greens Co-chairs and others - on GPEx and PolComm and elsewhere - have been invaluable. Young Greens have consistently been the most progressive voice in Green Party discussions. We want to support Young Greens to make their voices heard by leaders and decision makers in the party.

We want GPEx to be more proactive in seeking guidance and input from the Young Greens on matters that affect young people. Consulting the youth branch and liberation groups should not just be something we do to ‘tick boxes’; it should be integral to any project the party undertakes. As young activists, we pledge to ensure that young people’s voices are consistently listened to in project planning and delivery.

The Young Greens have often developed some of the most exciting messaging, events, and training for Green Party members. Matthew and Paul have both been privileged to help organise some of these projects. On GPEx, we want to make sure the party is drawing on the very best of this work, like the Young Greens’ political education work, election campaigns, and 30 Under 30 training scheme. Having been intimately involved in organising these projects, we think we are well-placed to do so.

Finally, we think we have a golden opportunity to work with the Young Greens to promote the cause of radical trade unionism among young people. Our generation knows the importance of collective action, but engagement with unions among young people is alarmingly low. We are especially keen to develop new ways of encouraging young greens to join and campaign with trade unions.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

The current social order leaves young people underpaid, overworked, and massively disadvantaged. The Green Party has a proud history of mobilising young people for social and environmental justice. We joined in 2014 and 2015, when the Green Party was the natural home for young people who felt left behind by the Tory-Liberal Democrat coalition government and betrayed by Labour inaction on issues that mattered to us. This has shaped our political outlooks and identities.

A lot has happened since, but the central crises and failures of our existing social and economic system are fundamentally the same. Young people have been leading the way in highlighting these failures through movements like School Strike 4 Climate, and we must be prepared to follow their lead.

The party must wholeheartedly recognise that social justice and environmental justice are intrinsically linked. To mobilise young people at a time when other parties, like Keir Starmer’s Labour, appear to be abandoning hope of social transformation, the Green Party must be unapologetically supportive of the radical younger generation and their political goals.

Central to this is recognising the power of our youth branch. The Green Party should resource and empower the Young Greens, who have often represented some of the most creative and powerful campaigning ideas in the party. Rather than seeing the Young Greens as an appendage to the main party, or merely a special interest, we see it as a truly powerful organ in the fight for climate justice.

Finally, as young trade unionists we are incredibly passionate about building union membership and activity among young people. Our generation understands the importance of taking coordinated collective action to win a better world. We think the Green Party should directly support the struggles of trade unions, renters unions, students’ unions, and other collectives as a way [truncated at 300 words, answer continued for another 4 words]

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

As the only job-share candidacy for the position of Trade Union Liaison Officer, we bring a diversity of experience and perspective unrivalled by other candidates. Naturally, this extends to our taste in biscuits.

Matthew is an unabashed partisan of the mighty dark chocolate digestive. Balancing sweet and savoury flavours, its distinctive mouthfeel speaks of struggles and victories past and those yet to come. It truly is the People’s Biscuit. Paul is a big fan of the party ring. Once we taste victory, we all deserve a chance to relax and party right? Bring on the party rings.

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Theo Simon

1. Why did you decide to stand for GPEx? What’s your vision for the Green Party, and how will you help us get there?

I know I'll bring plenty of organising experience, care, listening skills and integrity to GPEx meetings. But the reason I’m standing is to do the TULO work. I think that connecting with people in their workplaces will be a hugely important step for the party, and as an engaged union member, experienced in building solidarity across campaigns, I want to make that happen. The overarching goal has to be fighting climate change with climate justice, and ending the extinction of nature by transforming our economy. We will win people’s support by the support we give them in their struggles, and the relevance of our policies.

TULO isn’t just a seat to fill on GPEx, it’s a role that has to be part of an overall strategy. I think there should be three strategic aims. Support, Transition, Resilience.

1. Support union members - which includes many party members - in defending jobs,
   conditions and wages in the workplace, at a time when economically the screws are being tightened;
2. Raise the sights of organised labour, and support workers facing lay-offs with the call for a Just Transition, at a time when the expectations of the workforce might otherwise be in retreat. Our unions need to be campaigning to green our workplaces, and to fight for sustainable, socially-useful work. rather than “any job you can get”.
3. Connecting local Branches into the network of horizontal solidarity which unions create between workplaces. This is one of the ways we can build resilience across our communities and beyond in the face of emergencies, and our participation in that will benefit the local and national Party come election day.

My first step towards those goals will be to identify the extent of union members within the party, particularly active ones, and to encourage every branch to have its own TULO [truncated at 300 words, answered continued for another 39 words]

2. Why should Young Greens vote for you?

Young Greens should vote for me because I have a clear vision of the strategy and can bring wide experience of unions and green campaigning to GPEX and to the TULO post. Young workers will be hard hit by the economic fall-out of Covid and ecological collapse, and often in sectors which need union organising to fight for basic improvements. And young Greens are going to see more of the future than older greens, so it's in your interest to ensure that we go for a big transformation in how we work and how we organise the world cooperatively, and our best chance of making that happen is by linking green ideas with the power of organised workplaces to make that change happen.

3. How do you plan to support and work with the Young Greens in a way relevant to your role if you get elected? How will you ensure that young people’s voices are heard and supported on GPEx?

I want us to make sure that the voices of young people as workers are heard on GPEx. I would be keen to connect with YGs who are already in unions and encourage those who aren’t to join one. YGs could have their own TULO, formally or not. I’d like to explore how YGs could play leading and active roles in organising marginalised and low-paid sectors they may be connected with, and giving time and energy to building solidarity with workers engaged in dispute.

4. What do you think, with reference to the role you are standing for, the Green Party should do to become better at attracting and mobilising young people and students?

I think that by the strategy I've outlined, we connect young people with their collective power in the workplace and share a vision of what's possible that's relevant to both their everyday survival and their long term aspirations. The TULO work should include Student unions and unofficial student solidarity movements. I joined the occupation at SOAS in London during the big Anti-fees protest movement,( and got kettled on Westminster Bridge for my sins). I thought it was a big failing that older political activists didn't turn out en masse to support them. Striking building workers wanted to join up with the big march, but they were kettled also, to prevent that happening. Any opportunity to build solidarity between student needs and demands and those of organised labour should be seized, and it's part of the TULO’s role to make sure that such opportunities are not missed.

5. What is your favourite type of biscuit?

For reasons of Solidarity, the Garibaldi

For reasons of addiction, the Dark Chocolate Digestive.

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