Green Party says "yes" to single leader

Yep, the UK Green Party votes are in, with 73 per cent voting to ditch its odd 'non-hierarchical' principle speakers system in favour of the one used by everyone else - a single leader plus a deputy. As a lapsed  member, I'm glad the party's seen sense on this. The media doesn't want to get its head round an alternative leadership system, but it will happily give column- and blog-space to a charismatic single leader. Full details of the voting after the click-through.

This is a copy-and-paste from the Green Party's official email bulletin:

“The leadership motion has been passed by more than the 2/3rd majority
required.
Votes against 963 (27%)
Votes for 2,634 (73%)
Eight spoilt papers
The turnout was 48.3% with 3,605 ballot papers cast.”

Green Party Principal Speaker Caroline Lucas said: "I'm delighted about this
result. The party can now move forward together and onto the job in hand. We
have an urgent green message to communicate and many votes to win.

"This is a fantastic day for the Green Party and will help ensure we have a
party that is understandable, recognisable and effective. But we now need to
demonstrate to all our members, regardless of which way they voted, that
this is not about weakening our principles, it's about strengthening our
effectiveness."

Green Party Principal Speaker Derek Wall said: "We need a Green Party which
is effective and empowering, doing things differently from the top down
traditional politics that turns voters off.

"The result of this referendum challenges the Party to create a leadership
structure that is true to green ideals. It has put our future leaders on
notice that the membership expects a more focussed, more effective party,
with a leadership team that is truly accountable to the membership in a real
and effective manner."

Richard Mallender, chair of the Green Party executive, said: “I’m very
pleased to see such a high turnout and that we have a clear result. I would
like to thank everyone who took part in the ballot and also extend thanks to
the ERO and the standing orders committee for the smooth conduct of the
ballot.

“The referendum was an excellent example of democracy in action.”

(You can find details of the motion passed, and other background, on the
members’ website, at http://members.greenparty.org.uk/referendum. You need
the username and password for that – please contact the email address below,
giving your name, address and local party, if you need that. Or it was
printed on page 3 of the recent Green Activist.)