Responding to the news that “no ceasefire, no deal” was the main outcome of the Putin/Trump talks last night, Green Party MP, Ellie Chowns, said:

“After all the headlines and fanfare, we are left where we started: a brutal war caused by Russia’s aggression and no real solution in sight. Any lasting peace plan without Ukraine’s full participation and consent will fail. When you compare how Trump rolled out the red carpet for Putin to his publicly humiliating Zelenskyy, it’s clear that the only winner from these talks is Putin. He was handed the credibility of a seat at the top table while his forces continue their attacks on Ukraine.”

Responding to the collapse of talks on an international treaty on plastics, Green Peer Natalie Bennett said:

“The draft treaty was the product of intense lobbying by the chemical and plastics industries backed by key petroleum states. These vested interests should never have been allowed near the talks in the first place.  

“They are to blame for these talks collapsing and must be excluded from future efforts to curb plastics production. 

“Plastics is in the air we breathe, the food we eat and even in children yet to be born. It is fuelling the climate crisis, it is devastating communities around the world and destroying natural habitats.  

“Now, plastics will continue to contaminate our land and water supplies, and be ingested through our foods.  

“That will severely impact on our health and that health of the planet. 

“We desperately need an ambitious treaty, which leads to decisive action to cut plastic production, is absolutely essential and the UK government must lead the way in closing the door on oil producing states and fossil fuel and chemical corporations from future talks.” 

The Green Party of England and Wales is today celebrating a significant by-election win by taking the Grangetown seat on Cardiff council from Labour. The result underlines Greens’ growing support across south Wales while showing support for Labour slipping away. The Green Party believes it is now on course to elect its first Green Member of the Senedd (MS) in the upcoming Caerdydd Penarth constituency contest in 2026.

This strong showing in a traditionally all-Labour ward signals a new challenge to Labour in their stronghold in south Wales and sets the tone for the upcoming Senedd elections in 2026.

The Green Party is targeting the constituency of Caerdydd Penarth where it hopes it can gain at least one member of the Senedd, likely to be the Leader of the Wales Green Party, Anthony Slaughter. Slaughter, who came second in Cardiff South and Penarth at the 2024 UK General Election, is now widely tipped to win a seat in 2026 Senedd elections.

Commenting on yesterday’s by-election in Grangetown.

“This result in Grangetown proves what we’ve always known: people want someone willing to work hard for their communities,” said Anthony Slaughter. “This is another sign of the Green vote surging here despite Labour’s traditional dominance. It’s clear people are feeling let down by Labour and want a fresh political choice: one rooted in fairness, sustainability, and community. We now stand on the brink of electing our first Green MS in Caerdydd Penarth, through a wholly proportional system where our support can finally translate into representation.”

Last week Green Party MP Siân Berry released a full log of her first year of official meetings with campaigners, unions, community groups, businesses and other lobbyists and is challenging all other MPs to do the same. The three other Green MPs are set to follow suit shortly.  

Siân is pressing Nigel Farage to ‘come clean’, given Reform UK’s links to and funding from the fossil fuel industry. The Party has reportedly received more than £2.3 million from oil and gas interests, highly polluting industries, and climate science deniers since 2019. 

Siân Berry MP said: 

“This move shows Greens are at the forefront of cleaning up politics through openness and transparency – this is an important part of following the Nolan principles of public life.  

“I hope every MP will follow suit and join me in publishing records of the campaigns and lobbyists they meet for everyone to see. In particular, I challenge Nigel Farage to come clean so we can all see the extent of corporate and fossil fuel lobbying on the work of Reform UK’s elected representatives.” 

The call for greater transparency comes as David Lammy stands accused of a conflict of interest and improper influence after a plan emerged to invite staff from oil giant Shell and the defence firm BAE Systems to work inside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. 

Responding, Siân said:  

“This move potentially places corporate lobbyists at the heart of Government where there is a risk they will have undue influence on international policy. These two corporations both have highly blemished records when it comes to human rights, and in the case of Shell, the company has weakened its emissions targets, moved away from renewables and is ramping up fossil fuel extraction. This is in sharp contrast to the Government’s stated aim of a green transition.”

Darlington Council Green Group leader Matthew Snedker has been appointed national Housing and Community spokesperson for the Green Party of England and Wales. 

Matthew has been pressing the case for more homes that are affordable and sustainable. 

Matthew said: 

“We need more homes for people that are affordable to rent or buy, and cheap to heat in winter and keep cool in ever-warmer summers. 

“We need them built where we have good transport links and community facilities like schools and health centres. 

“Instead, we have a government that wants to give developers a free hand to build for profit and trample over people’s needs for decent homes and green spaces at the same time.  

“The Green Party has long pressed for the right homes, in the right place, at the right price and I’m delighted that as well as making that case here in the North East and will now be supporting our four MPs to make the case nationally. 

“I know from my work as a councillor that people really want to build great communities and our local councils and national government can back them by providing decent homes.” 

Short biography: Matthew Snedker led Darlington Green Party to its success in having 6 councillors now, and he is the council group leader. He has stood three times for the parliamentary seat of Darlington, most recently in 2024. He supports self-organising community groups, such as a Darlo Fit-it (a repair cafe) Darlovelo (Cycling advocacy) and Darlington for Peace (an interfaith peace and unity partnership). A patron of the Passivhaus trust, he advocates for affordable and sustainable public housing with an emphasis on developments with connections to services, education and employment.