Ellie Chowns to lead Green Group of MPs in Commons


/ by Green Party

Dr. Ellie Chowns has been chosen unanimously by the Green MPs as Leader of the Parliamentary Green Party in the House of Commons.

This is a parliamentary designation required for the conduct of business in the House of Commons.

Ellie will lead on representing the Green MPs in Prime Minister’s Questions and other formal Commons proceedings, and will be the Group’s key point of contact for the House of Commons authorities.

This appointment does not affect the Green Party’s national leadership arrangements, which continue to be determined by the party’s membership through our established rules.

Ellie said: “I’m honoured to take on this role on behalf of the Green MPs. I look forward to continuing to work with all my excellent colleagues in Parliament and the newly elected Green Party leadership team to hold the government to account, advance Green policies, and represent the concerns of our constituents.”

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Green Party members elect two councillors as deputy leaders

Members have elected two high profile local councillors as co-deputy leaders of the Green Party of England and Wales. 

Mothin Ali and Rachel Millward will serve alongside new leader Zack Polanski who was announced earlier in the day. 

Rachel is co-leader of Wealden District Council in Sussex and Mothin is the first Green councillor to represent Gipton and Harehills ward in Leeds. 

Mothin said: “I’m delighted to be part of the new Green Party leadership team that will build on our most recent successes in local councils up and down the country. Next year will be a huge year for growing our councillor numbers again and making new breakthroughs.” 

“I know from my own experience in winning my council seat from Labour that people have lost trust in the Labour government being able to take on the racism of Reform and offer real change for our communities.” 

Rachel said: “The Green Party’s appeal is to everyone who is fed up with the tired, old two-party system and wants to see real change in our communities and across our country. 

“I know from helping to turn a traditional Conservative area Green, that people respond when they there is a party embedded in their community able to make change happen. At council we have delivered on housing, health and nature restoration. I look forward to helping the Green Party to deliver even more change across the country.”  

Notes to Editors

Rachel shares leadership of Wealden District Council in Sussex. 

Rachel helped to end 50 years of Conservative domination and delivered real change at council delivering on housing, health and nature restoration, charging double council tax on second homes to protect those struggling with the cost of living, and achieving fourth place nationally for climate credentials. 

Rachel founded Birds Eye View, an international women’s film festival addressing the reality that only 7% of films were directed by women.  

She was awarded a Clore leadership fellowship, named a Woman to Watch by Arts Council England, and nominated for a Woman of the Future Media Award. 

  • Mothin Ali Biography 

Mothin was elected as a Green Party councillor for Gipton and Harehills ward in Leeds in May 2024. He was the first ever Green to represent the ward, beating a 17-year Labour incumbent with a 20% swing and a 7% rise in turnout.  

Mothin is an accountant, with over 20 years of experience working with small businesses. 

He is a keen gardener and launched the Dig It Out campaign to tackle racism in horticulture. He has taught permaculture for over 10 years 

In July 2024, during the Harehills riots, he stepped in to protect the local community, standing between rioters and police, helping to de-escalate the situation and literally put out fires. 

Mothin supports young voices in politics and was a part of the Inner East Leeds Youth Summit – an initiative to show schoolchildren in Leeds how democracy works. 

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Statement from Ellie Chowns MP and Adrian Ramsay MP on the Green Party leadership result 


by Green Party

“We’d like to congratulate Zack Polanski on his election as Leader of the Green Party, and to thank him for running such a strong and passionate campaign. 

“We also want to thank every member who voted and all those who took part in this leadership election — on both sides. From conversations on doorsteps to the energy shared online and within communities, the commitment of Green members has shone through. 

“Our party is in the strongest position in its history. We’re winning record numbers of seats, reaching people in every community and from across the political spectrum, and showing that Green politics is rooted in the issues that truly matter. We’re proud of the record-breaking successes the party has achieved under Adrian and Carla’s leadership, and we look forward to seeing that momentum continue. 

“As MPs, we remain fully committed to playing our part: holding this government to account and championing the policies needed for a fairer, greener and more liveable future. Together, we will continue to build on the extraordinary progress the Green Party has made, and take it further than ever before.”

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Zack Polanski Elected Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales promising to create “a country where no one is left behind” 

Bold leadership focused on communities bringing people together. That’s not a slogan, it’s the promise of UK politics’ newest national leader, Zack Polanski, elected today as Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales.  

Launching his leadership, Polanski promised action on the overlapping social and environmental crises. Polanski argues, inaction on the cost of housing and spiralling bills, and the cost of living has been justified through a “austerity consensus” pushed by a Westminster consensus. In contrast Polanski says it is time for an “honest conversation” about how we deliver affordable and safe homes, green jobs and free childcare. This, he argues, can be delivered by making “bold political choices” financed fairly by taxing wealth, not punishing the majority. 
 
“The planet is burning and so is the public’s patience.” Polanski said. “People are rightly feeling let down and angry at Labour and are appalled by the rise of the far-right. People have been crushed by spiralling rents and bills while wages have not kept pace. For too long it’s felt like there has been no reprieve. But there is a way forward.”  
 
He continued, “We need bold action, bold leadership. It’s time the super-rich paid their share. It’s time to tax extreme wealth and redistribute it to those struggling to live, to breathe, to survive.” 
 
Elected with the largest ever number of votes in a Green Party leadership election, Zack paid tribute to the previous leadership of Adrian Ramsay and Carla Denyer saying, “My pitch to the country offering a vision of a real radical alternative is only possible because it builds on the success of recent years. We stand as a party with our highest ever membership, highest ever polling average, highest ever general election result, highest ever number of MPs and Councillors. This is because of the amazing work we’ve done with my predecessors. We’ve come so far, but this is only just the start. It’s time to take this bold vision of social and environmental justice up a gear. I come into this role today with urgency, purpose, and a single mission: To build a country where no one is left behind.” 

END 

Notes

  1. Full election results for the leadership, deputy leadership and Green Party Executive are available here: https://greenparty.org.uk/internal-elections/ 
  1. Zack Polanski short biography: 

Zack is a member of the London Assembly.  

He served as Deputy Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales since 2022. 

Zack is currently Chair of the London Assembly Fire Committee, and sits on both the Economy and Budget Committees. He has previously chaired the Environment Committee. 

Before entering politics, Zack worked in community theatre, specialising in Theatre of the Oppressed with marginalised communities to help them tell their own stories. He also spent many years in hospitality, working in bars and nightclubs. 

Outside of politics, Zack still loves the theatre, supports Forest Green Rovers and lives in Hackney with his partner Richie, who works in palliative care.

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Greens respond to Appeal Court hotel ruling


by Green Party

Responding to the Appeal Court ruling on the Bell Hotel in Epping, Green MP Ellie Chowns said: 

“This court case is a distraction from the need to sort out the terrible legacy of 14 years of Conservative government misrule and Labour’s failure to come up with workable, humane solutions. 

“It is inhumane, as well as costly to UK tax payers, for people seeking asylum to have to wait years for a decision and be housed in temporary accommodation like hostels and hotels. 

“People have the right to claim asylum, and we all have the right to expect the government to run a fast and fair process to assess applications. 

 “The UK government quite rightly created safe and managed routes for people fleeing Ukraine. They need to offer the same to others seeking safety from similarly dangerous situations.   

“It can be done, if the political will and leadership is there. 

“People seeking asylum and protection must be allowed to work while their application is being decided. That’s the way to get them out of hotels and able to look after themselves and contributing to local communities.” 

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