[Abernathy]

Natalie Bennett, the latest heir of David Icke, appears to be Australian. And broadly so, from her accent. Could this be a disadvantage of sorts?

[new puritan]

Bit surprised at the way this has turned out - it seemed as if Peter Cranie (who got my first preference) was the clear front-runner throughout the campaign. In fairness both Bennett and Cranie were strong candidates, but I do think the latter (northern-based, from a working-class family background and an active trade unionist) would have done more to help the party reach out beyond the progressive middle-class vote. Bennett's an ex-journo so no doubt she'll go down reasonably well with the media, though.

The really stupid thing is that the two strongest candidates for deputy leader were both women and as such fell foul of the gender balance rule. It seems ridiculous that a rule intended to promote women to senior positions has actually proven counter-productive in this case.

[The Red Arrow]

Natalie Bennett, the latest heir of David Icke, appears to be Australian. And broadly so, from her accent. Could this be a disadvantage of sorts?

Probably. There's an element of the press that delight in Aussie bashing (particularly where sport is concerned) that takes healthy, robust banter too far. Were she leader of a more widely reported party, you coud see the kangaroos and cork festooned hat in the cartoons. It's a gift to those who yearn for the days when darkies wearing grass skirts and bones through the nose were acceptable stereotypes.

[Kreuzberger]

Or maybe the spin-doctor to one of the major parties' leader. That probably wouldn't present a problem either.

[new puritan]

Looks like turnout for this was disappointingly low at 25%.

http://greenparty.org.uk/news/2012/09/0 ... ouncement/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Probably not all that surprising though because the party does need major internal reform - there are a lot of local Green parties which appear totally rudderless. I joined the party four months or so ago and I haven't heard from my local party once in that time; it seems they've gone to ground completely since their poor showing in the mayoral election. In fairness Natalie Bennett does seem to recognise this, but while I'd like to see more support given to weak local parties I'm wary of the risk of over-centralisation. The lack of local democracy in favour of heavy micromanagement from the centre was one of the factors that kept me from joining Labour.

I must admit I've been slightly perturbed by some of the noises I've heard about targeting ex-Lib Dems recently, though. To be fair to the Liberals they have been very effective local campaigners over the years and if there are lessons the Greens can learn there I'm all for it, but as far as I can see we'd be on a hiding to nothing if we tacked rightwards.

[mattomac]

Well it is one thing the country doesn't need.... More right wing parties.

Oddly their recruitment in Universities seems terrible.

[new puritan]

In fairness, I'd still put Bennett to the left of Labour. She probably isn't as left wing as Peter Cranie, though, and is probably closer to the image of the stereotypical Green than he is. We'll just have to see how it goes I guess. It's going to be difficult to make serious headway over the next couple of years, though, as the anti-government vote coalesces around Labour. Holding on to Brighton Pavilion is going to be very tough, and I suspect that's one of the main reasons Caroline Lucas has stepped aside as leader.

[The Red Arrow]

Some interesting (and valid) points made...


2013: the year Britain said "no more"
The Green Party's Natalie Bennet argues this year will be a turning point for the nation.

But sadly, mysteriously, one group that isn’t saying “no more” is the Labour Party.

Well, maybe it isn’t so mysterious…

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/20 ... id-no-more" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[daveinbrum]

Disappointing PPB from the Greens tonight. While taking the piss out of Farage and Clegg is easily done, I can't see negative campaigning is the way forward for them.

[The Red Arrow]

The #GreenSurge: Why the Greens are growing so fast that it’s hard to keep up...
By Rupert Read and Bennet Francis
https://www.the-newshub.com/stories/the ... to-keep-up" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Rather ignores the fact that Miliband has agreed to Green participation...

[Esqui]

Ooh, it's just like the Lib Dems in 2010

[Daley Mayle]

Is the author this Rupert Read?

Rupert Read is an academic and a Green Party politician in England. He is Chair of the Green House thinktank, East of England Green Party Co-ordinator and a Reader in Philosophy at the University of East Anglia

[The Red Arrow]

That's what the link in the article says.
https://www.the-newshub.com/greenrupertread" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Esqui]

Oh,him

Trans women will say that they are exactly that: women being allowed to define themselves. But you can see the impasse here: If women find themselves being told by some with male genitalia etc. that they are obliged to accept the latter as women, because they ‘define’ themselves as so, that is hardly a knock-down argument. Take an analogy: Imagine that some people regard themselves within themselves as disabled, as missing a limb. Are disabled people obliged to regard those people as already part of the disabled community? I would suggest: obviously not.