Adrian Ramsay Warns Green Party Faces Hard Left Takeover Risk
Former Green party leader Adrian Ramsay warns that internal democracy flaws could allow a hard left takeover following a contentious conference motion.
At a glance
- Former Green party leader Adrian Ramsay warned that the party faces a risk of being taken over by the hard left.
- Ramsay stated that a small number of new members use divisive tactics that do not reflect the wider membership.
- He called for rule changes to let the wider membership review policies sooner than the current two-year cycle.
- A spokesperson for the grassroots group Greens Organise defended current leader Zack Polanski's record and growth.
Former Green party leader Adrian Ramsay has warned that the party stands at a crucial crossroads and must reform its internal democracy to prevent a takeover by the hard left. Speaking to the BBC, Ramsay argued that a small number of recent members arriving from other leftwing movements are pushing a fractional and tribal political culture.
The intervention follows widespread debate over a conference motion describing Zionism as racism. Ramsay noted that only 0.4% of members voted for the motion, which he believes contradicts the party's 2024 manifesto supporting equal rights for both Palestinians and Israelis.
Internal democracy and party rules
Ramsay pointed to structural flaws in how the party operates, stating that small groups can exert an outsized influence because policy decisions are concentrated among those attending the annual conference. He urged the leadership to hold a ballot or survey of the wider membership.
While confirming he has no plans to resign or leave the party, the Waveney Valley MP insisted that leadership must disavow the Zionism motion sooner than the standard two-year waiting period allowed under current rules. He also stated that leader Zack Polanski should have attended the debate and vote rather than focusing on a byelection in Holborn and St Pancras.
Grassroots response and defense
A spokesperson for Greens Organise, the grassroots faction supporting Polanski, dismissed Ramsay's warnings by highlighting recent electoral success and membership growth. The spokesperson noted that Ramsay previously ran for the future of the party and lost by a landslide 84%.
More than 150,000 members have joined under Polanski's leadership, according to the group, which argued that representatives should direct their energy toward tackling national crises rather than internal disputes.
What the leadership debate means for the Greens
This public warning highlights a growing ideological friction within the Green party as it experiences rapid growth and broader electoral attention. The disagreement over conference voting mechanisms versus wider membership polls touches on fundamental questions of party governance and how policy is shaped. How the leadership chooses to address the timeline for reviewing controversial motions will signal whether internal unity can be restored around core environmental and economic priorities.
What to watch: Watch for any potential rule changes or membership ballots regarding the review timeline for the conference motion.
Reporting from: The Guardian. Spotted an error? Tell us.
- Green Party
- Adrian Ramsay
- Zack Polanski
- British Politics
- United Kingdom
- Politics