Green Party co-leader denies split over trans rights

The Greens have denied a split at the top of the party over trans rights, as they appeal to voters ahead of next week’s local elections.

Carla Denyer defended fellow co-leader Adrian Ramsay after he failed to say whether he still believed “trans women are women”.

This cast doubt over the stance of the defiantly pro-trans party and raised questions over whether the two leaders were at odds.

But as she joined activists on the campaign trail in Kent on Friday, Ms Denyer claimed she and her fellow Green MP were still unified but couldn’t say whether they had spoken about the contentious issue.

She told Sky News: “Green Party policy is clear that trans women are women, trans men are men, and non-binary identities exist and are valid.

“I support that policy and I know that Adrian and I are united in standing up for trans rights and for women’s rights.

“I don’t see those in conflict, I understand some people will express themselves slightly differently, and I absolutely understand why a man, a cis-man, might feel slightly uncomfortable defining womanhood from the outside.”

Local elections

It may have caused some tricky conversations this week, but the issue is unlikely to have a huge impact on next Thursday’s elections.

And as the campaigners and candidates went from door to door in the town of Dartford, it became clear that they were feeling confident.

Although the Greens only have five seats on Kent County Council, they are contesting almost all of the 81 up for grabs and believe they can make gains from the Conservatives, who currently have an overwhelming majority.

It’s a pattern they hope to see across the country, building on previous momentum and capitalising as people lose faith in establishment politics.

Laying out their track record, Ms Denyer said: “In the general election we quadrupled our representation in the House of Commons and not only that, we came second in 40 constituencies as well, and in the local elections, we’ve increased our number of councillors nearly fivefold.”

Critics though have suggested there may be a ceiling on the green vote and cited their inability to grab attention nationally.

A Reform-shaped problem

This is in contrast to other leaders of smaller parties, in particular Nigel Farage, who has relentlessly drawn the spotlight and driven up Reform support since the general election.

They’re now streets ahead of the Greens in the polls despite having the same number of MPs. So, does Ms Denyer think she can learn anything from her anti-establishment rival?

“Nigel Farage’s model of reform is very much about ego and celebrity and a one-man band,” she said.

“That’s never been the Green party’s values, we’re a grassroots bottom-up organisation.”

Whether this strategy will deliver the breakthrough moment they are chasing will be decided when voters go to the polls next Thursday.