"From air pollution to plastics and a four day week - where Greens lead, others follow" - Left Foot Forward speaks to the new Green Party co-leader team.

When Jonathan Bartley and Sian Berry took their posts as the party’s new co-leadership team earlier this month, there was a pledge: to take on ‘vapid centrism’. It piqued a lot of interest – not least for the small irony that many were unsure quite what it meant.

For Bartley, it means this: “It’s time to pick a side.”

“Modern Labour just want to see a return to the old days. We need to lay the tracks to a new economy,” Bartley tells me when I meet the pair at an arts cafe (where else?) near the party’s south east London HQ.

Brexit

On the big issue of today though, do the Greens stand out? “We were one of the first to say we need a People’s Vote on the Brexit deal.” Berry even put forward a motion in the London Assembly on the call, which passed. It arguably played a role in pushing Sadiq Khan to come out publicly in favour of a People’s Vote last week.

The pair are, unsurprisingly, proudly pro-EU. For Bartley, it means “EU protections, a peace project, and freedom of movement.” Sian Berry – a London Assembly member and former Mayoral candidate – says the Greens stand out as “the only party standing up for freedom of movement.”

Winning another vote is a big ask though. What needs to happen differently next time? Berry points to a need for clearer spending limits.

While she concedes that people voted to leave the EU, the prospect of a ‘no deal’ Brexit means all options should be on the table. But what of Labour’s approach to Brexit?

Berry is almost apoplectic. Labour have been “utterly useless,” she says. Keir Starmer – Labour’s Brexit secretary – is her local MP, and for her “It’s essential Labour comes around.”

End of the alliance

They do have common cause with Labour. The leadership – not least Caroline Lucas – has traditionally been seen as strongly in favour of a ‘progressive alliance’ with the party. But any deal would be a means to an end: a commitment for proportional representation.

“We need to have PR. Parliament doesn’t represent us,” says Bartley, who chaired the campaign for a switch to the Alternative Vote in 2011.

A lot has changed since people first mooted the idea of a progressive alliance. Both are clear: “The door is closed.”

There is an anger there. “We reached out. There was a firm no,” Bartley says.

So the party are ploughing on anyway: “We’re getting local parties to pick candidates now. We need [Labour] people to talk to them first” before local alliances can be made, Berry adds. “If they want to come knocking they can – but they’re going to have to be very polite.”

There has been some confusion over the idea of a pact though. Any Labour/Green pact in Parliament “would be confidence and supply arrangement” via Caroline Lucas. Alas, “there’s no movement for Labour to implement PR” says Bartley.

Difficult weeks

There is no good time to talk about it, but I have to ask about the recent ‘Challenor affair’. The Greens were forced to launch an investigation last month after former deputy leader candidate Aimee Challenor’s father was convicted for child rape: the same man was twice appointed election agent by Aimee, after he had been charged.

The disturbing revelations raised a lot of questions – and anger – in the party: how did the local party not know? (The house the crimes took place in was the base of Coventry Green Party). How much did Aimee Challenor – the party’s then-equalities spokesperson – know, and who did she tell? Some of these questions were answered on the site, but much remains unclear.

They refuse to comment on the ongoing inquiry. But “when we get the investigation comes in we’ll make those changes,” Berry says. There is a willingness to learn lessons.

The party has also seen allegations of antisemitism in recent months. “I’ve definitely seen evidence of antisemitism. It’s being looked at by the party’s disciplinary process,” says Berry. She notes the party are currently looking at whether to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. Would the co-leaders back it?

Berry is supportive, voting to adopt IHRA at Camden council. “That’s not difficult,” she says. The issue is “dovetailing it into a disciplinary process” – hence Labour’s row over the examples of antisemitism attached to the IHRA definition.

The issue will be debated at the party’s conference next month, as revealed by this site. 

Capital prospects

I ask about London instead. The vibe changes rapidly – Berry is ecstatic when she talks about her work in the capital.

So will she run in the London mayoral election next year? “I want to run again. I want to be Mayor,” she says.

The London-wide Assembly Member is pushing for ballots to be held on estates where ‘regeneration’ projects are planned. Khan has refused to accept this. But there have been Green wins – including increased funding for youth services in the capital. Khan must be an improvement on the last Mayor though? “He’s probably better than Boris…” says Berry.

It’s not a resounding endorsement, not least because Transport for London is at risk of ‘going bust’, she says: “The Tories were right that [Khan] was reckless for freezing fares.” It is an unenviable task for any future Mayor – Berry or otherwise – to deal with the prospect of a bankrupt transport system, after the Tories abolished its grant.

Sian’s focus for now on changing the law to protect renters’ rights. She is confident the campaign to scrap ‘no fault’ evictions – a clause known as Section 21 – can win.

And Jon is confident about other Green wins. We meet the day after Brixton activist Michael Groce finished in second place for the party, with 31% of the vote in the buzzing Coldharbour Lane ward. Bartley calls it a ‘whopping great vote’. But they have bigger hopes: “Coming third in London is an aspiration.”

He’s ‘loving’ being a councillor nonetheless, after winning a seat this May. And he is scathing of Lambeth’s ruling Labour cabinet – saying they rule by a ‘nod and a wink’ when it comes to housing regeneration.

Standing out

What makes the Greens different to the other parties today? It is their call for a ‘new economy’ Bartley says. “No other party is getting that.”

Within that are issues as seemingly small as pedestrianising Parliament Square – which Berry was calling for years ago. But it is the climate crisis where the party still stands out. “It should be on the front pages,” Bartley says. He’s in full flow now: “The charge against vapid centrism is saying ‘enough is enough’.”

“From air pollution, plastics, a four day week – where Greens lead, others follow.” That much is true. The issue for the party is whether the votes will follow too.

Does it mark a return to ‘traditional Green values’? No – it’s part of the whole package. On a wealth tax, for instance, Labour have said little. The co-leaders want a “fundamental reprogramming of our economy.”

“It’s the only way of tackling the climate emergency,” says Bartley.

Will they stand for Parliament to put those words into action? At this point, Bartley is running to catch a train – I don’t get an answer. For Sian? “I don’t know.” She seems interested in the idea but genuinely unsure – not least in a party where all candidates are voted for by local members. They will be meeting soon to decide.

Whatever the case, a spokesperson tells me the party are “getting election ready.” When the Greens said that at the start of 2017, I admit I laughed. Then look what happened. Laugh at your peril…

Josiah Mortimer is Editor of Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twitter.

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