Ellie Chowns and Adrian Ramsay hope they'll have an opportunity to make a difference in Westminster.
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“Sorry I’m late, even this early thing’s get hectic” Ellie Chowns MP tells me. It’s 9:25am and Ellie is already two hours into her working day.
Ellie is the Green Party MP for North Herefordshire and has just launched her joint leadership bid with Adrian Ramsey.
They’re up against surprise challenger and current deputy leader Zack Polanksi, who launched his campaign for leadership in the Guardian. In the Guardian article Zack said he wants to see the Green party transform into a “mass movement” based around “eco-populism.
Adrian Ramsey has led the Green Party with Carla Denyer as co-leader since 2021. Typically Green leaders would stay in the role for two years but Ramsay and Denyer were initially elected for a three-year term. Then voters decided not to change leaders in 2024 because of the general election.
When Denyer announced that she wouldn’t be standing in this leadership election, Ramsey had to decide whether to stand with a new co-leader or to run by himself. Party rules state that the Greens can either have two co-leaders of different genders and a deputy leader, or one leader with two deputies of different genders. Within a week he announced he would be standing with Ellie Chowns MP.
When I interviewed Ellie, I decided to start with the obvious question:
“What do you and Adrian represent as leadership candidates?”
“We are about winning elections” Ellie tells me, “Adrian and I are super focussed on that”
They certainly have the experience for this. Both Adrian and Ellie over-turned huge majorities in the last elections, in constituencies that were previously thought to be unthinkable. In both cases, that majority had been held by the Tories.
Waveney Valley Vote Share:
North Herefordshire Vote Share:
“We want to focus all of our level on growing Green power at council level, the level of London Assembly, Welsh Senedd, and in parliament as well, because that is how the Green voice has influence.”
If they model their approach in other constituencies on their own impressive victories, this will likely mean a focus on bringing Conservative voters looking for measured and reasonable alternatives onside , particularly through ecological issues.
This seems to be a distinct approach from Zack Polanski self-dubbed ‘eco-populist’ approach.
Zack’s approach
In his Guardian campaign launch, Zack said “There’s an empty space in politics, where we’re not being as bold as we can be”. Adrian Ramsey and Carla Denyer prioritised work within local communities and away from the spotlight, and were often criticised for a lack of visibility. It seems the new partnership with Ellie Chowns will follow a similar strategy. As Lewis Aaron of Turn Left Media UK put it “I’ve seen Zack on social media more than Adrian Ramsey and Ellie Chowns put together”.
Whilst Ramsey and Chowns seemed to be trying to appeal to older, less anti-establishment voters, Polanksi seems focussed on building his “mass movement” first, and focusses on the local later.
He lays this out clearly in the Guardian article: “We’re not visible enough. I don’t want to see our membership grow incrementally. I want to see us be a mass movement… Being sensible and professional are good qualities. But I don’t think they should be our central policies.”
The fundamental Green values
Despite these differences the two leadership campaigns are have more in common than they have different. Both are committed to continuing the Green party’s criticism of the government of what they explicitly call “the genocide in Gaza”.
Of course, they’re also focussed on environmental issues. As Ellie told me: “We’re still so rooted in those fundamental Green values”
Despite her plans to grow incrementally, rather than rush into things, Ellie agrees with Zack that the current moment offers a huge opportunity for the Green party.
“It is everything to play for, its wide open”
Ellie Chowns, MP
Whilst she didn’t directly criticism Zack’s approach, Ellie did say that the way to counter Reform is not by “aping the style of a party [like them]”.
Rather than copying populist strategies, she says: “Politics can’t be about soundbites and polarisation. Politics has to be about seeking the best in everybody, appealing to the best in everybody.”
“It has to be about being our authentic selves, reaching out and countering the divisiveness that is so prevalent in politics at the moment”
Ellie Chowns, MP
London is key
London is going to be a huge focus for both campaigns. The Greens came second in 40 constituencies, 18 of which were in London. The next round of local elections will be in London next year.
Ellie says she’s: “Super excited about the opportunities we’ve got to break through in new places in London… By throwing loads and loads of energy into specific places we can build momentum and encourage more and ore people to get involved and get excited.”
Zack is London Assembly member, rather than an MP, meaning he will have more experience with this particular voting area but will be les prepared for the intricacies of local elections.
Adrian and Ellie on the other hand are MPs from rural constituencies. They know how to win seats but may struggle to balance policies that sit well with their constituents and urban voters.
This may well be the most important leadership election in the history of the Green party. Legendary pollster Prof Sir John Curtis says the UK is in the “age of five-party politics”.
The Greens have been growing election on election, and according to both Zack and Ellie, Labour are shifting to the right, leaving their traditional voters disillusioned and searching for a party that can counter Reform.
Nominations for the leadership open on 2nd June Voting will take place throughout August with the results announcement planned for 2nd September.
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Short Headline
Standfirst
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HeadlineWaiting For the Green Light: Meet the candidates hoping to lead the Greens, and London, into a ‘new age of British politics’
Short HeadlineMeet the Green leadership candidates
StandfirstWho will lead the Greens into a new 'age of five-party politics'
“Sorry I’m late, even this early thing’s get hectic” Ellie Chowns MP tells me. It’s 9:25am and Ellie is already two hours into her working day.
Ellie is the Green Party MP for North Herefordshire and has just launched her joint leadership bid with Adrian Ramsey.
They’re up against surprise challenger and current deputy leader Zack Polanksi, who launched his campaign for leadership in the Guardian. In the Guardian article Zack said he wants to see the Green party transform into a “mass movement” based around “eco-populism.
Adrian Ramsey has led the Green Party with Carla Denyer as co-leader since 2021. Typically Green leaders would stay in the role for two years but Ramsay and Denyer were initially elected for a three-year term. Then voters decided not to change leaders in 2024 because of the general election.
When Denyer announced that she wouldn’t be standing in this leadership election, Ramsey had to decide whether to stand with a new co-leader or to run by himself. Party rules state that the Greens can either have two co-leaders of different genders and a deputy leader, or one leader with two deputies of different genders. Within a week he announced he would be standing with Ellie Chowns MP.
When I interviewed Ellie, I decided to start with the obvious question:
“What do you and Adrian represent as leadership candidates?”
“We are about winning elections” Ellie tells me, “Adrian and I are super focussed on that”
They certainly have the experience for this. Both Adrian and Ellie over-turned huge majorities in the last elections, in constituencies that were previously thought to be unthinkable. In both cases, that majority had been held by the Tories.
Waveney Valley Vote Share:
North Herefordshire Vote Share:
“We want to focus all of our level on growing Green power at council level, the level of London Assembly, Welsh Senedd, and in parliament as well, because that is how the Green voice has influence.”
If they model their approach in other constituencies on their own impressive victories, this will likely mean a focus on bringing Conservative voters looking for measured and reasonable alternatives onside , particularly through ecological issues.
This seems to be a distinct approach from Zack Polanski self-dubbed ‘eco-populist’ approach.
Zack’s approach
In his Guardian campaign launch, Zack said “There’s an empty space in politics, where we’re not being as bold as we can be”. Adrian Ramsey and Carla Denyer prioritised work within local communities and away from the spotlight, and were often criticised for a lack of visibility. It seems the new partnership with Ellie Chowns will follow a similar strategy. As Lewis Aaron of Turn Left Media UK put it “I’ve seen Zack on social media more than Adrian Ramsey and Ellie Chowns put together”.
Whilst Ramsey and Chowns seemed to be trying to appeal to older, less anti-establishment voters, Polanksi seems focussed on building his “mass movement” first, and focusses on the local later.
He lays this out clearly in the Guardian article: “We’re not visible enough. I don’t want to see our membership grow incrementally. I want to see us be a mass movement… Being sensible and professional are good qualities. But I don’t think they should be our central policies.”
The fundamental Green values
Despite these differences the two leadership campaigns are have more in common than they have different. Both are committed to continuing the Green party’s criticism of the government of what they explicitly call “the genocide in Gaza”.
Of course, they’re also focussed on environmental issues. As Ellie told me: “We’re still so rooted in those fundamental Green values”
Despite her plans to grow incrementally, rather than rush into things, Ellie agrees with Zack that the current moment offers a huge opportunity for the Green party.
“It is everything to play for, its wide open”
Ellie Chowns, MP
Whilst she didn’t directly criticism Zack’s approach, Ellie did say that the way to counter Reform is not by “aping the style of a party [like them]”.
Rather than copying populist strategies, she says: “Politics can’t be about soundbites and polarisation. Politics has to be about seeking the best in everybody, appealing to the best in everybody.”
“It has to be about being our authentic selves, reaching out and countering the divisiveness that is so prevalent in politics at the moment”
Ellie Chowns, MP
London is key
London is going to be a huge focus for both campaigns. The Greens came second in 40 constituencies, 18 of which were in London. The next round of local elections will be in London next year.
Ellie says she’s: “Super excited about the opportunities we’ve got to break through in new places in London… By throwing loads and loads of energy into specific places we can build momentum and encourage more and ore people to get involved and get excited.”
Zack is London Assembly member, rather than an MP, meaning he will have more experience with this particular voting area but will be les prepared for the intricacies of local elections.
Adrian and Ellie on the other hand are MPs from rural constituencies. They know how to win seats but may struggle to balance policies that sit well with their constituents and urban voters.
This may well be the most important leadership election in the history of the Green party. Legendary pollster Prof Sir John Curtis says the UK is in the “age of five-party politics”.
The Greens have been growing election on election, and according to both Zack and Ellie, Labour are shifting to the right, leaving their traditional voters disillusioned and searching for a party that can counter Reform.
Nominations for the leadership open on 2nd June Voting will take place throughout August with the results announcement planned for 2nd September.
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