Good morning conference. 

Greetings from Wales  

It’s ten years since I attended my first Green Party conference here in Brighton , which I think it’s fair to say proved a life changing experience. I can still remember clearly how enthused and excited I felt on my train back to Wales so I’d like to extend a special welcome to all those of you attending conference for the first time and I’m confident your experience this weekend will have been as positive as mine was. 

As we’re in Brighton, I’d like to start with a message on behalf of Wales Green Party to a very well-known and respected local party member and outgoing Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas. 

Caroline, your years of tireless service to our party, your constituents and progressive politics across the board has been truly inspirational and you have led the way in showing how to do politics differently and be the change we want to see. Your support for our party in Wales and your active engagement with our campaigns has been invaluable and always much appreciated, 

Diolch o galon Caroline. Thank you. 

Conference, looking back at the recent Conservative conference circus, where minister after minister proudly paraded their cruelty and incompetence, it is impossible to understate the scale and urgency of the crises facing us, a situation made all  the worse by a Labour Party that appears to stand for nothing and unquestioningly echoes Tory lies. These multiple crises, climate, energy and economic all impact most heavily on the most vulnerable in our communities, locally and across the globe. As Greens we have long understood the interconnection between these crises and are the only party to have the genuinely joined up policies to tackle these challenges and create a fairer, greener future, the only party willing to speak truth to power.  That is why it is so vitally important that we continue to build on previous successes and continue to get increasing numbers of Greens elected at every level of government, not incrementally, but with an acceleration of growth and ambition for our party. Because, if not now, when ? 

And now is the time. When this tired and cruel Tory government finally faces up to reality and calls the general election the UK so desperately needs we will be poised and ready to significantly increase Green representation at Westminster, quadrupling our number of MPs. Here in Brighton, those constituents who have been so well served by Caroline will be welcoming their new Green MP Sian Berry who will be joined at Westminster by Carla Denyer in Bristol, Adrian Ramsey in Waveny Valley and Ellie Chowns in North Herefordshire. Our four for Twenty Four. 

We have seen the difference one Green voice in parliament has made. We can only imagine the impact these four talented, dedicated and passionate Green MPs are going to make. This historic breakthrough will be a game changer for both our party and British politics. 

In Wales we will be running our biggest and boldest General Election campaign to date, standing candidates across the country and campaigning tirelessly to deliver our biggest ever vote share across Wales, all  in preparation for 2026 when we will make our own historic breakthrough and get our first elected Green representation in Senedd Cymru. Like Westminster, our Green voice is desperately needed in the Senedd, holding the government to account, delivering real scrutiny and helping to make Wales a truly fairer, greener country.   

The electoral reform planned for future Senedd elections is our opportunity, one that puts us within touching distance of real influence in the next Welsh Parliament. An opportunity that we are more than ready to seize. We can win Senedd seats and we will win Senedd seats.  

And our ambition doesn’t stop there, building on our Senedd success we will move into our 2027 Welsh Local Authority elections where we aim to get Greens elected onto all twenty two Welsh Councils joining those that made that historic breakthrough in  2022. Those Councillors elected last year are making a real difference in their communities. Their hard work and dedication is showing Welsh voters the true value of electing Greens. Heartfelt thanks to you all. 

The political landscape in Wales is shifting. While devolution has undoubtedly enabled Welsh government to sometimes be bolder and more forward looking than their Westminster counterparts, the introduction of the Well-being of Future Generations Act being one example, the implementation so often fails to live up to the ambition. In many ways devolution can be seen to have failed the people of Wales. After twenty four years of a Labour government the levels of regional inequality are beyond unacceptable. We have the highest levels of poverty in the UK with one in three children living in poverty. The housing crisis is acute impacting communities across the country. As winter approaches we again see a vast portion of the population facing fuel poverty. On the environmental front the recent State of Nature report showed Wales to be one of the most nature depleted nations on these islands. 

Wales deserves better. 

And those gains that have been made under devolution are increasingly under threat from a centralising Westminster government intent on clawing back powers from the devolved nations. The post Brexit power grab is most clearly seen in the In the Internal Markets Bill and the Shared Prosperity Fund undermining any attempts to protect environmental standards and worker’s rights. 

And again, we see no indication of things being any different under a Keir Starmer government. 

Westminster is holding Wales back. 

This is why Wales Green Party believe that an independent Wales is vital towards creating a fairer, greener society and we are proud to be an integral part of  the movement in Wales working towards this goal. 

As Greens our vision of independence goes beyond flag waving and anthems. Though to be fair, as far as flags go, Wales does have one of the best. We believe that independence is a vital step towards devolving power to the lowest possible level and empowering communities across the country. An independence that simply shifts the Westminster power base to Cardiff Bay is not an independence that I would campaign for. 

Independence is meaningless if people can’t afford safe, secure and warm homes. 

Independence is meaningless without radical reform of institutionally racist public bodies. 

Independence is meaningless  if society continues to tolerate transphobia, homophobia and all forms of bigotry. 

As Greens we know that independence is meaningless without climate justice, social justice, economic justice and racial justice. 

Our vision is of an independent Wales working together with other nations, including our nearest neighbours, to build a truly, equal sustainable future. A nation committed to a zero carbon future, in control of its abundant sources of clean , renewable energy. An independent, diverse, welcoming cosmopolitan nation committed to equality. 

The Welsh writer and thinker Raymond William famously said, 

‘To be truly radical is to make hope possible rather than despair convincing.’    

And that is what we do as Greens. Our radical vision of a better future offers real hope to communities at a time when other major parties are most comfortable tinkering around the edges of a broken status quo. 

That is why it is so important for us to achieve the electoral success that we are capable of at every level of government across our two nation, starting with next year’s General Election breakthrough of our fantastic four for twenty four. 

Working together, I believe we can, we must and we will continue to grow and achieve the success our communities so desperately need. 

Diolch.

With 2023 now well underway, and spring threatening to arrive, I am increasingly excited and inspired by the levels of activity and campaigning I am seeing in our  local parties across Wales. Following our historic breakthrough last May in getting Greens elected across the country in the Local Authority elections, members can see the potential for even more electoral success in the future and are working hard in their communities and getting our Green message heard. In particular, the tireless work of our elected Green councillors is showing the very real difference elected Greens can make, speaking up for their residents and helping deliver real change. Going forward I am confident we will continue to build on this success and achieve even greater elected representation across Wales for all our communities. 

I am also very excited by the very real prospects for Wales Green Party to achieve electoral success at a national level, breaking through and  getting Green elected representation at the Senedd, our national parliament, in 2026. Having come frustratingly close to achieving this in 2021 our chances have never been better. 

The election in 2026 will be held using a different voting system from previous Senedd elections. The size of the Senedd will increase from 60 to 96 members and there will be no element of ‘First past the post’ voting. Instead the proposed new 32 Welsh parliamentary constituencies will be paired to create sixteen Senedd constituencies. Each of these constituencies will elect a list of six Senedd members using the D’Hondt method. This is the voting system that was used to elect the regional seats in previous elections. 

These changes greatly increase our chance of success. Campaigning across these new Senedd constituencies, geographically much smaller than the previous electoral regions, we will be able to target and focus our resources much more effectively, increase our vote share across Wales and get the Green representation in the Senedd that Wales so desperately needs. In some constituencies an increase of as little as 2.4% of the vote share would enable us to make this historic breakthrough. 

Getting Greens elected to the Senedd will be a game changer for our party and Wales. We can see the difference our sister party in Scotland is making, having gone from electing their first parliamentarian several years ago to now being a party of government delivering radical and much needed change. Wales deserves no less. 

I am confident that we can, and will, achieve this ambitious breakthrough . To do this we will need to continue to build on our recent successes, growing our party across Wales, increasing membership and building up resources. We are in a stronger position than ever before and I would like to thank you all for everything that you are doing in your local parties and communities to ensure our Green voice is heard, but also to thank you in advance for all we are going to do working together in the coming years to deliver the change Wales needs with Green representation in the Senedd. 

Diolch.

“There can’t be any room for slippage and misunderstanding. It’s not so much about what’s not in it – it’s about the need for it to be strengthened. We need a really strong focus on biodiversity and the nature crisis.”

The Agriculture (Wales) Bill is about working in partnership with the agriculture community, he added.

Mr Slaughter said: “We need to take the agricultural sector along with us. I speak with farmers all the time, and people at the NFU (National Farmer’s Union) and they are very much on board. They want to be doing the right thing as regards land management.

“So, I think that using this Bill to ensure that doing the right thing is the easiest thing to do.

“Food production is vital and at the same time everything has to enhance the landscape and the natural world.”

Read the full article in Nation.Cymru

Anthony said: “This moment is a crucial time for Welsh democracy. The entire devolution settlement is at risk, threatened by a UK government intent on clawing back powers from the devolved nations. The most recent and blatant example of this is Westminster’s use of Section 35 to block Scotland’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill, a disgraceful attack on democracy and human rights. Westminster isn’t working. Wales deserves better.

“Wales Green Party believes that an independent Wales is a vital and necessary step towards building a fairer, greener society. An independent nation working together with others to build a truly equal, sustainable future. A nation in control of its ample sources of clean, renewable energy moving towards a zero-carbon future. Our vision of an independent Wales is that of a diverse, cosmopolitan and internationalist nation, committed to equality.

“A better future for Wales is possible, free from the chaos and cruelty of Westminster. Coming together at this summit to share ideas is a vital step towards building a truly progressive, inclusive and independent Wales.”

Read the full article in Nation.Cymru

Cllr. Ian Chandler said: “I am delighted to be the Council’s Champion for the LGBTQ+ community in Monmouthshire. Despite the great progress that I have seen in my lifetime, LGBTQ+ people in the UK still face discrimination when accessing public services, at work and in education. Shockingly, two-thirds have experienced verbal, physical or sexual abuse, and nine in ten secondary school teachers say that pupils in their schools have suffered homophobic bullying. This has to change and I want to support LGBTQ+ people in Monmouthshire to have their voices heard.

“Like many LGBTQ+ people, I was nervous about finally ‘coming out’ publicly. I was fortunate that my family and friends are very accepting of me being non-binary and have given me lots of support in my journey. I want everyone, whatever their sexuality or gender identity, to feel able to live as their authentic selves with pride and without fear.”

Read the full article on the Monmouthshire County Council website.

Only 18 months ago the people of Scotland voted for a pro independence majority with both Scottish Greens and SNP manifestos pledging to deliver a referendum. For Westminster to ignore and override that mandate undermines our democracy and the devolution of power.

Scotland’s future should be a decision for the people of Scotland. Wales’ future should be a decision for the people of Wales. That is what a truly voluntary Union would look like.’

The conference comes following an exciting year for the Party in Wales. In May’s Local Authority elections Wales Green Party made an historic breakthrough getting Councillors elected across the country, eight Green Party Councillors around Wales plus two in Cardiff under the Common Ground joint ticket. This has resulted in a growing awareness of the Party and it’s policies and a steady increase in membership throughout the year.

On the eve of the critically important CoP 27 Climate Summit in Egypt Wales Green Party will use this conference to highlight their wide ranging policies to tackle the Climate Emergency and the multiple crises facing communities in Wales.

Anthony Slaughter, Leader of Wales Green Party, said, ‘ At a time of Climate Emergency, economic and energy crises, communities across Wales are being let down by both governments in Westminster and Wales. The failure at every level of government to take the urgent and radical action needed in the face of the climate crisis is already impacting on communities across Wales with ever increasing extreme weather events causing devastation and disruption in cities and towns throughout the nation. The ongoing failure to meet existing, arguably inadequate, climate targets displays an embarrassing lack of leadership on the global stage and is a betrayal of future generations.

Following our election successes earlier this year, and the increased exposure, people can see that Greens have the joined up policies to tackle the many interconnected challenges that face our society. That is why I am confident that moving forward we will continue to build on our success and get elected Green representation at every level of government in Wales. Elected Greens are delivering the change needed across Europe, including the Scottish Greens in government in Scotland. Wales deserves no less. ‘

Good afternoon conference, greetings from Wales.

I’d like to start with a message on behalf of Wales Green Party to one of our Newport members, a member very well known to all of you, our outgoing Green Party deputy leader Amelia Womack.

Amelia, Wales Green Party would like to thank you for your many years of tireless work, dedication and commitment to our party across both nations. Working with you has been an inspiration and an education in doing politics differently, speaking truth to power and getting Greens elected.

Diolch yn fawr Amelia. Thank you.

Conference, as we have been hearing and discussing here in Harrogate, these are extremely challenging times as we face multiple crises, climate, energy and economic, all impacting heavily on the most vulnerable in our communities locally and across the globe. As Greens, we have long understood the interconnection between these crises and are the only party to have the genuinely joined-up policies to tackle these challenges and create a fairer, greener future. That is why it is so vitally important that we continue to build on previous successes and continue to get increasing numbers of Greens elected at every level of government, not incrementally, but with an acceleration of growth and ambition for our Party. Because if not now, when?

In Wales, we took an important step towards realising this ambition back in May when we made our historic breakthrough in the Local Authority elections, getting Green councillors elected across Wales, North, South, East and West. Eight Green councillors across the country and two councillors in Cardiff were elected on the Common Ground joint ticket.

Across Wales, these newly elected councillors are already making a difference to their communities, from Lauren James in Newport speaking up successfully for her constituents on local transport and planning issues to Nathan Goldup – John getting his Climate Emergency motion passed unanimously by Neath Port Talbot Council earlier this week, all of our new councillors are showing the real difference a Green in the room makes.

Congratulations and thanks to all those candidates and the campaign teams whose tireless efforts ensured these successes, but also to every individual candidate and local party activist who campaigned in their communities across Wales. We achieved record results in many areas and each and every one of you played a vital part in building a solid foundation for our future success. I have every confidence that many of you will be joining your colleagues as Green councillors in the future.

I would also like to thank our outgoing Wales Field Organiser Ian Chandler. During their three years in the role Ian’s professionalism and commitment played a crucial part in this electoral success.

We have come a long way, but there is so much more to do. We must now achieve electoral representation at every level in Wales, building on this year’s breakthrough to ensure we get elected Green representation in the Senedd in 2026. We punch above our weight in influence but we know that we can achieve so much more.

The recent electoral reform announced for future Senedd elections is a gift for the Wales Green Party that puts us within touching distance of real influence in the next Welsh Parliament. While the reforms are not the fully proportional system we would choose, the next Senedd election will be the first in mainland UK with no element of first-past-the-post and offers a real opportunity for a historic Green result at a national level.

Building on our 2021 Senedd campaign, where we came frustratingly close to electoral success in south Wales, a shift in vote share of less than 3 per cent in Cardiff could achieve this ambitious and necessary target. We can win Senedd seats and we will win Senedd seats.

This, alongside new Green MPs at Westminster, would be a truly transformative moment for the Green Party and we look forward to working together with colleagues across the border in the coming years to achieve both of these crucial goals. These challenging times demand no less of us.

We are entering a new era of Welsh politics. As already mentioned, society is facing unprecedented challenges, desperately calling for our Green policies and our joined-up solutions to fundamentally shift narratives and systems. It is code red for action on climate and nature and the time and devastating effects are being felt at home in our communities.

Wales is particularly impacted. Wales is being left behind with regional inequality hitting us hard. Wales has the highest levels of poverty in the UK with one in three children living in poverty. Over 60 per cent of people in Wales are facing fuel poverty this coming winter. Rent rises in Wales are higher than anywhere else in the UK outside of London. The cost of living crisis is having a real and immediate impact on the most vulnerable in our society.

The UK Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda has done nothing but widen already unacceptable levels of inequality in Wales while supporting Westminster’s ongoing ‘power grab’ attack on devolution. We can only begin to imagine the devastating impacts of the new ideologically driven, unelected Westminster administration. People are going to die.

This is why our radical, Green voice is so desperately needed in Wales. Wales Green Party will continue to stand with community organisations, tenants unions, trade unions and others campaigning for equality and justice and defending our communities. We fully support calls for the Welsh and UK Governments to freeze rent – not people – and an immediate six-month ban on evictions, a cap on fuel bills and a real windfall tax on the dirty fossil fuel industry. These current crises were not inevitable. They are the result of clear political choices. We know things can be different.

This moment is also a crucial time for Welsh democracy. The entire devolution settlement is at risk, threatened by a UK government intent on clawing back powers from the devolved nations. The post-Brexit power grab of the Internal Markets Bill and the Shared Prosperity fund undermine any efforts of the Welsh Government to maintain high environmental and food standards and makes a mockery of the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

Westminster isn’t working. Wales deserves better.

As a party that believes in the devolution of power to the lowest possible level, Greens in Wales will do all in our power to resist this attack on devolution, but defending devolution is not enough. Wales Green Party believes that an independent Wales is a vital and necessary step towards building a fairer, greener society.

An independent nation working together with others to build a truly equal, sustainable future. A nation in control of its ample sources of clean, renewable energy moving towards a zero-carbon future. Our vision of an independent Wales is that of a diverse, cosmopolitan and internationalist nation, committed to equality.

Independence could rid us of the toxic British class system, support for oppressive regimes, the international arms trade, nuclear power, corruption, and tax avoidance. All of which are hugely damaging both at home and internationally.

Wales Green Party is proud to work with other progressive organisations in moving towards this goal of Welsh independence. While I can’t be in Cardiff today joining thousands, including many Welsh Greens, on the biggest post-Covid pro-independence rally, I want to take this opportunity to send a message of support and solidarity from Wales Green Party and Conference.

At a time of multiple crises, elected Welsh Greens will make the difference that is needed.

Our vision for Wales will act as a global case study for what a truly equal, sustainable society can look like, with real investment in our communities – putting people and planet first.

Our aims are ambitious but necessary.

Working together we can, we must and we will get the electoral success at every level in Wales that our communities so desperately need.

Diolch.

All three members of the Wales Green Party leadership team have announced they are backing Polanski. On July 10, Polanski announced he’d been endorsed by Wales Green Party leader Anthony Slaughter and deputy leaders Ammi Kaur-Dhaliwal and Helen Westhead.

Kaur-Dhaliwal told Bright Green, “After speaking at length with Zack, the first thought that came to mind was, here is someone who is professional, open and grounded. I am really happy to endorse someone who will help lead the Green Party through this crucial time.”

Westhead echoed these comments, telling Bright Green, “Zack’s energy and enthusiasm, alongside his ability to communicate our values inspires me, and makes him an excellent spokesperson for our party.”

The announcement came immediately following a hustings for the role hosted by the Wales Green Party. It is one of the first high profile endorsements in this year’s election.

Published first in Bright Green.

Cllr Lauren James, who now represents Shaftesbury, said: “I’m not in politics for a career, I’m in it because I’m angry.”

Read the full article in the South Wales Argus.