Ahead of the Green Party leadership election, Chowns and Ramsay have set out their ambition to shape the next government

With the government under legal pressure to prove it is serious about environmental targets, Green Party MPs Ellie Chowns and Adrian Ramsay say only a stronger Green presence in a likely hung Parliament can guarantee action on the climate crisis is delivered, not delayed. That’s the message they’re delivering ahead of the Green Party leadership election.

Green Party leadership election: Chowns and Ramsay set out to turn public support into ‘political power’

As part of their joint bid to lead the Green Party, the two MPs argue that the next parliament could be the most consequential in a generation – and that Green leadership must be at the heart of it.

Chowns said:

This is a make-or-break moment for climate and for communities. With a hung Parliament on the cards, the Greens could hold the balance of power – and we will use it to demand real action on climate and on electoral reform. Empty rhetoric is just not good enough.

Chowns and Ramsay both overturned huge majorities in 2024, winning in so-called ‘unwinnable’ seats by reaching far beyond the party’s traditional base. Their campaign to lead the party focuses on turning growing public trust into real political power – grounded in credibility, experience, and a clear vision for change.

Chowns continued:

We were told it couldn’t be done – but we proved that when we lead with hope, fairness and ambition, we can win anywhere. That’s what it will take to grow our movement and help shape the next government.

Ramsay, who co-led the party’s national election strategy, has been instrumental in the Green surge over the past five years. During this time, the Green Party has doubled its number of councillors and quadrupled its MPs.

Given this, Ramsay said ahead of the Green Party leadership election:

This success wasn’t an accident. It’s the result of years of hard work, discipline and strategic leadership. That’s what we bring – and that’s what the next phase of Green politics needs. With the era of two-party politics now clearly over, there’s everything to play for.

The Green Party combatting the rise of Reform: a politics ‘rooted in community, not polarisation’

The pair also responded to growing concerns about the rise of Reform UK. They have called for a confident, values-driven alternative.

Ramsay said:

We’ll never outshout Reform – but we can outshine them. We beat them by showing there’s another way – a politics rooted in community, not polarisation; in hope, not fear. Huge numbers of people rightly feel utterly let down by politics as usual. Reform have tapped into that anger, offering false solutions based on misinformation and scapegoating. People are crying out for a genuine alternative, real solutions, politics with integrity – and that’s what the Greens offer.

As Westminster faces mounting pressure to deliver on climate targets and rebuild public trust, Chowns and Ramsay say the Greens are the only party serious about both.

Therefore, Chowns argued that, ahead of the Green Party leadership election:

The stakes have never been higher. But nor has the opportunity. With serious, experienced leadership we can win many more Green MPs, and shape the future of our country. Real change is possible, and we’re ready to make it happen.

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