Shahrar Ali removed as Green Party spokesperson
The Green Party of England and Wales has removed Shahrar Ali from his role as the party’s spokesperson for policing and domestic safety. The decision was confirmed by the chair of the party’s executive Liz Reason on Twitter. According to Reason, “the Green Party Executive has removed Shahrar Ali from his role as party spokesperson for breaches of the Speakers’ Code of Conduct.”
Ali was appointed to the position in June 2021. At the time of his appointment, Ali came under considerable criticism from party members and others, many of whom alleged that he had a record of transphobia. The following month, the party’s official youth and student wing – the Young Greens – passed a motion calling for his removal.
Ali’s role as a spokesperson is also widely believed to be behind Sian Berry’s decision not to re-stand for the party leadership after her co-leader Jonathan Bartley resigned. Announcing her decision, Berry said:
there is now an inconsistency between the sincere promise to fight for trans rights and inclusion in my work and the message sent by the party’s choice of front bench representatives.
Following the criticism of his initial appointment, Ali told Bright Green in June 2021 that he had “fought for the human rights of the marginalised and voiceless in our society for decades”. He said:
I have fought for the human rights of the marginalised and voiceless in our society for decades, and will continue to do so, for the LGBTIQA+, disabled and ethnic minority communities and for the rights of women and children, too.
Prior to the decision to remove him as a spokesperson Ali released a statement in which he referred to “a recommendation from a newly formed Spokespeople Support and Monitoring Sub-committee that [his] Spokesperson appointment be suspended.” In this statement, Ali claimed to have “done nothing wrong” and to have “stood by the principles and values of the Party for twenty years; nine years as a national Spokesperson, two of which as Deputy Leader.”
Alongside this statement, Ali launched a crowdfunder for a legal case he intends to bring against the party. In doing so, he claims to have been “subjected to unrelenting abuse, harassment and detriment” for expressing “gender critical views”. He goes on to allege that by removing him as a spokesperson, the party is in breach of the 2010 Equality Act. At the time of publication, the crowdfunder as received over £11,000 in donations.
Ali has since tweeted his response to the decision. He said it was “very disheartening” to hear of his removal, and vowed to “challenge this mistreatment under Gender Critical protected belief”.
The termination of Ali’s appointment has generated significant response on social media – including from prominent Greens in the UK. Co-leader of the Scottish Green Party Patrick Harvie said that the decision to remove Ali “had been a long time coming”, and described it as “positive news”. Meanwhile, Sian Berry said it was a “wise decision”. She added that she wished to “apologise to members and allies that I was not able to ensure our actions matched our values at a much earlier stage in what I know has been a personally painful process for many of you.”
The party’s LGBTIQA+ wing – the LGBTIQA+ Greens – also welcomed Ali’s removal. The group told Bright Green:
In light of today’s decision by the Green Party of England and Wales Executive, we welcome this step.
For us to be a united party, we are urgently urging the Executive and Regional Council to push forward with changes that are outdated and in need on a complete overhaul.
We have a duty to protect LGBTIQA+ members and we will continue to ensure and will hold the governing bodies to account if they fail to act in an effective and timely manner.
Prior to the decision being taken, a member of the party’s executive – Zoe Hatch – publicly resigned from the body and from the party in protest over being asked to remove Ali as a spokesperson. In her resignation statement, Hatch said removing Ali would be “wrong on the basis of freedom of speech”. She also claimed that people who advocate for trans people to be recognised as their gender on the basis of self-identification “inadvertently support nefarious individuals, male predators and abusers”
Ali has stood for the leadership of the Green Party three times. In the 2020 contest, he received his best result, coming third with 23.6 per cent of first preference votes.
The Green Party’s has strong policies in support of trans rights, including support for self-identification as the basis of obtaining a gender recognition certificate, and for increased provision of gender identity clinics.
Bright Green approached Ali for comment on the decision to terminate his position. At the time of publication, he had not replied. A Green Party spokesperson reiterated the comments made in Reason’s tweet.
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This article was amended on February 5 to include additional comment from the LGBTIQA+ Greens, Sian Berry and Shahrar Ali.
Where is the party’s definition of transphobia? And why do we have to accept Stonewall’s definition? Stonewall’s definition has been deemed to be one sided and discriminatory. That is why the BBC and many of Stonewall 800 affiliated businesses and not-for-profit organisations have withdrawn their support whilst our own GPEW Executive voted 8 for and to 2 against to renew the party’s affiliation fee of £2000 per year only a few weeks ago. Zoe Hatch, the party’s elected internal communications’s officer was one of the two members of GPEX who voted against renewing the affiliation fee has now resigned.
Stonewall have a long and strong record of speaking up for Human rights and particularly the rights of LGBTQ+ minorities though Nicole. The most marginalised of those are Transgender people who’s rights are under direct attack by the Establishment including the BBC and ERHC and daily attacks by the far right media.
By attacking Transgender peoples Human rights they are attacking everyone’s Human rights. Make no mistake, the reason Transgender people are being attacked and vilified today is the same reason Hitler’s Nazi’s attacked and vilified Jews in the 1930’s. It is political and the politics of hate has no place in any legitimate democratic party.
Transgender men are not silly young lesbians who do not know their own minds and transgender women are not perverted men who want to dress up as women so they can have easy access to women in public toilets. I can’t believe anyone actually believes that common stereotype including those in power which makes me think that they are using the fear and hatred already whipped up by the far right for the purpose of attacking everyone’s Human rights.
Don’t forget. The people who keep telling everyone they are being silenced are not Transgender people, we never hear from them. The people who are apparently being silenced are all over the media all the time telling everyone that they are being silenced. MSM loves telling us about how such and such a person is being silenced because of their views but we never hear from anyone who is doing the ‘silencing’ why do we think that is. I know what I think. xx
A great shame that our Party and members like Shahrar cannot sit down together and discuss issues like this in the rational way that is the hallmark of the Greens. I doubt very much that this is about values more than about communication and egos. I’m not saying the Party was wrong to remove his status as an official spokesperson but that this has become (or deemed to have become) necessary does our Party no credit. Similarly, a crowdfunding campaign to take action against the Party is divisive and a sad indictment on Shahrar, the last thing we need is this sort of infighting.
It’s never too late to cast egos aside and sit down together, listen to each other’s genuine concerns and find a compromise.
Yes, in my opinion we face a climate catastrophe and the probable extinction of the human race in the not to distant future. I am happy to campaign to prevent that arm in arm with those who support gender self-identification and those who are concerned about its implications for women’s rights. It should be possible to express both views in the party. We can’t afford to have people like Zoe Hatch driven out of the party as a result of issues that are not central to the party’s concerns. Also, not keen that a person like Sharar Ali who was appointed through a democratic process should be removed with so little explanation, or that the party should have lumbered itself with a potential legal case. All this is a hopeless distraction from what we should be doing.
SHAHRAR IS NOT TRANSPHOBIC – He has consistently supported trans people alongside all peoples who suffer from oppression, discrimination and hate crimes – especially the largest and most violated group of all – women.
Racism is most certainly a significant factor in the massive onslaught of abuse and persecution he has endured over several years, as will become more apparent in the coming months as the disgusting campaigns against him are exposed.
I’m with Zoe Hatch.
Ok so Zoe Hatch is now in the “line of fire” sorry to use a military term.
I stand with her.
I am just a Green Party member.
Others may agree with us.
Shahrar’s interpretation of Green Party trans-related policy differs from those who elevate gender over sex. However they conform to our policy within a sex-as-reality interpretation, which many other party members share. He explains this whenever comms media permit E.g long form writing and interviews. Same as all others spokespeople in that respect.
This is a witch hunt by those who pursue gender idolatry within the party, plain as that.
When and how exactly did the policy which justifies Shahrar Ali’s demotion become Party policy? I don’t remember any conference motions or debates.
Let me jog your memory then. Many conferences in the last decade have had motions passed by and for the LGBT+ Greens interest group. The motions passed overwhelmingly. As there was consensus, there was no debate in the plenary. In some cases, workshops have discussed and addressed questions.
Can we be told the exact words Shahrar Ali spoke or wrote which were used for his removal from office?
Ali has raised £10k already to fight this and added a stretch target of £20k. https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/sex-based-rights-vs-cancel-culture/?mc_cid=d4660459ef&mc_eid=4db9fab03a
Shahrar Ali has received a disproportionate amount of slurs from nomark people on the fringes of the party and within.
Time and time again apologies are made for his treatment.
The perpetrators are always white who don’t follow other Greens to the edge of the earth like they have here. This is because the party, as reported by Rashid Nix, when he was equalities spokesperson is institutionally racist. Shahrar should have been protected from this hate group that have only sought to silence him opening up conversations about issues that need to be discussed. Where others have shirked from addressing this, Shahrar has sought to face it head on. That is the meaning of true leadership, and GPEX have failed to protect one of our own.
People wanted Ali removed because his transphobic views are at odds with the stated policies of the Party. No mystery there.
There’s no need to resort to accusations of racism to explain it. Any transphobe in that position would be considered just as we unsuitable as spokesperson.
How many times will the green party or newspapers have to publicly apologise to Shahrar Ali until you realise what this is David. One slur after another.
https://www.greenparty.org.uk/green-party-clarification-regarding-shahrar-ali-and-allegations-of-antisemitism.html
misquote Rashid Nix all you want.
Open your eyes Ben Samuel. This is exactly what Rashid Nix said and he had to crowdfund to take legal action too.
Open your eyes and you shall see.
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/green-equality-and-diversity-officer-accuses-party-of-racial-discrimination
There are many of us who wonder whether there might not be an element of racism in the way Shahrar is being treated. I wonder whether those who are so keen to condemn Shahrar of bigotry ever look in the mirror and wonder what they are staring at? Do they not on occasion consider that they might not be capable of prejudice. Or do those who hurl out the phrase ‘ transphobe’ believe that they are so pure that they are incapable of prejudice? Have they no doubt?