Ash Routh and Melanie Horrocks

Green Party of England and Wales members will be electing a new executive (GPEx) this summer. A total of eight positions are up for grabs in this year’s elections, including the powerful role of GPEx chair.

The first candidate for GPEx chair has now come forward. Standing on a job-share ticket, Ash Routh and Mel Earp announced they are standing for the role this evening.

In announcing their candidacy, Routh tweeted, “Together, we can bring much-needed change and expertise to our executive committee, and put our stop to poor management decisions harming the party.”

Routh is currently standing as the Green Party’s candidate in the Wakefield by-election. She was elected to the party’s Standing Orders Committee (SOC) in 2021 and is a previous co-chair of the LGBTIQA+ Greens.

This isn’t Routh’s bid for GPEx chair. In 2020, she stood unsuccessfully, then with former deputy leader of the Wales Green Party Benjamin Smith.

Meanwhile, Earp has been active in the Greens in the North West. She stood against Andy Burnham in the 2021 Greater Manchester mayoral election, picking up 4 per cent of first preference votes and coming third.

Earp is also a prominent supporter of Greens4HS2.

Earp told Bright Green she wanted to use the role of GPEx chair to make the party “the best it can be for everyone”. She said,

Our main commentary is that as a lawyer and a former SOC member we want to see the party run in accordance with our rules – we want our time as co-chairs (if elected) to be not about us, but about the party being the best it can be for everyone.

Elections to GPEx take place every year, with half of the seats up for election.* Each elected post-holder serves for two years, and share collective responsibility for the party’s day to day management and financial health. In 2022, the positions up for election are:

  • Chair
  • Campaigns coordinator
  • Elections coordinator
  • External communications coordinator
  • Management coordinator
  • International coordinator
  • Trade union liaison officer

In addition to the roles listed above, there will be a by-election for the position of internal communications coordinator. This is being held as a result of the resignation of Zoe Hatch in February 2022.

Currently, just two other candidates have come forward. Matthew Hull announced he is standing for trade union liaison officer and Kefentse Dennis confirmed his candidacy for management coordinator.

Nominations for these positions close on June 30, with members voting throughout the summer.

*Author’s note – the exception to this is for the position of Wales Green Party leader, and Young Greens co-chair. Both of these positions have a seat on GPEx, but are elected through the rules set out in each organisation’s constitution.

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