Ani Townsend

A flurry of candidates for the deputy leadership of the Green Party have started to announce.

The fourth candidate to enter the race was Ani Townsend, who announced their intention to stand on 9 June.

Townsend has been a councillor in Bristol since 2015. In the 2024 general election, they stood for the Greens in the Bristol East constituency coming second to Labour and picking up 31 per cent of the vote.

Launching their campaign, Townsend said: “We cannot tinker at the edges while the establishment watches the system burn. I believe in a radical Green leadership—bold, unapologetic, and rooted in racial, economic and social justice. That’s why I’m standing. For a Green movement that dares to lead.”

They went on to say: “As a candidate for Green Party deputy leader, I will push the Green Party Executive to finally deliver the support our local parties need—not just at election time, but every single day, in and out of power.

“Our councillors and campaigners are the backbone of this movement, and they deserve clarity in leadership and real, material backing. Not just rhetoric. Not vague promises. Tangible action. Training, funding, infrastructure—delivered with urgency and purpose.

“We cannot expect branding alone to carry us through elections. Real change is built from the ground up. I will lead with purpose—and ensure no local party is left behind.”