I’m going to be voting for
Natalie Bennett as new leader of the Green Party, and here’s why.
Natalie has championed
women within the party, encouraging them to stand for roles both within the
party and as candidates in elections. She has also founded Green Party Women, a
subgroup that works to make links between the party and women's groups and organisations
nationally and internationally, to promote the women-friendly policies and
approach of the party, and to work generally to promote women's rights. She has
been instrumental in writing many of our women-centric policies, such as those
on parental leave, women asylum seekers and abortion rights.
As Chair of the group she
has travelled around the country, speaking with women from local parties and
regions, inspiring women to take more active roles in their local parties. How
do I know she has done this? Because, as Secretary of the group, I was often
there too! Sheffield, Huddersfield, Brighton, Lewisham, Manchester, Lancaster, Norwich,
Stroud, Cambridge - very inspiring days! Made all the more so by Natalie’s
presence.
She’s also Chair of Camden
Green Party, probably one of the most dynamic local party going. In the recent
London Mayoral and London elections, Camden went all out to boost the Green
vote, even opening a campaign shop for several months. The Green Party of
course became the third party in London on May 3rd, and it was in no
small part due to Natalie’s work, because as well as being Camden’s dynamic
Chair she was also a fantastically eloquent London Assembly candidate. I
witnessed her excellent performance at the Progressive Women Hustings at the
House of Commons, in the run up to the elections, and, not for the first time,
I was proud to be a Green Party member.
Indeed, public speaking is
one of Natalie’s key skills. I will never forget how she left the other
candidates standing at a hustings for the 2010 General Election, when she was
the Green Party candidate for Holborn and St Pancras. Even veteran MP Frank
Dobson looked somewhat amateur compared to Natalie’s passionate yet calm
performance. I felt the mood of the room move in her favour, which was played
out by the long line of people who lined up to speak to her afterwards – I had
to get in the queue! People who perhaps hadn’t even thought about the Green
Party were buzzing about ideas such as a Citizen’s Income and a London Living
Wage, and other ideas which are radically, uniquely Green. Not every candidate
can inspire people thus. Natalie can.
I could go on and on, but there are many more people who are already
singing Natalie’s praises, and rightly so! A dynamic exponent of our policies,
an inspiring presence, an incredibly eloquent speaker, and also the hardest
working person I’ve ever known. In short, a naturally brilliant leader.
Please vote for Natalie
Bennett for Green Party leader!
