Carla Denyer. Photo: © House of Commons/Roger Harris.
Carla Denyer to focus on MP role
'The best way I can serve the party and the country is to pour all of my skills, passion and energy into being the best MP I can be'
The Quaker-linked MP Carla Denyer has announced that she will not stand again as co-leader of the Green party.
The Bristol Central MP said that she wanted to put all her efforts into her parliamentary role representing the seat that she won from Labour in the last general election.
‘It’s been an enormous privilege to lead the Green party alongside my excellent co-leader Adrian, wonderfully supported by our deputy leaders – first Amelia [Womack] and then Zack [Polanski],’ she told The Guardian. ‘We’ve achieved so much, taking the party from one MP to four, from 450 councillors to over 850, and winning nearly 2m votes at the last general election. But this is just the start for me and the party.
‘For me, my guiding light has always been: “How can I make the biggest positive impact?” And I’ve decided that for the next few years, the best way I can serve the party and the country is to pour all of my skills, passion and energy into being the best MP I can be, in parliament and in Bristol Central.
‘We’re at a critical juncture in British politics. People are feeling deeply let-down and are looking for real alternatives. And with the hard right on the rise in the UK and across the world, it’s never been more important for Greens to offer a genuinely hopeful vision for our future – and crucially to put forward real solutions to make people’s lives better.’
Carla Denyer, a former member of Young Friends General Meeting, has served since 2021 as co-leader with Adrian Ramsay, MP for Waveney Valley. With Adrian Ramsay yet to decide whether to stand as a solo candidate or with someone else, Zack Polanski announced last week that he would stand in a leadership election. Under the party rules, the pair would not be able to stand jointly as co-leaders, because they cannot be of the same gender.
Together as co-leaders, Adrian Ramsay and Carla Denyer delivered four MPs at last year’s general election.
