It comes as the Green Party of England and Wales membership is experiencing a “green surge”, with numbers of the main party increasing by thousands in a matter of days to 110,000.

The Young Greens numbers are following this trend, with 5,000 new members in less than one week across England and Wales.

Callum Clafferty, Young Greens Co-Chair, said: “The Green Party is THE political party for young people and students. 

“For real action on everything from inequality, to housing and the climate we are organised, energetic and ready to win.

“Zack Polanski is leading us into a new era of bold politics, committing to the change people are desperately crying out for.

“If you want real change and to be part of a winning team join the Green Party and get involved with the Young Greens today.”

Recent polling by YouGov also shows that the Green Party is leading in voting intention with 18-24 year-olds.

If a general election was called now, the data suggests that 30 percent of that age demographic would vote Green, while only 23 percent would vote Labour.

The rate of growth also suggests that membership of the Young Greens could soon match that of Young Labour.

Ciara Alleyne, Young Greens Co-Chair, said: “Twenty-thousand young greens isn’t just a milestone, it’s a movement. 

“The Young Greens are growing because our generation knows another future is possible. 

“Across the country, young people are choosing a future that is fairer, greener and full of hope. 

“We’re no longer waiting for change, we’re organising for it.”

The Young Greens of England and Wales membership is made up of young people under 30 and students at any age.

They focus on issues that affect these demographics, and work to make sure young people hold positions of power at every level of politics.

The post Young Greens of England and Wales reach 20,000 members appeared first on Young Greens.

The post Statement by the Young Greens on comments by Adrian Ramsay MP on the recent Supreme Court ruling. appeared first on Young Greens.

Austerity is a political choice and Labour’s continued refusal to implement a wealth tax, the case for which has never been greater, demonstrates their incapability of providing the change that the public voted for.

Responding to the Chancellors’ welfare spending reductions, the Young Greens Disability Officer, Elliott Lee said:

“£4.8 Billion in welfare cuts is Austerity, let’s be blunt. The Chancellor has said that these are tough choices yet everyone knows there are alternatives. Labour are not brave enough to be making enemies with the ultra-wealthy to fund the welfare state, it says everything you need to know about the Government.

The impact this will have on those with Disabilities is astronomical. As it is we know the benefits package is not enough for those most vulnerable and this will only have a knock-on impact on families & carers, it’s going to push key services to breaking point. I am particularly concerned about the reduction in incapacity benefits for under 22-year-olds, The cost of being disabled is debilitating enough for those seeking Independence. This is only going to send many into isolation and destitution.”

Wherever young people’s lives may take them, the Young Greens are there to represent and advocate for their needs, views and wants, championing the rights of students and young people aged up to 30 across England and Wales.

We’re working hard to get more Greens elected. Join us, and let’s make it happen.

The post Labour’s welfare cuts will “push our key services to breaking point” appeared first on Young Greens.

Oil and gas companies Shell, Equinor and Ithaca must now seek new approval from the UK government before production can begin.

The Young Greens welcome this court ruling, which signals a step forward towards a sustainable fossil-free future. It has long been clear that investment in a just transition is essential in supporting long-term and secure jobs for workers. This can only be achieved through a transition to clean energy industries.

The Young Greens Co-Chair Callum Clafferty said:

“We celebrate the decision today to rule Rosebank unlawful. Oil and gas cannot be allowed to expand whilst we accelerate to climate catastrophe. This is a victory for social and climate justice, showing that lining the pockets of oil and gas CEOs must not stand in the way of a liveable planet. The dedicated work of countless activists and campaigners has made this possible. We have to keep up the pressure to ensure the decision isn’t appealed and Labour don’t backtrack further and re-approve oil and gas expansion in the North Sea. Today is another step in the right direction and now we must organise to enable a just transition away from oil and gas to become a reality. We have to act now to ensure that no community is left behind in the transition to a sustainable society”

Wherever young people’s lives may take them, the Young Greens are there to represent and advocate for their needs, views and wants, championing the rights of students and young people aged up to 30 across England and Wales. We’re working hard on getting more Greens elected. Join us, and let’s make it happen.

Join the Young Make Votes Matter network and be kept up to date with how you can make a difference.

The post Court Ruling a Welcome Move Away from New Oil and Gas appeared first on Young Greens.

The Bill saw 138 MPs from 6 parties vote in favour.

However, The Elections (Proportional Representation) Ten Minute Rule Bill is not likely to progress, due to Keir Starmer’s government refusing to give it parliamentary time for further debate. 

Keir Starmer’s continued inaction over our failing voting system has again let the UK electorate down, u-turning on his previous pledge for electoral reform announced during the 2020 Labour leadership campaign.  

This year’s general election was one of the most unrepresentative in UK history: with only 34% of the vote share, Labour gained a landslide victory. Under this system, political diversity is suppressed. Keir Starmer’s refusal to commit to real electoral reform demonstrates a broken voting system which pressures tactical voting and does not reflect the voice of the public.

According to the Electoral Reform Society, the Green Party, with about 7% of the vote, should have around 40 MPs. Under first-past-the-post , this translates to just 0.6% of MPs. Green votes are being devalued and underrepresented, and this Bill has the opportunity to restore the public’s trust in UK democracy. 

For young people, whose future rests on the outcome of general elections and politicians in power, Proportional Representation is required more than ever. 

The Young Greens have been working with campaign group Make Votes Matter as they launch their new youth wing, Young Make Votes Matter, a cross-party network dedicated to mobilising the next generation of voters.

Livvy Gibbs, South East Scotland Representative at Young Make Votes Matter, commented on the Bill: 

“Young Make Votes Matter believes in building a democracy that truly reflects the diverse voices of our generation.

Achieving PR isn’t just about fairness; it’s about creating a political system where every vote counts, empowering communities, and delivering better outcomes for people and the planet. 

With trust in politics at an all-time low, PR offers a vital opportunity to reimagine our democracy as one that fosters collaboration and equips us to meet the challenges of the future.

This Ten Minute Rule Bill represents a meaningful step toward that vision, and Young Make Votes Matter is proud to champion it.” 

The Green Party are calling for the replacement of the undemocratic first-past-the-post system for parliamentary and council elections with a fair and proportional voting system.

Wherever young people’s lives may take them, the Young Greens are there to represent and advocate for their needs, views and wants, championing the rights of students and young people aged up to 30 across England and Wales. We’re working hard on getting more Greens elected. Join us, and let’s make it happen.

Join the Young Votes Matter network and be kept up to date with how you can make a difference.

The post Young Greens Support Commons vote to move to Proportional Representation appeared first on Young Greens.

It has been over 100 days since Keir Starmer became Prime Minister. And so far, a disappointing start to the country’s first term since the end of 14 years under the Conservatives.

At a time when radical and positive change is required more than ever, this budget affords that opportunity to the Labour Party. We need a budget that stands for a greener and fairer future for all:

Increase funding for public services:

Our public services have been enormously underfunded under the Conservatives. The country desperately needs a public, properly funded health and social care system, including an NHS free from the risk of privatisation. This also includes reversing the failed privatisation of energy, water, and transport. 

End tuition fees:

The discourse surrounding the increase in tuition fees to £10,500 a year delivers yet another blow to students. 

After constant years of Conservative cutbacks, students had hoped that things might be different under the new Labour government. This hope has since changed to anger and frustration. To expect students to pay over £10,000 a year for often very limited contact hours with teaching staff shows a distinct lack of consideration for working people and students.

The Green Party is calling on the government to introduce a wealth tax on the ultra-rich. This would ensure that students are not bearing the brunt of the university funding crisis, in addition to raising the wages of higher education workers who have seen their salaries fall compared with inflation for more than a decade.

It should be the government, not students or staff, that funds education. Tuition fees and student debt should be scrapped, replacing student loans with maintenance grants tied to the rate of inflation.

Affordable transport: 

Public transport needs to be affordable for all, especially for young people who are among its most reliant. The Young Greens strongly oppose the scrapping of the £2 fare cap in England.

This will raise little funds for the government and will instead harm those who simply cannot access, or afford, other means of travel. It is also vitally important that our government makes it easier for people to opt for greener modes of transport as the climate crisis continues to escalate. 

The Green Party supports an increase to annual public subsidies for rail and bus travel to £10bn by the end of the next Parliament, in addition to free bus travel for under-18s.

Young Green Co-Chairs Luanne Thornton and Callum Clafferty commented:

“The budget is Labour’s first major chance to deliver on their promise of change. They have a choice, either to radically transform our system for the benefit of people and the planet or more of the same, destructive, neo-liberal austerity. 

The choice should be an easy one: tax the wealthy and heavy polluters, invest in our public services, and start undoing the damage of 14 years of Conservative government. 

No matter what, the Young Greens will always side with climate, social, racial, and economic justice. If you want real hope and real change, join us today.”

The post Young Greens Hopes for The Upcoming Labour Budget appeared first on Young Greens.

We condemn the violence from the far-right seen across the country. This has been targeted towards immigrants, people of colour and Muslims as these rioters seek to divide our communities and spread fear and hatred. We condemn the racist, Islamophobic and xenophobic riots and the damage they have caused, and stand with all those who have been targeted, and the communities around them.

This violence is the result of continuous scapegoating by the media and politicians of these communities, who construct a false narrative of ‘illegal immigrants’. This racist rhetoric must end. Politicians must stop scapegoating immigration for the failures of their policies. 

The Young Greens believe that immigration is a good thing, and that no one is illegal. We will make our case for it proudly. We welcome diversity in our communities and celebrate those who have chosen to make England and Wales their home.

If you are able to do, so we call on all Young Greens to do the following:

• Get involved with your local anti-facist and anti-raids campaigns.
• Call out Islamophobia and hate online and in our communities.
• Reach out to, and actively work with, your local faith communities, mosques, churches, gurdwaras, and synagogues.
• Donate to local community funds.
• Contact your local politicians, your MPs and local Councillors, and push them to take a stand against racism in our society.

Resources:

• Tell MAMA Counselling support to victims of anti-Muslim hate or Islamophobia
• Liberty Bust Cards
• Solidarity Knows No Borders Organising Handbook

The post Statement on Far Right Rioting appeared first on Young Greens.

The Green Party has achieved a landmark general election result, with 4 MPs elected to Parliament: Carla Denyer in Bristol Central, Siân Berry in Brighton Pavilion, Adrian Ramsey in Waveney Valley, and Ellie Chowns in North Herefordshire. 

The Greens have seen an overall vote share of 7%, over double the amount of votes received in 2019, and have placed second in 39 seats in England and Wales. Across the nation, we have chosen an end to 14 destructive years under a Conservative government. We have chosen real hope, real change, and strong independent voices in parliament who will stand up for the people of Britain and hold the new Labour government to account. 

Our Young Green candidates saw a particularly fantastic night of election results, with over 37 achieving more than 5% of the vote in their constituencies. Some of the highest Young Green vote shares include:

Ria Patel, Croydon West, with 10% of the vote.

Tor Pingree, Worcester, with 10% of the vote.

Nathalie Bienfait, Poplar and Limehouse, with 13% of the vote.

Joseph Hudson-Small, Stratford and Bow, with 17% of the vote.

David Craig, Tottenham, with 19% of the vote.

Callum Fowler, Lewisham West and East Dulwich, with 19% of the vote.

Lance Symonds, the Young Green candidate for North Cornwall, commented:

“The reason a lot of us young people are running right now is because we’ve been seeing everything go wrong in the last few years, and we are simply running out of time to do something about it.”.

Young Green win in Lancaster by-election!

We celebrate further election success after Maria Deery was elected city councillor for Lancaster University Ward, with 45% of the vote. Maria has been a strong and vital member of Lancaster Palestine Solidarity Encampment, calling for the university to cut ties with the arms trade, especially those linked with the IDF and their actions in Gaza. 

She will join Young Green councillor Tom Fish, who was elected to the same ward in 2023. Within two years, University Ward has gained two Young Green councillors in previously held Labour seats. This is a testament to the hard work of Young Greens in Lancaster and beyond.  

We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone involved in this general election; standing as candidates, attending action days, helping to create such an inspiring and positive campaign, and, of course, to every young person who voted Green on the 4th of July.

We’re working hard on getting more Greens elected. If you haven’t already, join us, and let’s make it happen. 

The post The Young Greens celebrate historic General Election results appeared first on Young Greens.

The Young Greens welcome the announcement of the General Election and the opportunity to remove the Conservatives after 14 destructive years in power.

The Green Party is confident in winning more seats in parliament, and we are delighted that over 40 of these Green parliamentary candidates are Young Greens.

We are excited to get to work supporting and campaigning for all our Young Green candidates, who will push for radical and lasting change and represent the voice of youth across the country.

Young Greens Co-Chair Luanne Thornton said:

“It is great to see so many Young Greens standing for election across the country, ensuring that youth interest, diverse perspectives, and innovative environmental policies are at the forefront of political debates, ensuring that we have fresh political ideas and a green future.”

Wherever young people’s lives may take them, the Young Greens are there to represent and advocate for their needs, views and wants, championing the rights of students and young people aged up to 30 across England and Wales.

To get involved with the Young Greens on your campus or meet other Young Greens in your local area, visit our Groups page to find out more.

The post Young Greens react to General Election announcement appeared first on Young Greens.

The Young Greens are celebrating a successful set of results in May’s local elections. The Green Party now has 42 young councillors across England and Wales, with 4 new councillors elected and 8 successfully defending their seats. 

Young Green’s saw successful results across multiple council and mayoral elections, including 26-year-old Frank Adlington-Stringer, who, with over 50,000 votes, came third in the East Midlands mayoral elections, securing 11.3% of the vote share. Furthermore, Jack Vickers, the Young Green candidate for Pennsylvania ward on Exeter City Council, came second, consolidating the Greens position as the second biggest party in Exeter. 

Bristol saw a huge victory, including a gain of 10 extra seats and 5 Young Greens elected. These gains ensure that the Green Party remains the biggest party on Bristol City Council, with 34 councillors.

 Young Green election officers Kelsey Trevett and Dan Kittmer commented: 

“We’re absolutely delighted that, yet again, so many incredible Young Greens have been elected to councils across England. Of all the Green councillors elected on Thursday, 1 in every 15 was a Young Green—a massively higher proportion of young people elected than any other party. Our Young Green Councillors will be fantastic representatives for their communities, standing up for renters, advocating for real affordable and social housing, and fighting for joined-up public transport.

Young Green Councillors have already secured free period products in public buildings in Oxford, committed Norwich City Council to supporting Trans and Nonbinary people, and organised in solidarity with the Palestinian community in Lancaster. We’ll all be looking forward to seeing what our newly-elected Young Greens go on to do in office.”

Results

The new Young Green councillors elected are:

Kemal Cufoglu, Colchester Borough Council

Toby Bolton, Norwich City Council

Ashleigh Davies, Cheltenham Borough Council

Izzy Russell, Bristol City Council

Cam Hayward, Bristol City Council

Abi Finch, Bristol City Council

Grace Couch, Maidstone Borough Council

Alex Powell, Oxford City Council 

The Young Green councillors who held their seats are:

 Lauren McLay, Plymouth City Council

Patrick McAllister, Bristol City Council

James Crawford, Bristol City Council

Tor Pingree, Worcester City Council

Thank you to every voter and campaigner who helped get young Greens elected. Our councillors will work tirelessly for a fairer, greener community in England and Wales.

You can find all your Young Green Councillors here!

Wherever young people’s lives may take them, the Young Greens are there to represent and advocate for their needs, views and wants, championing the rights of students and young people aged up to 30 across England and Wales.

To get involved with the Young Greens on your campus or meet other Young Greens in your local area, visit our Groups page to find out more.

The post The Young Greens celebrate local election success with 12 young green councillors elected  appeared first on Young Greens.