An ‘independent’ Wales Green Party is ‘inevitable’, says leader

An independent Wales Green Party is “inevitable”, according to its leader.

It is currently a semi-autonomous political party within the Green Party of England and Wales, but Anthony Slaughter believes that will change.

Its members voted against seceding from the England and Wales party in 2018.

However, it has since backed campaigning for Welsh independence in the event of a referendum, and Slaughter told BBC Politics Wales a split from the England and Wales party will come “sooner” because of that.

When Anthony Slaughter was asked about the vote against splitting in 2018, he said: “I wasn’t part of the leadership at the time but it was, we’re a grassroots democratic organisation, members make the decisions, so it was put to members.

“Some members felt strongly that it was time to leave as the Scottish Greens have done previously. So, it was put to members and overwhelmingly voted against at that moment in time.

“But as I said we’re grassroots, led by the members and you’ll know that our members came out in favour of campaigning for Welsh independence last year.

“I said at the time when we had the referendum from our members of splitting and becoming an independent Wales Green Party that not only was an independent Wales Green Party desirable. I believe it is inevitable, and it will come, and it will probably come sooner now that we’ve embraced independence.

‘Conference’ 

At the Wales Green Party conference last year, members voted in favour of the amendment: “In the event of a referendum on Welsh independence, the Wales Green Party commits to campaigning in favour of seceding from the United Kingdom.”

At the time Emily Durrant, the Green Party County Councillor for Llangors ward in Powys and their candidate in Mid and West Wales at the Senedd election, said that it was “a huge day for the party and an important day for me personally”.