Greens mark 50 years since birth of political movement to protect people and planet
24 February 2023
Green Party founders, leaders and parliamentarians will gather today to mark the 50h anniversary of the founding of the Green political movement in the UK [1] – and the first Green Party in Europe.
Around 40 past and present leaders of the Greens including Caroline Lucas MP, Green peer Natalie Bennett, founding members Lesley Whittaker, Michael Benfield and Freda Sanders, and Jean Lambert former MEP, will meet for the opening of the Green Party archive at the London School of Economics [2].
The event marks the 50th anniversary of the first public meeting of PEOPLE, in Coventry on 22 February 1973. PEOPLE became the Ecology Party in 1975, before eventually becoming the Green Party in 1985.
Former leader Caroline Lucas, who became the party’s first MP in Brighton Pavilion in 2010, said:
“The Green Party has come a long way over 50 years – transforming the public debate on the need to tackle the climate and nature crises, winning the political arguments for meaningful action, and being instrumental in the climate emergency declarations from both the UK Parliament and over 300 local authorities.
“But with time running out, we urgently need more Green MPs to keep challenging the political status quo, demonstrating workable alternatives and standing up for a fairer, greener and more liveable future.”
Current deputy leader Zack Polanski will also be at the event on Friday.
Polanski said:
“I’m so proud of the achievements of the Green Party – over the past few years, we’ve seen our councillor numbers rapidly rise.
“We still have a lot of work to do to meet the scale of the crises facing us and I know all over England and Wales members are ready to meet that challenge.”
ENDS
Notes
1
For more information about the 50th anniversary please visit: https://50years.greenparty.org.uk/
2
The event will mark the opening of the Green Party archive at LSE and exhibition: “Clothing this Naked Earth”: politics and the planet which contains archive material
For more information or to arrange an interview contact the press office on press@greenparty.org.uk or call 0203 691 9401