2022–11–12: Elections for Green Party Wales — Regional Council and Disciplinary Committee (notes on transphobia)

As a Green Party member living in Powys, Wales, I just got an email that says:

As a Green Party member in Wales, you can vote here for representatives from Wales.

We are selecting two representatives for the Green Party Regional Council (GPRC) and also two representatives fort [sic] the disciplinary committee.

These are both bodies of the Green Party of England and Wales and have representatives from both England and Wales.

GPRC provides “a forum for dialogue between Regions, responsible for keeping under review the general well-being of the Party and for supporting and advising the Green Party Executive, particularly on matters of political strategy.” It also has “overall responsibility for interim policy statements between Conferences.”

Voting will close at 11.59pm on Friday November 25th

And when I clicked it I got the following lists, instructed to drag and drop the names into order of preference, and I’ve added emojis to show whether they’re trans-supportive (✅), unclear/on the fence (❓), or anti-trans (❌).

Green Party Regional Council

1. ❓ John Matthews
2. ✅ Adam Turner

Disciplinary Committee

1. ❓ Alan Butterworth
2. ❓ Lee Lavery
3. ❓ Robert Crowston

My usual plan for Green Party internal elections is to look up how transphobic any of them are, and tell you about what I find. Voila!

Green Party Regional Council (Wales)

❓ John Matthews

All I’ve been able to find about a John Matthews in the Green Party on trans issues is this comment on a blog post, and I don’t even know if it’s the right John Matthews, so I don’t think it’s reliable at all. (Plus this person is 100% on the fence on trans issues!)

✅ Adam Turner

Here’s Adam Turner on Twitter: @adamwjt. (Tweet proof.)

Adam Turner’s Twitter profile image

Supports trans rights! [Archived]

Disciplinary Committee (Wales)

❓ Alan Butterworth

I think that’s this guy and this same guy?

Alan Butterworth’s profile picture on whocanivotefor.co.uk

I cannot find any social media presence or statement of position on trans issues.

❓ Lee Lavery

Surely this is the Lee Lavery who stood for Flintshire in 2022 for the Green Party. Again, I cannot find any social media presence or statement of position on trans issues.

❓ Robert Crowston

I’ve not managed to find anything, not even a page to link to, nor any social media presence or statement of position on trans issues.