GWD response to Leadership response to our Open Letter!

TO: CEOs, Leaders, Parliamentarians, GPEx, GPRC, DC Chairs, SOC

13/01/2025

Dear Adrian and Carla,

Thank you for acknowledging our letter regarding the serious concerns of GWD’s 1,500+ signatories. However, we must express grave disappointment that your response addresses only one of our five specific requests, and does so without any concrete detail about the review announced in September 2024.

To illustrate why immediate action is necessary, we present just one detailed case study from our extensive documentation:

The experience of GWD co-founder, GPW co-chair and Green Campaigner, Emma Bateman, demonstrates multiple systematic failures in the current disciplinary process. 

• Multiple No Fault Suspensions were imposed on Emma over a period of 3 years because she  expressed legally protected beliefs.

• A complaint found to be “unreasonable” under UPVAM guidance was nonetheless pursued by the Party.

• Emma’s appeal decisions were delayed beyond standard timeframes (17 weeks versus the usual 2 weeks).

• Constitutional contradictions were exposed when GPRC overturned an Appeals Committee decision.

• The Standing Orders Committee was unable to reach consensus on the validity of the process used.

• Zoe Hatch and Jude English (also GPW Co-chairs) raised concerns about Emma’s case through the Speaking Out process and subsequently faced suspension and then expulsion.

• Emma exhausted all the internal channels within the party. She has now been forced to litigate at personal and professional cost due to GPEW’s persistent failure to prevent procedural errors and unlawful discrimination against her.  

This is not an isolated experience. Our legal analysis of numerous cases illustrates the severity and scope of these issues. A concerning pattern of systemic failures includes:

• Multiple instances in which senior party figures have used disciplinary processes to target members expressing legally protected beliefs

• Strategic timing of disciplinary delays to prevent conference participation

• Constitutional conflicts in disciplinary and appeals processes

• Lack of transparency in decision-making

• Discriminatory treatment of women’s groups compared to other liberation groups

• Committee chairs demonstrating clear bias against protected beliefs

We have comprehensive documentation of these cases and are prepared to share this evidence, under appropriate confidentiality agreements, with independent reviewers. Our goal is to help the party establish robust, fair, and legally compliant processes that reflect our values of democracy and social justice. We are concerned that an ongoing failure to act means that:

• Members will continue to face disciplinary action for expressing beliefs legally protected under the Equality Act 2010

• Women expressing concerns about sex-based rights will continue to face harassment

• The problematic and unlawful  Queerphobia Guidance will remain in active use  contrary to legal recommendations

• Long-standing environmental and feminist members will remain suspended or expelled

• Party bodies will continue to operate without proper oversight or accountability

We urge you to understand that these issues extend beyond individual cases – they represent a systemic failure that puts the party at significant legal, reputational and financial risk. The current situation suggests either a loss of control over disciplinary processes or, more seriously, the deliberate misuse of these processes by a political faction intent on silencing legitimate political discourse.

We therefore reiterate our original requests and would appreciate your specific responses to:

1. Timeline, scope, and external oversight arrangements for the disciplinary review

2. Plans for consulting affected members and groups

3. Interim protective measures for currently impacted members

4. Response to our request for an unequivocal statement regarding:

   • Welcome of members with gender critical beliefs within GPEW

   • Protection of sex-based rights

   • Rights of lesbians to organise based on same-sex attraction

   • Commitment to upholding the Equality Act 2010

5. Immediate withdrawal of the Queerphobia Guidance 

The Green Party has an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in handling complex issues while respecting both protected characteristics and protected beliefs under the Equality Act. However, this requires moving beyond acknowledgements to meaningful action.

As this correspondence will be published, we look forward to your substantive response addressing these specific points.

Yours sincerely,
Green Women’s Declaration