Women have reportedly left the Green Party due to "extraordinary instances of misogyny" that the party's leadership has allegedly downplayed, according to a motion prepared for the party's autumn conference.
The motion states that female councillors and officers have reported being "sidelined, patronised, intimidated or treated with hostility by male colleagues." It further accuses the party of failing to confront "institutionalised misogyny" and suggests that such behavior has been "downplayed, denied or treated as less serious than other forms of oppression."
Peter Thelwell, a former Green council candidate in York, proposed the motion. He indicated that "countless direct accounts" have been received in the past month from women who have either left the party or are considering doing so because of minimized instances of misogyny. Thelwell is encouraging other members to submit anonymized accounts of their experiences.
The motion calls for the party's complaints panel to treat misogyny allegations with the same seriousness as other forms of discrimination. It also urges party officials to develop educational materials on topics such as patriarchy, misogyny, gendered power, and intersectionality, and to implement mandatory training for staff.
Jennifer Dee Norman-Kerr, who was a Green candidate in Leeds East in the 2024 general election, reported that local female councillors, candidates, and officers have experienced "abusive language, intimidation and interference in election campaigns." She stated that these issues have led to "early resignations, withdrawals from participation and fewer women and non-binary people nominating themselves for elections."
A spokesperson for the Green Party noted that motions are submitted democratically for their conference and are subject to a prioritization ballot, with the majority not being discussed. A party source expressed that they did not recognize the claims as an accurate characterization of the party's situation, particularly concerning Leeds or the scale of internal misogyny complaints. This source emphasized that misogyny is prevalent in society, and all organizations have a responsibility to improve. The spokesperson also highlighted the party's existing internal processes for addressing discrimination and misconduct allegations, as well as policies aimed at tackling violence against women and girls, supporting domestic abuse victims, and protecting reproductive rights.