The Green Left is an anti-capitalist and eco-socialist grouping within the Green Party of England and Wales. It seeks to constitute a network for "socialists and other radicals" in the Green Party, as well as "act as an outreach body that will communicate the party's radical policies to other socialists and anti-capitalists outside the party." It includes some prominent members of the Green Party of England and Wales, and held its first meeting on 4 June 2006. Green Left members were early supporters of an "ecosocialist international", such as the Ecosocialist International Network.
Formation
Green Left was launched on 4 June 2006 by members of the Green Party of England and Wales. Those who supported the group included various members of the Green Party of England and Wales Executive, including Richard Mallender, Peter Cranie and Siân Berry, as well as Penny Kemp, Joseph Healy, Derek Wall and Peter Tatchell. Cllr Sarah Farrow and Cllr Matt Sellwood were elected as the co-conveners of the new group.
Aims and Beliefs
Green Left formulated its beliefs, agreed on at the meeting, in the Headcorn Declaration, which stated that Green Left hopes "to raise Green Party politics to meet the demands of its radical policies". The statement criticised the "New Labour government's abandonment of the policies of the left" and claimed "that the Green Party's progressive agenda makes it the natural home for the left".
The Headcorn Declaration
In June 2006, 36 members of the Green Party agreed to the core beliefs and policies of the Headcorn declaration which became a launch statement of the Green left. The launch statement included the following points:
It seeks to unite all socialists, anti-capitalists and radicals, in and outside of the Green Party.
It welcomes and wishes to continue the grassroots democracy within the Green Party of England and Wales, which should remain a "bottom-up" organisation.
Green Left wants to apply the slogan think global, act local to its own party, by increasing international contacts, while also seeking to create local coalitions, made up of various groups such as trade unions, faith-based communities and other minority groups.
