:Wales Green Party

The current Leader of the Wales Green Party is Anthony Slaughter,{{Cite web |last=Mansfield |first=Mark |date=2024-10-23 |title=Anthony Slaughter re-elected as leader of Wales Green Party. |url=https://nation.cymru/news/anthony-slaughter-re-elected-as-leader-of-wales-green-party/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=Nation.Cymru |language=en-GB}} with Phil Davies and Linda Rogers as co-deputy leaders. Wales-wide decisions are taken by the Wales Green Party Council, which is composed of the spokespeople, elected officers, and a representative from each local party.

As of 2023, the Wales Green Party is represented internally within the GPEW by Adam Turner and John Matthews,{{cite web|url=https://www.greenparty.org.uk/people/regional-council.html|title=The Green Party Regional Council|publisher=greenparty.org.uk|access-date=2023-03-25}} on the Green Party Regional Council (GPRC).

The Wales Green Party's Amelia Womack served as the Deputy Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales from September 2014 to September 2022.

In April 2023, one of the Wales Green Party's Co-Deputy Leaders, Amerjit Kaur-Dhaliwal, stepped down from their role, saying that "volunteering at this time has become a luxury I can no longer afford, given the cost-of-living crises."{{Cite web |last=Jarvis |first=Chris |date=2023-04-11 |title=Exclusive: Wales Green Party deputy leader resigns |url=https://bright-green.org/2023/04/11/exclusive-wales-green-party-deputy-leader-resigns/ |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=Bright Green |language=en-GB}}

Pippa Bartolotti became Wales Green party leader in January 2012. She stood (unsuccessfully) for the leadership of the GPEW later that year.{{Cite news|author=Hélène Mulholland|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/aug/29/green-party-search-new-face|title=Green party searches for new leader|date=29 August 2012|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-01-01|language=en-GB}} After four years of leadership, Bartolotti decided against standing for a further term as leader in the 2015 Leadership election which was won by Alice Hooker-Stroud, while Hannah Pudner became deputy leader. Alice was then re-elected in 2016 along with Grenville Ham and a returning Pippa Bartolotti as deputy leaders.{{cite web|url=https://wales.greenparty.org.uk/news/2016/12/16/leader-and-deputy-leader-announced/|title=Wales Green Party {{!}} Wales Green Party leader and deputy leaders announced|website=wales.greenparty.org.uk|access-date=2018-12-31}} Alice resigned in 2017, stating that her position had become "untenable" due to the voluntary nature of the role.{{Cite news|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/leader-wales-green-party-resigned-12699599|title=Wales Green Party leader resigns saying her position is untenable|last=Mosalski|first=Ruth|date=6 March 2017|work=Wales Online|access-date=2018-12-31}}

Alice was succeeded in early 2017 by Grenville Ham. Grenville defected to Plaid Cymru in late 2018 citing the party's vote to remain a part of the Green Party of England and Wales rather than to become an independent party (as the Scottish Greens had previously done) as his reason. Like Alice, Grenville described his position as "untenable".{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-45745692|title=Green Party leader in Wales joins Plaid|date=4 October 2018|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-12-31|language=en-GB}} Mirka Virtanen was elected deputy leader in 2016 to begin in 2017, replacing Pippa Bartolotti, and Benjamin Smith was co-opted to the vacant deputy leader role in July 2017.{{cite web|url=https://wales.greenparty.org.uk/news/2017/07/26/congratulations-to-benjamin-smith,-new-wales-green-party-deputy-leader!/|title=Wales Green Party {{!}} Congratulations to Benjamin Smith, new Wales Green Party deputy leader!|website=wales.greenparty.org.uk|access-date=2018-12-31}}

Anthony Slaughter (former deputy leader) was named the leader of the Wales Green Party in December 2018, beating Mirka Virtanen (deputy leader at the time) and Alex Harris in the leadership election. Duncan Rees was elected deputy leader. Mirka was co-opted back into the deputy leader role until December 2019. Lauren James was selected to replace her in April 2020.

===Green Isles Alliance===

The Wales Greens are represented on a Green Isles Alliance which includes Green parties from England and Wales (Plaid Werdd), Scotland, Ireland (Comhaontas Glas), Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man (Partee Glass Vannin). The alliance acts as a forum for the parties to advance shared political goals.{{cite web|url=https://greenworld.org.uk/article/green-isles-alliance-building-bridges-times-turmoil | title=Green Isles Alliance: Building bridges in times of turmoil |access-date=2023-11-24}}

In July 2018, the Wales Green Party had around 1,500 members. In April 2023, the Wales Green Party was reported to have over 1,800 members.{{cite news|url=https://nation.cymru/news/leader-of-welsh-greens-says-split-from-english-party-is-inevitable-and-desirable/|title=Leader of Welsh Greens says split from English party is 'inevitable' and 'desirable'|work=BBC News |date=17 April 2023}} By the end of 2019, the Green Party in England and Wales had a combined 49,013 members (up from 38,707 in 2018).{{cite web|url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Api/Accounts/Documents/22601 |title=Data |publisher=search.electoralcommission.org.uk |date= |accessdate=2021-06-07}} In October 2024, the Wales Green Party had 2,006 members.

The Green Parties in the United Kingdom have their roots in the PEOPLE Party which was founded in 1972, which became the Ecology Party in 1975, and then the Green Party in 1985.{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Ecology and Environmental Management|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JKTeiqPBpM4C&pg=PA220|date=15 July 2009|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-4443-1324-6|page=220}}

In 1973, three Welsh Green candidates (P. Jones, W. Jones and V. Carney) won seats in the inaugural Welsh district council elections in the Gadlys and Town wards on Cynon Valley Borough Council. The party narrowly missed out on a fourth seat to the Labour Party.[http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Cynon-Valley-1973-1991.pdf Cynon Valley Welsh District CouncilElections Results 1973-1991], The Election Centre (Plymouth University).{{Dubious|date=January 2021}}

In 1990, the Scottish and Northern Irish branches left the UK Greens to form separate parties. The English and Welsh parties became the Green Party of England and Wales, with the Welsh branch being semi-autonomous.

In 1991, Marcus Hughes and Brian Stringer were elected to represent the Bynea and Dafen wards on Llanelli Borough Council{{cite web|url=http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Llanelli-1973-1991.pdf |title=Data |publisher=www.electionscentre.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2021-06-07}} In 1995, both then stood unsuccessfully as 'Independent Green' candidates, losing their seats to Labour on the new Carmarthenshire County Council. In 1993, the Party won a county council seat on Anglesey (Ynys Môn) after a sitting councillor in the Aethwy ward had joined the Greens, but the Party did not defend this seat or stand any other candidates at the 1995 Isle of Anglesey County Council election two years later.{{cite web|url=http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Gwynedd-County-1973-1993.pdf |title=Data |publisher=www.electionscentre.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2021-06-07}}

At the 1992 general election, local Greens entered an electoral alliance with Plaid Cymru in the constituency of Ceredigion and Pembroke North. The alliance was successful with Cynog Dafis being returned in a surprise result as the MP, defeating the Liberal Democrat incumbent by over 3,000 votes.{{cite web|url=http://www.greens.org/s-r/13/13-07.html|title=S/R 13: How Green Was My Party?|publisher=greens.org}}Almanac of British Politics, 5th ed, Robert Waller & Byron Criddle{{cite web|url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4K4SZ2l1_qILUYySkZUbk40aUk/view?usp=embed_facebook|title=Cynog Dafis Greens.pdf|website=Google Docs}} The agreement broke down by 1995 following disagreement within the Welsh Green Party over endorsing another party's candidate, though Dafis would go on to serve in parliament as a Plaid Cymru member until 2000, and in the National Assembly for Wales from 1999 until 2003. Dafis later stated that he did not consider himself to be the "first Green MP".{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-12599220|title='Hybrid' gives first Green MP title to Caroline Lucas|publisher=BBC News}}

On 29 August 1997, the Wales Green Party issued a joint declaration with the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru, supporting the 'Yes for Wales' campaign and the establishment of a new National Assembly for Wales in the 1997 Welsh devolution referendum.{{Cite web|url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/rp97-129/|title=The Government of Wales Bill: Devolution and the National Assembly|first=Oonagh|last=Gay|via=commonslibrary.parliament.uk}}

In the 1999 Welsh local elections, Klaus Armstrong-Braun became the first Green Party councillor to be elected to one of Wales' twenty two unitary councils, winning a seat on Flintshire County Council.{{cite web|url=http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Flintshire-1995-2012.pdf |title=Data |publisher=www.electionscentre.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2021-06-07}} In 2006, the party elected Ann Were as party leader, the first female leader of a Welsh political party.

In 2010, the party became the only Green party within the United Kingdom to have not elected a Green candidate to a UK or devolved legislature, after Caroline Lucas was elected to the UK Parliament. In 2011, the Green Party campaigned in support of a yes vote in the 2011 Welsh devolution referendum.{{cite web|url=https://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/27-02-2011-vote-yes-for-wales-on-3rd-march.html|title=Vote|website=www.greenparty.org.uk}} In 2013, the Wales Green Party archive at the National Library was damaged in a fire with some historical material either destroyed or permanently damaged.{{cite web|url=https://archives.library.wales/index.php/green-party-wales-papers|title=Wales Green Party Archive - National Library of Wales Archives and Manuscripts|website=archives.library.wales}}

In 2015, the Party agreed to support as many powers for Wales as possible, 'up to and including independence'.{{cite news|last=Mortimer|first=Josiah|date=2020-10-27|title=EXCLUSIVE: "Wales can stand alone" says Green leader as Welsh party backs independence|url=https://leftfootforward.org/2020/10/exclusive-wales-can-stand-alone-says-green-leader-as-welsh-party-backs-independence/|website=Left Foot Forward|language=en-GB|quote=In 2015, Wales Green Party said it supported as much power for Wales as possible, 'up to and including independence'. Many Green policies – such as a Universal Basic Income – are not able to be implemented in Wales without further powers or independence.}} In the 2017 Welsh local elections, the Wales Green Party had their first county councillor elected to Powys County Council, for the Llangors ward.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-39813254|title=Local elections: Green Party gains first seat in Powys|access-date=24 May 2017|work=BBC News}}

In July 2018, the party held a vote on whether to split from the GPEW to form a separate organisation. Of those members who voted, 65% voted against the proposal, despite the leader Grenville Ham campaigning for independence.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-44837499|title=Green Party votes against Wales and England split |date=15 July 2018 |access-date=6 October 2018|work=BBC News}} In October 2020, party members voted that they would campaign to support Welsh independence if a referendum was called on the matter, with party leader Anthony Slaughter arguing that many green policies could not be implemented in Wales without further devolved powers or independence.

In September 2021, Matt Townsend called for the party to become independent from its Westminster counterpart, despite members voting against it three years earlier. Writing in Bright Green, Townsend pointed out that the Scottish and Northern Irish Green parties were both independent from the GPEW. "This has left Wales as one of very few nations around the world to not have its own Green Party," he said. Townsend also noted that whilst the Scottish Greens had now entered government with the SNP, the Wales Green Party failed to win any seats at the 2021 Senedd election.{{Cite web|url=https://bright-green.org/2021/09/12/why-the-wales-green-party-should-take-inspiration-from-scotland-and-become-independent/|title=Why the Wales Green Party should take inspiration from Scotland and become independent|first=Matt|last=Townsend|date=12 September 2021|work=Bright Green}} Slaughter told Nation.Cymru in August 2023 that, with the expansion of the Senedd in 2026, he expected Green MSs to be elected for the first time.{{Cite web|url=https://nation.cymru/news/hopes-raised-for-election-of-first-green-party-senedd-members-in-2026/|title=Hopes raised for election of first Green Party Senedd Members in 2026|date=31 August 2023|website=Nation.Cymru}}

In their manifesto for the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the party committed itself to Welsh independence.{{Cite news |last=Osborne |first=Rob |date=19 June 2024 |title=Green Party launches Welsh manifesto with promise to raise taxes on the richest |url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2024-06-19/green-party-launches-welsh-manifesto-with-promise-to-raise-taxes-on-the-richest |work=ITV News}}{{Cite web |date=2024-06-19 |title=Wales Green Party want tax on wealthy to boost NHS and education |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg33k7m0kddo |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

While associated mainly with environmentalist policies, the party has a history of support for communitarian economic policies, including well-funded, locally controlled public services within the confines of a steady-state economy. It is supportive of proportional representation voting systems and takes a progressive approach to social policies, including supporting a universal basic income and transitioning to a four day working week.{{cite news|url=https://wales.greenparty.org.uk/2020/05/14/wales-green-party-welcomes-the-future-generations-commissioners-support-for-universal-basic-income/|title=Wales Green Party Welcomes The Future Generations Commissioner's Support For Universal Basic Income|last=King|first=Harriet|date=14 May 2020|publisher=Wales Green Party}} It also supports the devolution of further powers to Wales.{{cite web |title=Policies for a Sustainable Society in Wales - Updated November 2018 |url=https://wales.greenparty.org.uk/resources/Wales/2018%20PfSSiW.pdf |website=wales.greenparty.org.uk |publisher=Wales Green Party |access-date=5 August 2020}} In October 2020, the party announced that it would campaign for Welsh independence should a referendum be held.{{cite tweet|user=WalesGreenParty|author=Wales Green Party|number=1320041760198975494|title=Today, Wales Green Party has committed to campaigning in favour of an Independent Wales in the event of a referendum. A huge thanks to all those who helped create and pass this motion!|date=24 October 2020|accessdate=24 October 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://nation.cymru/news/england-and-wales-green-party-backs-welsh-independence-referendum/|title=England and Wales Green Party backs Welsh independence referendum|date=2 February 2021|website=Nation.Cymru}}{{cite web|url= https://twitter.com/WalesGreenParty/status/1320041760198975494|title=Tweet |website=twitter.com|accessdate=2021-07-29}}

The party emphasises expanding localised renewable energy projects. Other policies within its Policies for a Sustainable Society in Wales include: phasing out waste incineration, improving public transport and supporting new safe standing areas in Welsh sports stadiums. Also included within the party’s policies is the commitment to "bring the rail system, including track and operators, back into public ownership".{{cite web |url= https://wales.greenparty.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/51/2021/09/2021-PfSSiW.pdf |title= Policies for a Sustainable Society in Wales |website= wales.greenparty.org.uk |access-date= 12 March 2022 |quote= We will bring the rail system, including track and operators, back into public ownership, building on the recent approach in this direction by the Welsh Government.}}

The party supports universal free school meals, both during school term time and during school holidays.{{cite news |last= Jarvis |first= Chris |date= 5 November 2023 |title= Wales Green Party agrees to support universal free school meals, including in the holidays |url= https://bright-green.org/2023/11/05/wales-green-party-agrees-to-support-universal-free-school-meals/ |work= Bright Green |access-date= 29 November 2023}} The party also supports ending the two child benefits cap.

The Wales Green Party wants to raise Universal Credit by £40 per week, increase Pension Credit and provide an immediate uplift in disability benefits by 5%.{{cite web |url= https://wales.greenparty.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/51/2024/06/DigitalVersionWalesGreenParty-Manifesto-2024-English.pdf?x30553 |title= For a fairer greener country |date= 2024 |website= wales.greenparty.org.uk |access-date= 5 August 2024}} The party also supports increasing the minimum wage to £15 an hour, with the cost to small businesses offset by reducing their national insurance.

In terms of state funding, the party is in favour of a yearly 1% tax on assets above £10 million and a 2% yearly tax on assets above £1 billion. It would also scrap the upper earnings limit so that high income earners pay more national insurance. Furthermore, the party would reform taxes on taxable gains from capital so that it equates to taxes earned from income. Another state revenue source it would seek is a £120 carbon tax per tonne of emitted carbon, as well as carbon taxing fossil fuel imports and fossil fuel extractions.

The party supports the creation of a free at the point of use National Care Service.{{cite news |last= Hayward |first= Will |date= 19 June 2024 |title= What does the future hold for the Greens in Wales? |url= https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/what-future-hold-greens-wales-29383503 |work= WalesOnline |access-date= 5 August 2024}}

{{See also|Young Greens of England and Wales}}

Wales Young Greens is the youth and student 'local group' of the Young Greens of England and Wales.{{cite web | url=https://www.younggreens.org.uk/groups/ | title=Groups}}

The current co chairs of the Young Greens of England and Wales are Jane Baston and Luanne Thornton.{{cite web|title= People|url= https://www.younggreens.org.uk/people/|website= www.younggreens.org.uk|accessdate= 8 May 2021}}

Welsh Green Pride is the LGBTIQA+ Liberation group within the Wales Green Party. The group started a UK wide review of the discriminatory blood ban 'which excludes any LGBTIQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex & Queer) people who have had sexual relations in the past 12 months from donating blood'.{{cite web|title= Blood ban campaign success|url= https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/13717109.welsh-green-pride-celebrate-blood-ban-campaign-success/|website= www.southwalesargus.co.uk|accessdate= 8 May 2021}} The group ran a petition and later met with Mark Drakeford{{Cite web |title=Wales Green Party News |url=https://wales312.rssing.com/chan-6619089/all_p9.html#:~:text=Welsh%20Green%20Pride%20and%20the%20Wales%20Green,which%20currently%20affects%20gay%20and%20bisexual%20men. |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=wales312.rssing.com}} which resulted in a review later being produced, and in 2021 the legislation was changed to allow men who had sex with men to give blood.{{Cite news |date=2021-06-13 |title=Blood donation: Gay couple 'thrilled' after rules change |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-57445053 |access-date=2024-10-23 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

:{{note label|Local elections|A|A}} Figures do not include community or town councils.

The party did not field candidates in the 2012, 2016 or 2021 police and crime commissioner elections in Wales.

{{main|Green Party of England and Wales election results#Welsh Assembly/Senedd elections}}

The 2021 Welsh local elections were postponed until 2022 to avoid a clash with the 2021 Senedd election, with the future electoral cycle also changed from four to five years by the Welsh Government.{{cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/council-elections-wales-welsh-government-16967579|title=The date of the next council elections in Wales has moved|first=Ruth|last=Mosalski|date=24 September 2019|website=WalesOnline}} The Wales Green Party formed an electoral pact with Plaid Cymru to fight seats in Cardiff.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-58665448 |title=Plaid Cymru and Greens form Cardiff council election pact |work=BBC News |date=24 September 2021 |access-date=22 February 2022 }}

The party won eight seats in the election, exceeding a previous high of three seats held in the early 1990s (prior to the two tier system of county and district councils being abolished and replaced by twenty two new unitary councils in 1995). A further two were elected via an alliance with Plaid Cymru in Cardiff.{{cite news |last1= Mosalski |first1= Ruth |last2= Youle |first2= Richard |last3= O'Neill |first3= Ryan |date= 6 May 2022 |title= The Green Party gets its first councillors in Cardiff as it grows its representatives across Wales |url= https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/green-party-gets-first-councillors-23890479 |work= WalesOnline |access-date= 7 May 2022}}

In the 2017 Welsh local elections, the Welsh Greens elected their first ever councillor. In 2021 Powys councillor Emily Durrant defected to Plaid Cymru.{{Cite web |last=NationCymru |date=2021-11-01 |title=Green Party’s only county councillor in Wales defects to Plaid Cymru |url=https://nation.cymru/news/green-partys-only-county-councillor-in-wales-defects-to-plaid-cymru/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Nation.Cymru |language=en-GB}}

The Green Party stood a full set of regional list candidates as well as thirteen constituency candidates in the 2021 Senedd election.{{cite web |url= https://wales.greenparty.org.uk/senedd-2021-elections/ |title= Senedd 2021 Elections |website= Wales Green Party |access-date= 1 March 2021 |archive-date= 29 November 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201129095525/https://wales.greenparty.org.uk/senedd-2021-elections/ |url-status= dead }}

Some of the party's key policies for the 2021 Senedd election included: ending fees for people's first university degree, targeting Wales to be carbon net zero by 2030 by replacing fossil fuels with onshore and offshore renewable energy, and introducing free public transport for local journeys for people in Wales aged under 21.{{cite news |date= 23 March 2021 |title= Wales election 2021: Who should I vote for? Compare party policies |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-56499726 |work= BBC News |access-date= 24 March 2021}} The party also said it would build 12,000 homes to the highest environmental standards and would start a transformation fund to invest in local communities and create thousands of green jobs.{{cite news |date= 6 April 2021 |title= Welsh election: Climate change 'at heart' of Green Party manifesto |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-56644323 |work= BBC News |access-date= 14 April 2021}}

During the campaign, it was initially announced the party would be excluded from taking part in the BBC One Wales leaders debate scheduled for 29 April 2021.{{cite news |date= 5 April 2021 |title= Welsh elections 2021: Calls for Wales Green Party to join BBC Wales leaders debate |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-56641291 |work= BBC News |access-date= 14 April 2021}} However, BBC Wales later announced that a revised format would allow the party to participate in the second half of the TV debate.{{cite news |date= 15 April 2021 |title= Greens say they're not put on 'equal footing' to Abolish in leaders' debate |url= https://nation.cymru/news/greens-say-theyre-not-put-on-equal-footing-to-abolish-in-leaders-debate/ |work= Nation.Cymru |access-date= 17 April 2021}}

Regional list

Constituencies

In September 2015, Amelia Womack, Deputy Leader of GPEW, announced her intention to stand in the National Assembly elections for Wales Green Party. An ITV article titled "Green deputy leader wants to switch to Welsh politics" wrote of Newport-born Womack's intention to stand in the Welsh elections saying; "She's seeking the nomination for the Cardiff Central constituency and – more significantly – hoping to be top of the Wales Green Party's regional list for South Wales Central." Notably, the article went on to say "Opinion polls have occasionally suggested that the Greens could gain a list seat in the Senedd".{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/wales/update/2015-09-03/green-deputy-leader-wants-to-switch-to-welsh-politics/|title=Green deputy leader wants to switch to Welsh politics|work=ITV News}}

On 10 February 2016, Welsh Greens abandoned progressive alliance negotiations a few months before the Senedd elections.{{cite web|url=https://wales.greenparty.org.uk/news/2016/02/10/progressive-alliance-talks-falter/ |title=Progressive Alliance Talks Fail to Reach Agreement |publisher=Wales Green Party |date=10 February 2016 |access-date=24 August 2016}} The manifesto included plans to scrap the M4 relief road, build 12,000 new homes a year and provide free childcare to every child in Wales.{{cite web|url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/14424193.wales-green-party-launches-assembly-election-manifesto/|title=Wales Green Party launches Assembly election manifesto|website=South Wales Argus}}

Regional list

Constituencies

:{{note label|Constituencies|A|A}} DNS = Did not stand.

The Wales Green Party again fielded candidates in all 5 top-up regions for the 2011 election. For the first time since 1999, the Greens also stood in a constituency - they once again opted to stand in Ceredigion.

During the 2011 campaign, they specifically targeted Labour voters with the aim of persuading them to use their regional list vote for the Greens, using the slogan "2nd vote Green". They claimed that Labour list votes were "wasted" and that over 70,000 votes in South Wales Central went "in the bin at every election" as Labour had never won a top-up seat in that region.{{cite web|url=https://wales.greenparty.org.uk/news/2nd-vote-green-launch.html|title=Wales Green Party | Green Party launches Assembly election campaign|website=wales.greenparty.org.uk}}

On this occasion, South Wales Central was the region the party targeted. The region includes Cardiff, with its large student population, and also the constituency of Cardiff Central, the only Liberal Democrat-Labour marginal seat in Wales. Welsh Green leader and South Wales Central candidate Jake Griffiths stated they were also aiming to attract disaffected Liberal Democrat voters in the region.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-12569785|title=Greens 'ready for breakthrough'| work=BBC News |date=February 25, 2011}}

The Greens polled 32,649 votes, 3.4% of the total votes cast for the regional lists.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/election2011/region/html/wales.stm|title=BBC News - Election 2011 - Wales - Regions|website=BBC News}} In South Wales Central, they took over 10,000 votes, 5.2% of the total, though they were still almost 6,000 votes away from winning a seat. The regional results were as follows:

In Ceredigion, Chris Simpson polled 1,514 votes, or 5.2%. He came fifth out of five candidates.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/election2011/constituency/html/26679.stm|title=BBC News - Election 2011 - Wales - Ceredigion|website=BBC News}}

In 2007, the party again fielded a list of candidates in each of the top-up regions but no candidates for the constituencies. The Wales Green Party proposed that Wales should "be at the forefront of....a green industrial revolution". The party targeted South Wales West - the region where they had performed best in 2003.{{cite web|url=https://www.greenparty.org.uk/archive/news-archive/2967.html|title=The Green Party | Green Party launches manifesto for Welsh Assembly election|website=www.greenparty.org.uk}}

The Welsh Greens polled 33,803 votes, or 3.5% of the total, a slight decrease on 2003.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/vote2007/welshasssembly_english/html/scoreboard_99999.stm|title=BBC NEWS | Election 2007 | Welsh Assembly | Election Result: Wales|website=news.bbc.co.uk}} The party failed to win any seats, with their best performance this time being Mid and West Wales with 4.0% of the vote. In South Wales West their vote declined by one percentage point, their worst result of the five regions.

In the 2003 election, the party again fielded a list of candidates for each of the electoral regions but this time stood no candidates for the constituencies. The Welsh Greens failed to win any seats, polling 30,028 votes, or 3.5%. Their best performance was in South Wales West where they polled 6,696 votes, or 4.8% of the total.

In the 1999 inaugural election for the National Assembly, the Welsh Greens stood candidates in all five electoral regions used to elect "top-up" members of the assembly. Additionally, one candidate stood for the constituency seat of Ceredigion. The party stated that they aimed to poll around 7% of the vote and win at least one top-up seat.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/events/wales_99/news/321485.stm|title=BBC News - News - Greens launch Welsh manifesto|work=bbc.co.uk}}

The Welsh Greens ultimately polled 25,858 votes in the regional lists, 2.5% of the total, and 1,002 constituency votes (3.1%) in Ceredigion. No Welsh Greens were elected.{{cite web|url=http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/RP99-51/RP99-51.pdf |title=Welsh Assembly Elections: 6 May 1999 |access-date=2016-08-01}}

The Wales Green Party entered an electoral pact in eleven Welsh seats with Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats, as part of the Remain Alliance. As a result of this agreement, the party did not contest ten Welsh seats and instead supported pro-European Plaid Cymru or Liberal Democrat candidates. In the Vale of Glamorgan constituency, Anthony Slaughter stood for the Green Party as the Remain Alliance candidate but was not elected. The 2019 manifesto was titled If not now, when? and included various commitments, including taxing frequent flyers, creating more energy-efficient homes, decommissioning North Sea oil rigs and phasing out the UK’s coal industry.{{cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/green-party-manifesto-election-2020-17285467|title=700 million trees; radical housing plans: The Green Party manifesto|first=Ruth|last=Mosalski|date=21 November 2019|website=WalesOnline}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/Elections/EasyRead%20Manifesto%202019.pdf |title=General Election Manifesto 2019 |access-date=17 November 2020 |archive-date=21 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821202621/https://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/Elections/EasyRead%20Manifesto%202019.pdf |url-status=dead }}

The Wales Green Party fielded their highest number of UK general election candidates and achieved their best UK election result in Wales.

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• [https://wales.greenparty.org.uk/ Official website]

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Category:Green Party of England and Wales

Green Party, Wales

Category:Organisations based in Cardiff

Category:Political parties supporting universal basic income

Category:Political parties established in 1991