Respect Party - Relations With The Green Movement

Relations With The Green Movement

Respect co-initiator George Monbiot, a left-wing writer and activist, left the project before its launch, because Respect intended to stand members of its party against existing Green Party members of the European Parliament (MEPs). Respect had offered to form a pact with the Green Party standing on joint lists in the European elections, but this was rejected by the Greens.

For the 2004 European Parliament election, an attempt was made by Respect to present a joint slate with the Green Party as articulated in a letter by then Respect councillor Michael Lavalette in the Guardian (5 May 2005). However, the response from Green Party politician Prof John Whitelegg (Guardian, 6 May 2004) claims that this would not have been legally possible as electoral law does not allow for joint slates. The Greens also said that they had selected their candidates months previously by postal ballot, and were sceptical of the SWP influence.

In a newspaper interview Hugo Charlton, Green party chair, said that he had "always argued for some sort of understanding with them, not least because we are both 'fellow travellers' on the left"; however he also noted that "any agreement at a local level, in the Green spirit of devolution, is up to local parties, but a formal, national alliance is out of the question".

After the 2005 results, Peter Cranie, the Greens' election co-ordinator called for further discussion about how to further build the left of Labour vote, but did not advocate forming a Green-Respect alliance.

During the European elections in 2009 many Respect members supported a vote for the Green lists, especially in the north of England. This included prominent Respect supporter Salma Yaqoob.

During the 2010 General Election the Green Party stood down in favour of Respect candidates in Birmingham Sparkbrook and Manchester, Blackley and Broughton indicating the beginning of a tentative cooperation.