Green Party process is the punishment
Green Party gender-critical members on suspension but not the trans-ideology zealot!
It has been an interesting few weeks in the struggle against the gender ideology that has captured the Green Party of England & Wales.
The list of gender-critical party members who are on Temporary Suspension Pending Investigation (SPI) continues to grow. As I reported previously, I was put on SPI again on 13 March: gcgreens.uk/suspended-expelled-resigned/robbie-spence-suspended-again
SPI temporarily removes a party member before the complaints against them have been heard. (‘Temporarily’ has meant two years or more in some cases, including my own previous case!)
SPI is a breach of the rules of natural justice and of the right to a fair trial under Article 6, Human Rights Act 1998 (see footnote below).
The process is the punishment.
But no suspension for trans-ideology zealot
Meanwhile, on 10/03/2024 complaint was made to the Green Party complaints manager that one of the trans-ideology zealots (TIZ) in the party had defamed two gender-critical women in the party’s internal forum, Green Spaces. The TIZ has been acting as a witchfinder-general and had openly stated in the forum that they were trawling for evidence to harass gender-critical women and men by lodging complaints against them. In their own words:
“As a trans activist I think the most useful thing I can do is to identify transphobes for the party so they can more easily expelled. I’m hopeful that after a couple more months of expulsions that there will not be enough transphobes left to effectively organise in the party.”
The 10/03/2024 complaint alleged that such behaviour amounted to bullying and harassment against a group of people who share the Equality Act 2010 protected characteristic of holding religious or other beliefs. (Sadly, the belief that men are not women is regarded as transphobic by TIZs.) So the complaint asked for SPI to be imposed on the ground that the TIZ’s conduct posed a risk to other party members.
On 26/03/2024 Green Party Regional Council (GPRC) decided not to suspend the TIZ. Five members of GPRC decided unanimously that:
“The party, party bodies, and individuals are not placed at risk when individuals use the complaints system as intended … the respondent’s decision to use the complaints process concerns perceived transphobia, which is a reasonable justification.”
It seems that GPRC has learnt nothing from the Shahrar Ali case in February 2024, which found that the party had discriminated against its own member for holding gender-critical beliefs.
The failure to impose SPI here is further proof to the wider party membership and the public of the bias of party governance officers against people who are gender-critical.
Notes
SPI is the new name for No-Fault Suspension or NFS. It means the same thing as before and covers the same kind of complaints where the action complained about is so egregious that it poses a risk to the party or to party members.
Human Rights Act 1998, Article 6, Right to a fair trial: “In the determination of his civil rights and obligations or of any criminal charge against him, everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law.”
See also the latest from thegreenlight.blog/2024/04/04/green-party-at-breaking-point-wheres-the-leadership [edited 4/4/24]
The picture that illustrates this post is of a sticker that the Green Party ‘Pride’ group was giving away on its stall in the foyer of the party’s annual conference in Brighton on 6 to 8 October 2023. It was in the ‘trans rights’ stripes of baby-blue and baby-pink and bore the legend, ‘Authoritarian Groupthink Cancel Culture Appreciation Society’. I don’t know why it included snowflake symbols. Maybe gentle readers can draw their own conclusions. [edited 4/4/24]
Authoritarian Groupthink Cancel Culture Appreciation Society
