Andrew Gilligan Sunday Times Challenor Green Party

I wish I had had the foresight to secure the username 'omnishambles'.

Or maybe spoons in this case, when you look at the senior representatives in the GP.

I can't help but think it's a party whose ethics and desire of inclusivity have enabled people to exploit it to ends that are contrary to the principles of many members and even prominent officials.

Whoever is holding the spoon is the current leader.

Old but worth posting for the name Mr Kitcat
www.ft.com/content/8500071a-ab9a-11e4-8070-00144feab7de

I looked through the Executive's procedures for managing such crises.

There was a lot of "x will inform y; y will contact z who will contact a,b and c."

There were no guidelines for x,y,z,a,b,c about what do after telling small coteries of people. Didn't say who was to take charge or who would take responsibility for what. A piss up in a brewery sprang to mind.

It's all very amatureish in the Green Party since there is so much reliance on willing and available volunteers and casual staff.

And that's the reason why willing and available people rise to the top without being in the least bit capable.

One problem overly "flat" organisational structures can be a lack of individual responsibility and accountability.

Another can be timely decision making.

How did the Greens manage to run Brighton & Hove City Council if being a leader has no "privilege powers"?

I don't know how CL can call for respectful, civil discussion while shrugging her shoulders over the Terfblocker business.

How can you have a respectful, civil discussion if you deliberately set out to silence those people who have an opposing view?

Where's the accountability if after the event people say 'this was shit' and the leader says 'yeah I said that at the time'?

Omfg, can you imagine if the Greens and their non-leading leaders ever got into actual government?

I suspect that the Greens structures and policies and procedures are all a bit ad-hoc.

So, this investigation - the independent one. Will it be practical to single out any deficient procedures or office-holders?

Will there be no way to suggest that people who aspire to local or indeed national political office need to adhere to Nolan principles?

Honestly I don't know. I suspect that the Greens structures and policies and procedures are all a bit ad-hoc.

So who would have discussed it if this was a democratic decision?
Can any GP members help?

In all seriousness, I think that the position of leader in the Green party (E&A) is more of a facilitator. I think in Scotland we actually have co-conveners rather than leaders.

So I can believe that the terfblocker was discussed, arguments were out for and against, and that the party democratically decided that it was more good than evil. Of course this is utterly bonkers, but that's what you get at the extreme ends of politics

My previously high opinion of Caroline Lucas falls lower by the minute. Using the party's "flat structure" as an excuse for not doing anything about the Challenors and their Terf blocking software is so utterly pathetic that it beggars belief. Yesterday she showed herself to be cowardly and spineless; today she's adding to that by making herself look completely feeble as a leader. Why would you do that? It's essentially saying, "I'm not a bad person, just a useless one."

The leader can't lead?

What exactly is a leader for then? Why even bother?

They need someone to take the fall when one of their more prominent members knowingly employs a child rapist and abuser?

Caroline Lucas wrote: My party is run on democratic principles though.

Caroline, those words do not mean what you think they mean. Democracy is not to blame for your inaction and what might be the GP's abuse of due process in re: Olivia. What's more, frankly, some of the GP's actions on this front are more closely allied to totalitarianism than democracy.

What exactly is a leader for then? Why even bother?

the Green Party is so in favour of flat structures / lack of hierarchy that when one Party member is creating and using softward to silence women's voices the co-leader is only able to say "I don't like that", not "this is against Party policies and must stop

I don't actually mind that. What I do mind is that obviously a majority of voices within the Greens thought that it was ok.

Seemingly so....

Hang on - the Green Party is so in favour of flat structures / lack of hierarchy that when one Party member is creating and using softward to silence women's voices the co-leader is only able to say "I don't like that", not "this is against Party policies and must stop"?

So Caroline knew about TerfBlocker....

Aw bless the Green Party. They may have taken back AC's twitter account but are still blocking 50,000 women.

Lol.

Sausage

It's a matter of public record that it was a terrible childhood. Really awful. Aimee was undoubtedly a victim of her parents' abuse and neglect. For child Aimee everyone feels sorry.

But Aimee is an adult now. Aimee has made really questionable decisions that have hurt other people. Aimee's judgement and boundaries are all over the place and Aimee knowingly employed her father. Aimee chose to attack women. Aimee has been given power by people who should know better.