Keir Starmer’s government is “not looking in the right place” when he says there is no money for public services, the leaders of the Greens have said as the party began a celebratory post-election conference with a series of attacks on a perceived lack of ambition from Labour. What should have been a joint speech in Manchester by Adrian Ramsay and Carla Denyer, co-leaders of the Greens in England and Wales, was delivered by Ramsay alone after Denyer was struck down by flu-like symptoms. “It certainly does show yet again the benefits of having party co-leaders,” Ramsay, who won the new seat of Waveney Valley on 4 July, told the venue.
With the party having quadrupled its Commons representation after Ramsay and Denyer’s decision to focus electoral resources on four target seats was vindicated, the speech gave thanks to Green officials and volunteers for the breakthrough election result. “We can keep on making history, keep on doing politics better,” Ramsay told activists in the hall. “This is what real change looks like – it looks like you.” Much of the rest of the speech was focused on targeting Labour for a perceived timidity in government, with Ramsay saying he would use October’s budget to press Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, to introduce a wealth tax to bring in more revenue. “In a few weeks we will see the first budget from this new government, and we expect to predictably hear that there is no money,” Ramsay said. “And in a few weeks’ time I will stand up in the House of Commons, as the new Green MP for Waveney Valley, and tell the chancellor that she’s not looking in the right place.” Arguing that the state of services such as the NHS and dentistry were unacceptable, Ramsay said the sort of taxes called for by the Greens were “modest by the standards of many other European countries who recognise that having high-quality public services and a greener economy needs investment”. As well as castigating the government on areas including cuts to a key nature fund and a pared-back budget for environmental measures, Ramsay also took aim at populist politicians who peddled the “dishonest narrative” that access to public services was a question of pitting different groups against each other. “The rioting and disorder on our streets this summer was organised political violence fuelled by racism and Islamophobia,” he said. “Only by challenging the kind of inflammatory language which has given a green light to those racist views can we start to change the systems that enable and add fuel to the flames of racism.” However, much of the conference, and the speech, took on an understandably upbeat tone after the Green’s election success, in which Denyer took the Bristol Central seat from Labour, Ellie Chowns won the previously Conservative constituency of North Herefordshire, and Siân Berry held on to the party’s existing seat, Brighton Pavilion, whereCaroline Lucas had been the MP. The party’s success follows a series of local elections that have resulted in a huge rise in the number of Green councillors. “Together we have achieved so much,” Ramsay said. “We have broken records and made history. And we have done it by believing in a better politics. One that is positive, inspiring and ambitious. And we were not afraid to put that belief into action.”