
Tributes paid to Green Party pioneer John Marjoram after his death aged 86
John Marjoram was elected in 1986, a year after the Green Party had been formed, and was a councillor at town and district level for 35 years until he stepped down in 2021.
Mr Marjoram, from Stroud in Gloucestershire, died on Saturday after a long illness. He held the record as the longest continuously serving Green Party councillor.
An environmentalist, Quaker and pacifist, Mr Marjoram was a co-founder of the Stroud Green Party in 1985 and was elected to the district council the following year.
As well as district councillor, Mr Marjoram was elected to the town council when it was formed in 1990, before becoming the UK's first Green Party mayor.
He grew up in rural Essex and developed an early interest in politics during dinner table debates with his staunch Labour father and Conservative-voting mother.
When he was called up for national service he cited his pacifist beliefs, and remained in an administrative role while others in his intake went to Malaysia to fight the Communists.
In 1968 he moved to Stroud with his young family, drawn there by his affiliation with the Quakers, who had a strong presence in the town.
Catherine Braun, Green Party councillor and leader of Stroud District Council, said: 'It was John who persuaded me to stand as a paper candidate, before I was eventually elected to Stroud District Council.
'He was such an influential and inspirational activist, not just to us here in Stroud district but across the whole Green movement. He will be much missed.'
Martin Baxendale, a district councillor in Stroud, said: 'John's first election leaflet for Stroud District Council in the 1980s inspired me.
'I read it, phoned him, and within half an hour he was on my doorstep talking me into joining the Green Party and standing for election to work alongside him.'
Jonathan Edmunds added: 'John was an amazing man who inspired so many people into the Green Party and peace movement.
'A real maverick, they certainly don't make them like John any more.
'He was so passionate about politics but also cared deeply for all people and the planet.
'Stroud will be a lot quieter without him but he has certainly left a great legacy and it is for all of us to continue his work.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Wales: Online abuse of politicians ‘getting worse'
Plaid Cymru's Adam Price, the first out-gay man in his party to be elected to national office, warned prejudices based on sex, race and sexual orientation have been reinvigorated. He told the Senedd: 'It is getting worse by the day, and it really represents an existential crisis for our democracy and our society.' Mr Price said: 'For our democracy to be effective, it has to be diverse. Diversity trumps ability. It's a piece of evidence in social science.' The former Plaid Cymru leader called for a focus on representation of trans women and men, a community 'under siege', to ensure their voices are heard in the Senedd. Mr Price highlighted harmful comments below news stories involving him in recent weeks. 'That certainly won't deter me and I hope it won't deter anyone else,' he said. 'But we've got to do something about it collectively, haven't we?' Labour's Hannah Blythyn expressed concerns that Wales could go backwards in terms of equality of representation at the next Senedd election in less than 12 months. She warned that online abuse, misogyny and homophobia are rife across society. Ms Blythyn told Senedd members: 'I very much made an active decision when I had the opportunity to stand in this legislature because of the make-up – that there were more women here, that it was more representative.' She emphasised that diversity not only changes the face of politics but its focus too, saying: 'It makes what we do and the policies that we produce so much better because we are experts by our own life experiences.' Jane Hutt, Wales' social justice secretary, acknowledged the rise of abuse, harassment and intimidation towards politicians, candidates and campaigners. During a statement on June 10, she told the Senedd: 'This is a significant barrier to participation in politics, particularly for people from under-represented groups.' She outlined voluntary diversity and inclusion guidance for political parties which aims to ensure democratic bodies are truly representative of all the people of Wales. Ms Hutt said safety costs will be exempt from spending limits for Welsh elections, in line with calls from the Jo Cox Foundation which was set up after the Labour MP's murder in 2016. TOP STORIES TODAY She added that Welsh ministers are working with regulator Ofcom, which has new enforcement powers, around the misuse and abuse of online media. Altaf Hussain, the Kashmir-born Conservative who represents South Wales West, warned guidance on equal representation risks crossing a dangerous line. The former surgeon said: 'Equality of access cannot come just by bureaucratic diktats or targets that treat individuals not as nuanced, valued voices but boxes to tick. 'This removes merit, choice and, frankly, voters' rights deciding who is best representing them. Let's not replace one form of exclusion with another altogether; the truest diversity only flourishes where and when freedom leads.' Plaid Cymru's Sioned Williams said progress on underrepresentation of women in politics has slowed and, in some parts of democracy, has gone into reverse. She pointed out that the number of female leaders in councils has halved to only 9%. Ms Williams warned the voluntary guidance was published 'far too late' and represented a 'poor reflection' of shelved plans to introduce gender quotas to ensure equal representation. 'Wales belongs to everyone,' she said. 'Everyone must have a voice in our nation's future.'


North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Lammy holding talks on post-Brexit deal for Gibraltar
Mr Lammy held talks with Gibraltar's leaders, members of the opposition and the business community before leaving the British overseas territory to head to Brussels on Wednesday morning. Talks on rules governing the border of Spain and Gibraltar have been ongoing since Britain left the European Union in 2020, but an agreement has not yet been reached. The PA news agency understands that a deal has not yet been reached and there are still a number of sticking points. A Foreign Office source said: 'We're working to secure an agreement that works for the people and businesses in Gibraltar. 'An agreement that will protect British sovereignty, supports Gibraltar's economy and allows businesses to plan for the future.' Ministers have insisted no deal will be done without the full support of Gibraltar's government. Mr Lammy held talks with chief minister Fabian Picardo in Gibraltar along with the UK's overseas territories minister Stephen Doughty. Today, with @DavidLammy and @SDoughtyMP we held a Cabinet meeting in No6 Convent Place to agree final parameters for negotiation. We will now travel to Brussels to meet @MarosSefcovic and @jmalbares. It's time to try to finalise arrangements for lasting, stable relationship… — Fabian Picardo (@FabianPicardo) June 11, 2025 The ministers and Mr Picardo then travelled to Brussels for talks with the EU and Spanish representatives. In a post on X on Wednesday morning, Mr Picardo said it is 'time to try to finalise arrangements for lasting, stable relationship between Gibraltar and the EU/Spain which is safe, secure and beneficial'. But officials close to the talks said there were still 'hard negotiations ahead'. Gibraltar was ceded to the UK by Spain in 1713 and the population is heavily in favour of remaining a British overseas territory. The last time it voted on a proposal to share sovereignty with Spain, in 2002, almost 99% of Gibraltarians rejected the move. Gibraltar also hosts an RAF base at its airport and an important naval facility. The Government, in line with its Conservative predecessors, has said it will not sign up to a deal that gives sovereignty over Gibraltar to another country, or that the Gibraltarian government is not content with. The strategic defence review, released earlier this month, said the UK would maintain a military presence in Gibraltar, 'upholding the sovereignty of British Gibraltar territorial waters'.


Powys County Times
2 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Lammy holding talks on post-Brexit deal for Gibraltar
Foreign Secretary David Lammy will have talks with the European Union and Spain in Brussels as a post-Brexit deal on Gibraltar appears close. Mr Lammy held talks with Gibraltar's leaders, members of the opposition and the business community before leaving the British overseas territory to head to Brussels on Wednesday morning. Talks on rules governing the border of Spain and Gibraltar have been ongoing since Britain left the European Union in 2020, but an agreement has not yet been reached. The PA news agency understands that a deal has not yet been reached and there are still a number of sticking points. A Foreign Office source said: 'We're working to secure an agreement that works for the people and businesses in Gibraltar. 'An agreement that will protect British sovereignty, supports Gibraltar's economy and allows businesses to plan for the future.' Ministers have insisted no deal will be done without the full support of Gibraltar's government. Mr Lammy held talks with chief minister Fabian Picardo in Gibraltar along with the UK's overseas territories minister Stephen Doughty. Today, with @DavidLammy and @SDoughtyMP we held a Cabinet meeting in No6 Convent Place to agree final parameters for negotiation. We will now travel to Brussels to meet @MarosSefcovic and @jmalbares. It's time to try to finalise arrangements for lasting, stable relationship… — Fabian Picardo (@FabianPicardo) June 11, 2025 The ministers and Mr Picardo then travelled to Brussels for talks with the EU and Spanish representatives. In a post on X on Wednesday morning, Mr Picardo said it is 'time to try to finalise arrangements for lasting, stable relationship between Gibraltar and the EU/Spain which is safe, secure and beneficial'. But officials close to the talks said there were still 'hard negotiations ahead'. Gibraltar was ceded to the UK by Spain in 1713 and the population is heavily in favour of remaining a British overseas territory. The last time it voted on a proposal to share sovereignty with Spain, in 2002, almost 99% of Gibraltarians rejected the move. Gibraltar also hosts an RAF base at its airport and an important naval facility. The Government, in line with its Conservative predecessors, has said it will not sign up to a deal that gives sovereignty over Gibraltar to another country, or that the Gibraltarian government is not content with.