Latest news with #politicalinfighting
BBC News
21-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Patrick Harvie sees off Green challenge for top election spot
Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie has seen off a campaign to replace him as the party's top candidate in Glasgow at the 2026 Holyrood a ballot of party members, the outgoing co-chief secured the top place on the Glasgow regional list, which is likely to secure him re-election to Holyrood.A slate of self-described "radical" Green members - who were critical of his time leading the party - had sought to replace other regional ballots, most sitting Green MSPs secured the top place on the list. The results follow infighting about the direction of the party, which has been described as a "civil war" by some insiders. A number of party activists have questioned the period the Greens spent in government with the SNP and claimed that power within the party had been concentrated in too small a recently told BBC Scotland News that the behaviour of some figures had been "out of order". Holyrood's longest-serving party chief, Harvie announced in April that he would not seek re-election as Green co-leader. However, he will seek re-election as an MSP, having been first elected on the Glasgow regional list in 2003. Along with his co-leader Slater, he was the first Green minister in the UK after his party signed the power-sharing deal with the SNP in 2021. Under the electoral system for Holyrood, the regional list vote involves parties ranking their candidates. The higher an individual appears on the list, the better their chance is of becoming an candidates for the party's two co-leadership positions - Gillian Mackay, Ross Greer and Lorna Slater - have all secured top spot in their regions. All three are defenders of the time the Greens spent in government with the North East MSP Maggie Chapman was ranked second, making re-election more came under fire earlier this year when she criticised the judiciary over the Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of a woman. In 2023, she expressed regret for a social media post claiming the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel was an act of "decolonisation", not "terrorism". Leadership contest Green leaders serve two-year terms and under party rules one of them has to be a Green member can stand for the leadership, meaning there could yet be a leadership challenge from the grassroots of the contest is expected to be decided by the end of August. Looking at the results of the internal elections for the regional lists, it appears that members have backed those who have been prominent in the party in recent activists have been vocal about their disappointment with the party's – at least for now – the 7,000 Scottish Green members seem to have given a vote of confidence to those who have been running the that could have implications beyond the Greens. The sitting MSPs have shown they are willing to do deals with the could prove to be important after next year's Holyrood election.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Ex-Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe won't face charges over alleged threats against party chair
A former Reform UK MP will not be charged over allegations he made 'verbal threats' against the party's chairman Zia Yusuf. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it would not charge Rupert Lowe after reviewing the evidence handed over by the party. The Great Yarmouth MP was suspended from Nigel Farage's party this year amid a civil war and allegations about his conduct, which he denies. In a statement in March, Reform said Mr Lowe had been reported to police over alleged 'threats of physical violence' against Mr Yusuf. Mr Lowe consistently denied the allegations, which he said amounted to a political hit job against him after he 'dared to bruise Farage's ego'. 'These are false allegations, designed to maliciously smear my name and ruin my reputation,' he said at the time. Responding to the decision, Mr Lowe said Reform reporting him to the police 'was not normal political infighting... it was a sinister attempt to weaponise the criminal justice system against me'.
