ANNOUNCING our Facing Down the Far Right panel
Roderick O’Gorman TD @rodericogorman , Leader of the Green Party Ireland, brings frontline political experience of standing up to the far right.
Nina Briggs founded the Migrant Workers Union NI @migrantworkersunionni , fighting exploitation, housing injustice and modern slavery every day.
Maureen Hamblin is an activist, campaigner and writer whose lived experience of racism in Ireland makes her voice essential in this conversation.
Chaired by journalist and broadcaster Amanda Ferguson @amandafbelfast .
📅 16 May | 9.30am | Clayton Hotel, Belfast
Free and open to anyone interested to hear what Greens have to say.
👉 /green_party_conference_2026_-_hope_is_here
#HopeIsHere
Record-breaking seats & national vote share
🏴 England: Mayoralties & Councils
- Greens won 587 seats, beating the previous record of 483 (2023)
- The party now holds 1,319 council seats in total - over 1,000 for the first time
- Now running at least 5 councils across England
- Zoë Garbett became the first-ever directly elected Green mayor in British political history, winning Hackney by nearly 9,000 votes
- Liam Shrivastava elected as mayor of Lewisham by over 5,000 votes
- Waltham Forest: went from 0 councillors to 31, taking control of the council
- Hackney: went from 3 to 42 Green councillors; Labour left with just 9
- Lewisham: 39 Green councillors elected to work with the new mayor
- Manchester: targeted 6 seats, won 21
- Greens also made big gains in Sheffield, Newcastle, Birmingham, Leeds, Cambridge, and more
- Labour leaders toppled by Greens in Sheffield, Cambridge, Kirklees, and Camden (the Prime Minister’s own local authority)
🏴 Wales: Senedd Election
- Anthony Slaughter elected as the first-ever Green member of the Senedd, for Caerdydd Penarth - a historic breakthrough
- Paul Rock then secured a second Senedd seat in Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf, defeating a Reform candidate
🏴 Scotland: Scottish Parliament
- Lorna Slater became the first Green ever elected to a constituency seat in the Scottish Parliament, winning Edinburgh Central and unseating the SNP’s campaign chief
- Holly Bruce followed, winning Glasgow Southside - formerly Nicola Sturgeon’s seat
- Scottish Greens added 11 regional seats, a net gain of 5 seats overall
The Green Party welcomes today’s judgment, which reinforces the purpose of the Safe Access Zones legislation that we brought forward and fought hard to deliver.
This law was introduced for one simple reason: to ensure that people accessing abortion services, and the healthcare staff providing them, can do so safely, privately, and free from harassment, intimidation, or attempts to influence their decisions.
From the outset, opponents of this legislation claimed it was an attack on religious freedom. That was never true. Everyone has the right to hold and express religious beliefs, but those rights do not extend to targeting people as they access healthcare.
The Supreme Court has confirmed that this law strikes the right balance, and today’s judgment makes clear that safe access zones are lawful, proportionate, and must be respected.
It is evident that this case was a deliberate attempt to test the legislation. The defendant admitted he chose the location deliberately, knowing the legal risks. The courts have rightly upheld the intent of the legislation and sent a clear message that these protections cannot be undermined.
Commenting on the judgment, Cllr Groogan said: “Buffer zones were introduced to protect women and pregnant people from harassment and intimidation while accessing healthcare. Everyone has a right to access healthcare, and the Supreme Court has clearly said this law strikes the right balance by protecting that right without compromising any other rights.”
“We are pleased that the law ensuring people can access healthcare safely and free from targeted interference is being enforced. The law is working as intended, and today the courts have upheld that position.”
The Green Party remains proud to have introduced this legislation and committed to defending safe access zones, reproductive rights, and the right of everyone to access healthcare without fear, pressure, or harassment.
Can you believe that Reform’s lead candidate for Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf lives all the way on YNYS MÔN?!
Cai Parry-Jones actually lives closer to @greenpartyni leader @malohara than to us voters in Cardiff.
We don’t think that’s fair. We deserve representation by people who actually call our patch home.
Vote Green on May 7th — you have the power.
🚨 Since February last year most parties have been stagnant or in decline… but not the Greens!
While the Stormont shambles stumbles on, Northern Ireland is waking up. The old parties are falling as we’re rising.
This is what hope looks like. 💚
#GreenPartyNI #NIPolitics #HopeIsHere
The door is open. Green Party Leader Mal O’Hara on what Hannah Spencer’s parliamentary victory means for ordinary people and the politics we deserve.
Join us 👉 /join
Tomorrow (Thursday 26th) voters in Gorton and Denton goes to the polls for one of the most crucial elections.
On one hand you have Reform, with its millions from fossil fuels and silicon valley broligarchs, a party that is built on representing hate and division. Punching down and blaming the most marginalised for Government failings.
On the other, Hannah Spencer from the Greens, powered by the community she represents and has brought back so much hope locally and nationally in just a few weeks of campaigning, think of how much she can do in Parliament!
Greens have always been about fixing things that are broken and ensuring we protect the most marginalised in our communities. Just as well Hannah fixes the most essential of things for people for a living.
If you are a voter in Gorton and Denton, vote for Hannah Spencer tomorrow Thursday 26th and make hope normal again!
@thegreenparty@greenpartyzack@millward_rachel@feslkhan@mothin.ali@carolinelucasbrighton
#manchester #gorton #denton #byelection #green
We had the leader of the Northern Irish Greens @malohara join us in helping push out the campaign. It has been an incredible weekend with so many leaders, volunteers and councillors from around the country and Ireland come down in support. Thank you Mal and @thehazelchu more to come from this.
They said the Greens couldn’t compete. Manchester disagrees. 💚
From anti-fascist rallies to packed campaign offices - with Caroline Lucas, Jeremy Corbyn, Mothin Ali, Rachel Millward and Hazel Chu all in.
One week. One by-election. One chance. Vote Hannah Spencer. 🗳️ #GortonAndDenton #ByElection
Ten laws in two years. A health crisis. A housing crisis. A cost of living crisis. Nurses on single-digit rises. And they found time to farm out a 27% pay rise decision. You couldn’t make it up.
PETITION: /stop_the_27_mla_pay_rise
‼️ Stop the 27% MLA pay rise.
NI civil servants accepted 9% over nearly two years. Teachers and healthcare workers fought for single-digit rises. Many public sector workers are still waiting for anything fair.
Waiting lists are soaring, classrooms are overstretched and families are choosing between heating and eating.
And Stormont’s response? Since February 2024, MLAs have passed just 10 pieces of legislation, 4 of them basic budget bills.
Five meaningful laws in over a year. One of those five was setting up the board that just recommended they receive a 27% pay rise.
Does anyone know another group of workers getting 27%? Should anyone working at this pace receive it?
Political pay should reflect responsibility and delivery - not surge ahead while nurses are understaffed and workers are told there’s no money.
We’re calling for this rise to be paused until public sector workers get fair settlements and Stormont proves it is delivering for the people it serves.
Stormont has the power to transform healthcare, housing and people’s lives. But that power has to be earned.
