Wales Green Party has returned a new Deputy Leader, Anthony Slaughter who lives in Penarth near Cardiff, in their annual leadership ballot. Anthony is a garden designer who has worked in the area for several years and is very well known locally for his involvement with the community based environmental group Gwyrddio Penarth Greening of which he is currently Chair. This involvement has included the planting of the Community Orchard at Cosmeston Lakes and Anthony is also part of the team behind the annual GPG Penarth Local Food Festival.
Anthony stood as the Green Party candidate for the St Augustine’s ward in the 2012 local elections and also in the Cardiff South and Penarth parliamentary by election later the same year. Both campaigns saw an increase in the Green Party share of the vote. Pippa Bartolotti, Leader of the Wales Greens who was voted in for the third year running, said “I am delighted to have Anthony as our Deputy Leader. He brings wonderful energy and many strengths with him. At a time when climate change is taking hold, and weather patterns are becoming more and more unpredictable, I am confident that the Greens can provide the leadership which has been so badly lacking from other politicians.”
The Greens are now being called, more than ever, to make statements to the media, about the state of the ecological environment and what we can do to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. The latest manoeuvres by the Westminster government to effectively bribe local councils into accepting fracking have made us the first port of call for a sensible voice on the inherent dangers of fracturing shale rock, and the clear, clean alternatives.
The new Deputy, Anthony Slaughter added, “ I am very excited at being selected for this role and look forward to working closely with Pippa in spreading awareness of the Green Party’s wide ranging policies on environmental and social justice issues and helping make the Party an essential voice in Welsh politics.’’