Adrian Ramsay

Adrian Ramsay
MP
Official portrait, 2024
Co-leader of the Green Party
of England and Wales
In office
1 October 2021 – 2 September 2025
Serving with Carla Denyer
DeputyAmelia Womack
Zack Polanski
Preceded bySiân Berry
Succeeded byZack Polanski
Deputy Leader of the Green Party
of England and Wales
In office
5 September 2008 – 3 September 2012
LeaderCaroline Lucas
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byWill Duckworth
Member of Parliament
for Waveney Valley
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byConstituency established
Majority5,593 (11.4%)
Norwich City Councilor for
Nelson Ward
In office
10 June 2004 – 5 May 2011
Preceded byPaul McAlenan
Succeeded byDenise Carlo
Norwich City Councilor for
Henderson Ward
In office
1 May 2003 – 10 June 2004
Personal details
BornAdrian Philip Ramsay
1981 (age 43–44)
Norwich, Norfolk, England
PartyGreen Party of England and Wales
Residence(s)Norwich, Norfolk, England
EducationCity of Norwich School
Alma materUniversity of East Anglia (BA, MA)

Adrian Philip Ramsay[1] (born 1981)[2] is a British politician who has served as the Member of Parliament for Waveney Valley since 2024. He was a co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales from 1 October 2021 to 2 September 2025. He was previously the deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales from 2008 to 2012. He served as a Norwich City Councillor from 2003 to 2011. He worked as chief executive of the Centre for Alternative Technology from 2014 to 2019[3] and from 2019 to 2024 was CEO of MCS Charitable Foundation.[4][5]

Ramsay was the successful Green parliamentary candidate for Waveney Valley at the 2024 general election and became the first Green MP for a seat in the East of England.[6] This marked the first time that both Green Party co-leaders were elected to Parliament, and he also became the first ever male MP for a Green party in the United Kingdom.[7]

In 2025, Adrian Ramsay stood for re-election as the Co-leader of the Green Party along with Ellie Chowns, but they lost to Zack Polanski.

Early life and education

Ramsay was born and brought up in Norwich.[2] He was educated at City of Norwich School,[8] graduated from the University of East Anglia with a first class degree in politics, and went on to study for a master's degree.[2]

Early political career

Ramsay joined the Green Party at the age of 16.[9] He was first elected to Norwich City Council representing Henderson Ward in May 2003, representing the Green Party.[10] Aged 21, he was one of the youngest councillors in the UK.[11] Later that year, he spoke at a demonstration against tuition fees in the United Kingdom.[12] Ramsay was re-elected in June 2004 for Nelson Ward.[13]

In a BBC article from May 2006, Ramsay was described as "pursuing a full-time career through his council work on a £9,500 annual allowance".[14] In 2007, he was elected for a third time. In 2010, he was serving as the leader of the opposition to the Labour council.[15] At the 2011 local elections, he did not seek re-election to Norwich City Council.

Ramsay stood as parliamentary candidate in the Norwich South constituency in the 2005 general election. He came fourth, with 7.4% of the vote (3,101 votes).[13] He stood for Norwich South again in the 2010 general election; the party's leader, Caroline Lucas, cited him as one of the Green candidates with the greatest chance of winning.[16] Ramsay came in fourth place with 14.9% of the vote (7,095 votes).[17][18] He co-organised Lucas's campaign in Brighton Pavilion which saw her elected as the UK's first Green Member of Parliament (MP).[19]

Ramsay was elected unopposed as the first Deputy Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales on 5 September 2008.[20] In 2009 he made a speech at the party's conference calling for the end of private finance initiative agreements in the NHS.[21] He was re-elected as Deputy Leader in the 2010 leadership election with 73.4% of the vote. He was speculated as a possible successor to the party's first leader, Caroline Lucas, but did not stand in the 2012 leadership election nor seek re-election as deputy leader.[22][23]

Career outside politics

Ramsay served as chief executive of the Centre for Alternative Technology from 2014 to 2019, working in Wales.[24] He returned to Norfolk in 2019 and took up the post of chief executive of the MCS Charitable Foundation, a charity working towards carbon-free UK homes,[25] from which he resigned on election to Parliament in July 2024.[26][27]

Return to politics

On 16 August 2021, Ramsay announced his candidacy for co-leader of the Green Party alongside the Bristol councillor Carla Denyer.[28] He said that the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report had motivated him to return to politics.[29] The pair's joint candidacy emphasised professionalising the party and winning a second Green MP and a first Green Member of the Senedd (MS).[30][31] The announcement that the pair had been elected was made on 1 October 2021.[32]

In 2023, he defended local Green Party politicians who block solar farms, saying that while the Green Party sees "an important role for solar farms as part of the mix... The [solar] application has to be considered on its merits."[33]

Parliamentary career

At the 2024 general election, Ramsay was elected MP for Waveney Valley with 20,467 votes (41.7%) and a majority of 5,593 over the second-placed Conservative candidate. There were six candidates and a 69% turnout.[34] He became the first Green MP for a seat in the East of England.[6] This marked the first time that both Green party Co-leaders were elected to parliament. He became the first ever male MP for a Green party in the UK.[7] He was also one of the first five Green MPs overall: Lucas retired after fourteen years as an MP, with successful Green candidates Siân Berry, Ellie Chowns, and Ramsay's co-leader Carla Denyer joining him as first-time MPs. Nationally, Labour formed a majority government with Keir Starmer taking office as Prime Minister.

Shortly after assuming office, Ramsay voiced opposition to plans by the new government to build a 100-mile corridor of pylons to connect his Suffolk constituency to offshore wind power. Ramsay said he was in favour of considering other options, including an offshore grid.[35] This led to allegations of NIMBYism, including from the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband.[36] Responding to the allegations in an interview on LBC, Ramsay claimed he was representing concerns of his constituents.[37]

Following the Supreme Court ruling on For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers, Ramsay said he supported the ruling.[38] Asked if he believed trans women are women, he did not explicitly agree or disagree.[38] He also said that he believed members of the Green Party should not be expelled from the party for anti-trans views.[38] In response to this, the Young Greens published a statement with their disappointment in Ramsay's comments.[39]

On 8 May 2025, Greens co-leader Carla Denyer announced she would not seek re-election in the 2025 party leadership election so as to focus on her work as an MP. This meant that Ramsay would either have to seek another co-candidate, or stand as a single lone candidate.[40] Three days later, he launched a joint leadership bid alongside fellow MP Ellie Chowns.[41] The results of the leadership were announced on 2 September 2025, with Chowns and Ramsay being defeated by Zack Polanski.[42]

Ramsay voted against the proscription of Palestine Action.[43]

Elections contested

European Parliament

Date Constituency List position List votes % votes
2004 East of England 2nd 84,068 5.6

House of Commons

Date Constituency Votes % votes Place
2005 Norwich South 3,101 7.4 4th
2010 Norwich South 7,095 14.9 4th
2024 Waveney Valley 20,467 41.7 Elected

Council

Date Council Ward Votes Place
2003 Norwich City Council Henderson 991 Elected
2004 Norwich City Council Nelson 1,643 Elected
2007 Norwich City Council Nelson 1,899 Elected

Co-leader of the Green Party

Date Votes % votes Place
2021 6,274 (second round) 61.7 (second round) Elected (on a joint ticket with Carla Denyer)
2025 3,705 15.4 2nd (on a joint ticket with Ellie Chowns)

Deputy leader of the Green Party

Date Votes % votes Place
2008 Elected unopposed
2010 2,386 73.4 Elected

References

  1. ^ "Ramsay, Adrian Philip, MP (Green) Waveney Valley, since 2024; Co-Leader, Green Party, since 2021", Who's Who, Oxford University Press, 1 December 2024, doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u300239, ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4, retrieved 16 June 2025
  2. ^ a b c Fearn, Hannah (28 June 2024). "Who are the Green Party leaders hoping to win a record number of MPs?". Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  3. ^ 'CAT CEO to Step Down', Centre for Alternative Technologies (1 February 2019).
  4. ^ 'MCS Appoints New CEO Archived 21 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine', MCS Charitable Foundation (25 July 2019).
  5. ^ 'Trustees Archived 21 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine', MCS Charitable Foundation (accessed 19 September 2021).
  6. ^ a b Piercy, Grace (13 December 2022). "Co-leader of Green Party to contest new Waveney Valley seat". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  7. ^ a b Grierson, Jamie; Walker, Peter (5 July 2024). "Green party quadruples its number of Commons seats to four". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Who are Green Party leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay?". BBC News. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  9. ^ Chowns, Ellie; Ramsay, Adrian; Polanski, Zack (22 August 2025). "Opportunity knocks for the Green party: can the candidates seize it? You decide". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  10. ^ "Norwich City Council elections – 1st May 2003 – Results sheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  11. ^ Arthur, Sylvia (6 September 2003). "The road to No 10". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  12. ^ Tarleton, Alice (17 October 2003). "Students warm up for anti-fees demo". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  13. ^ a b The Green Party in Northern Ireland : Student to challenge Education Secretary for Commons seat
  14. ^ Ollie Stone-Lee. "The Green challenge in Norwich". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011.
  15. ^ "Green party fields highest-ever number of election candidates". The Guardian. 6 April 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Caroline Lucas: You Ask The Questions". The Independent. 25 January 2010. Archived from the original on 27 January 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Norwich South election results". BBC News. 7 May 2010. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  18. ^ "Historic win for Greens in tight Brighton race". The Guardian. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Green party: former deputy leader and Bristol councillor make leadership bid". The Guardian. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  20. ^ "Adrian Ramsay". Green Party. Archived from the original on 21 October 2008.
  21. ^ "Government should 'buy back' PFI hospitals, says Green party". The Guardian. 4 September 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  22. ^ "Caroline Lucas and Green party have Lib Dems in their sights". The Guardian. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  23. ^ "Green party searches for new leader". The Guardian. 29 August 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  24. ^ Culot, Caroline (6 January 2019). "New managing director appointed at Pensthorpe nature reserve". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  25. ^ "About". mcsfoundation.org.uk. MCS Foundation. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  26. ^ Harvey, Fiona (14 July 2021). "UK ministers resist calls to reduce VAT on green home improvements". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  27. ^ "Farewell and our thanks to MCS Foundation CEO Adrian Ramsay". mcsfoundation.org.uk. MCS Foundation. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  28. ^ Elgot, Jessica (16 August 2021). "Green party: former deputy leader and Bristol councillor make leadership bid". The Guardian.
  29. ^ "Exclusive: Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay to run for the Green party leadership". New Statesman. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  30. ^ Jarvis, Chris (16 August 2021). "Adrian Ramsay and Carla Denyer launch Green Party leadership bid with pledge to win second MP". Left Foot Forward. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  31. ^ "Five Leadership Bids Have Been Announced In Green Party Election As Nominations Close". Politics Home. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  32. ^ Walker, Peter (1 October 2021). "Green party in England and Wales unveils new leadership duo". The Guardian.
  33. ^ "The Green Party politicians who oppose solar farms". BBC News. 23 June 2023.
  34. ^ "Waveney Valley – General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  35. ^ Gatten, Emma (6 July 2024). "Green MP opposes 100-mile corridor of wind farm pylons in his Suffolk constituency". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235.
  36. ^ PoliticsJOE_UK [@PoliticsJOE] (17 July 2024). ""Leading members of the Green party are saying no to new energy infrastructure…"" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  37. ^ LBC [@LBC] (17 July 2024). "'Are you Britain's NIMBY in chief?'" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  38. ^ a b c Hansford, Amelia (24 April 2025). "Green Party co-leader refuses to say whether he believes trans women are women". PinkNews. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  39. ^ Meehan, Eleanor (24 April 2025). "Statement by the Young Greens on comments by Adrian Ramsay MP on the recent Supreme Court ruling". Young Greens. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  40. ^ Walker, Peter (8 May 2025). "Carla Denyer says she will not stand again as Greens co-leader to focus on MP role". The Guardian.
  41. ^ "Green Party leadership contest: Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns bid". BBC News. 12 May 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  42. ^ Brawm, Steph (2 September 2025). "Zack Polanski wins Green Party leadership contest". The National. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
  43. ^ "The 26 MPs who voted against proscribing Palestine Action". The National. 2 July 2025. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
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