Latest news with #MaggieChapman
BBC News
20 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Scottish Greens official admits 'anomaly' in party election results
The Scottish Greens official who quit after overseeing the party's ranking of the candidates for the 2026 Scottish elections has said there was an "anomaly" in the Joester, who was the party's internal elections officer, said she had not spotted the issue when the figures were first sent to initially endorsed a statement from the party reassuring campaigners that there were "no realistic doubts" about the Joester now says she should not have given her backing amid concerns about how some votes were cast. Under the electoral system for Holyrood, the regional list vote involves parties ranking their higher an individual appears on the list, the better their chance is of becoming an have been raised by party members regarding a number of the internal include that of the Scottish Greens' current co-leader , and North East MSP Maggie Chapman who failed to secure top spot in her of the claims centre around how ballots were counted under the STV (single transferrable vote) system, where members rank candidates by a message to all party members, first reported by The Herald, Joester expressed regret at "going along with a statement yesterday reassuring people that there we no realistic doubts about the results when I was not sure that was the case".She also said that she had resigned from her position as she "hadn't done a good enough job".Joester insisted she did not know if there was a problem with the election results - and urged party members to wait until the external company that oversaw the elections had clarified their processes.A Scottish Greens spokesperson said "As said to members last night, we are speaking to the (election) provider to get more details about the approach used. These details will be shared with members in due course." In the Scottish Greens internal elections, Patrick Harvie, who is stepping down as co-leader, saw off a campaign to replace him as the party's top candidate in Glasgow at next year's Holyrood narrowly secured the top place on the Glasgow list, which is likely to deliver 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 candidates for the party's two co-leadership positions - Gillian Mackay, Ross Greer and Lorna Slater - all secured top spot in their 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 has been placed behind activist Guy Ingerson - who stood against SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn in the Aberdeen South seat in last year's general came under fire earlier this year when she criticised the judiciary over the Supreme Court's ruling on the definition of a 2023, she expressed regret for a social media post claiming the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel was an act of "decolonisation", not "terrorism".
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
Inside the Scottish Greens as key member quits in candidate row
The party shared their full list of candidates on Monday, which saw Maggie Chapman removed from the top spot of the North East list, meaning she is unlikely to win a seat in next year's election. She was replaced as the lead candidate by activist Guy Ingerson, who previously lodged a bullying complaint against Chapman. Maggie Chapman (Image: Christian Gamauf) Meanwhile, party co-leader Patrick Harvie saw off a challenge from a "radical" group of members to replace him as the lead candidate for Glasgow. Internal messages seen by The National show members raising concerns about the selection process for both lists, with some members demanding a recount. READ MORE: SNP minister calls on UK counterpart to retract 'misleading' Scottish water comments Speaking about the North East list, Shetland councillor Alex Armitage said: "Our integrity as a party is a hugely important aspect of our values and our identity as Greens. It is so important that we can trust and have confidence in our selection procedures. "I rarely speak out on internal issues but this just doesn't sit right with me at all. I'd like to move forward but before doing so I believe this should be properly scrutinised." The National understands concerns were also raised around the selection contest between Harvie and Ellie Gomersall – who placed second on the Glasgow list – particularly around the transferring of votes to Gomersall from candidates who were knocked out in previous voting rounds. Patrick Harvie The party had sought to reassure members on Monday evening, as a spokesperson was quoted saying in the media that the party's internal elections officer (IEO) "has confirmed that the process and the methodology used are compliant with our selections procedure, and the lists published are correct". However, shortly after that statement was published, the party's IEO, Kate Joester, announced she had quit the role and said she had no part in the statement. "To clarify regarding the statement in the press on members' concerns about counting irregularities; this did not come from me as Internal Elections Officer, and I am no longer in that post as of this evening", she told members. A Scottish Greens spokesperson went on to say that there had been a "misunderstanding about the sign-off that [the statement] received which we apologise for", but that the rest of the statement's content remained accurate. READ MORE: Police operation for Donald Trump visit will be 'biggest since Queen's death' And on Tuesday, Joester shared with members that she resigned from the role because "I hadn't done a good enough job", although clarifying that she did "not know whether or not there is a problem with the results". The party has since confirmed a review into the process is underway with the company which supplied the service, and that members will be updated in due course. Concerns have continued to be raised into Tuesday, although it is understood members are awaiting more detailed feedback from the party before taking further action, such as potentially tabling an emergency motion calling for the vote to be thrown out and re-run. Speaking to The National, one member put it simply: "It's all a bit of a clusterfuck." They added: "It's just spiralling more and more, and the party seem to want to try and ignore it, hoping it will blow over, but it won't." Another member said: 'This is an absolute mess. If someone like Kate Joester is stepping down, there must be something seriously wrong. "This isn't a factional issue, this is about basic fairness and democracy which is clearly not being applied. "The results could easily be very different, and the longer questions aren't answered, the more this looks like a cover-up to protect a chosen few." A Scottish Greens spokesperson said: 'As said to members last night, we are speaking to the provider to get more details about the approach used. These details will be shared with members in due course.'
Scotsman
a day ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Row breaks out over Scottish Green selection contest as key figure quits
The party insisted the process was 'compliant with our selections procedure' Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A row has erupted in the Scottish Greens over the process of choosing candidates ahead of next year's Holyrood election. The party sought to reassure members the process was "compliant with our selections procedure" after questions were raised by concerned activists. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, shortly after this statement was released to the media, its internal elections officer, Kate Joester, announced she had quit. It comes after Maggie Chapman, a former co-convener of the Greens, failed to top the party's list for the North East region, meaning she is unlikely to be re-elected. Maggie Chapman | PA Ms Chapman sparked controversy earlier this year after accusing the Supreme Court of "bigotry, prejudice and hatred" following a landmark ruling on the legal definition of a woman. Elsewhere, Patrick Harvie, the Greens co-leader, saw off a bid from a 'radical' faction within the party to have him replaced as lead candidate in Glasgow. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The result of both selection contests had been questioned by some activists. A spokesman for the Greens told The Herald on Monday evening: "The party's internal elections officer [IEO] has confirmed that the process and the methodology used are compliant with our selections procedure, and the lists published are correct. "The IEO has verified that the count was conducted using iterative rounds of STV [single transferable vote], specifically the Weighted Inclusive Gregory method, and was done as a bottom-up process." But writing on the party's internal communications channel, Ms Joester said she had not authorised this statement. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "To clarify regarding the statement to the press on members' concerns about counting irregularities: this did not come from me as internal elections officer and I am no longer in that post as of this evening," she said. The Greens later told members there had been a "misunderstanding about the sign-off" but insisted the original statement defending the process was accurate. The party said it had been shared with Ms Joester in advance.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Even Greens have had enough! Gender row Chapman effectively 'deselected'
A Scottish Green MSP who accused the Supreme Court of 'bigotry' faces losing her job after being effectively deselected by party members. Maggie Chapman was demoted to second place on the North East regional list, making it highly unlikely she will return to Holyrood at next year's election. She was the only one of the party's seven MSPs to be ousted from the top slot. The only region in which a second-placed Green candidate has ever secured a seat so far is Lothian. The revolt by North East members followed allegations that Ms Chapman bad-mouthed her rival Guy Ingerson to a new employer and said he should be 'watched' while on probation. Mr Ingerson had called it a 'serious breach' of the party's code of conduct. Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: 'Maggie Chapman's views are so extreme and outlandish, even by Green standards, that ordinary Scots will be relieved that an internal spat has resulted in her demotion. 'But even if she fails to be returned to parliament, her colleagues still back the same high-tax, anti-growth policies that would hammer Scottish taxpayers, and a nonsensical gender ideology that undermines the rights of women and girls.' Zimbabwe-born Ms Chapman, 46, a former lecturer and Rape Crisis centre worker, has been involved in a series of controversies since entering Holyrood in 2021. In April, the self-styled 'vocal trans ally' narrowly survived a vote to remove her as deputy convener of the equalities committee after attacking the Supreme Court for ruling that 'biological sex', not gender choice, was the decisive factor under UK equality law. She accused the court of 'bigotry, prejudice and hatred'. Roddy Dunlop KC, Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, said the 'reprehensible' smear had created 'a risk of danger' to judges. Ms Chapman also stood by at a protest in Dundee about the Court's decision where another speaker, Sophie Molly, launched into an obscene tirade against author JK Rowling. And, after the October 7 terror attack by Hamas on Israel that killed more than 1,300 people, Ms Chapman blamed Israel's 'illegal occupation' of Palestine for the massacre. In a thread on X, she wrote: 'What's happening in Palestine is a consequence of apartheid, of illegal occupation, and of imperial aggression by the Israel state'. She later expressed 'regret' for causing 'significant upset and anger for some'. Despite an attempt by internal factions to demote them as well, Green MSPs Patrick Harvie and Ross Greer both stayed at the top of the Glasgow and West Scotland lists. They had been criticised by some members for being too comfortable at Holyrood and for wanting to resume power-sharing with the SNP after next year's election. The list rankings are vital to the Greens, as they have never won a Holyrood seat before, and rely on the parliament's proportional system for all their MSPs. The party's co-leader Lorna Slater said she was 'delighted' at the 'strong group of lead candidates'.
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Greens release statement as members demand recounts
A statement released by the party stated: "The party's Internal Elections Officer has confirmed that the process and the methodology used are compliant with our selections procedure, and the lists published are correct. "The IEO has verified, that the count was conducted using iterative rounds of STV, specifically the Weighted Inclusive Gregory method, and was done as a bottom-up process." The intervention follows questions today by members over how votes were counted. It is understood the party was asked to reviewed the count in Glasgow where co-leader Patrick Harvie survived an attempt by activist Ellie Gomersall to remove him as the party's lead candidate. It was also asked to review the count in the north east. READ MORE: Chapman Holyrood 'deselection' sends shockwaves through Scottish Greens Unspun: Scottish Greens could bring 'plague upon their house' through civil war Under pressure Police Scotland requests help from NI with Donald Trump visit MSP Maggie Chapman lost her top slot on the party's ranking list to Guy Ingerson. It is likely to mean she will not be reelected to Holyrood next May. The Herald has been told that Ms Gomersall, who was second placed, has concerns some votes were not transferred to her from candidates who were knocked out in earlier voting rounds. "Ellie has raised it with the party. She has asked for the count to be reviewed," one source told The Herald. "The party has asked them to give them a couple of hours to review the data so if they can work out if there are any errors. "There is concern that second preference votes may not have been carried as they should have been." Another contact: "The data isn't carrying forward for limited candidates second preferences and beyond so it's being treated like a FPTP election to an extent especially in the final round." Shetland Councillor Alex Armitage also raised concerns about the count in the north east where Ms Chapman was ousted from the top ranking slot by Mr Ingerson. "There's something that makes me feel uncomfortable and I want to flag it here," he wrote on a party internal communication channel which has been seen by The Herald. "I'm concerned about the selection process in the North East region, which I think should be thoroughly investigated by the party as soon as possible. "It looks to me that there is a bloc of around 50 votes cast in the North East which does not fit the patterns of voting in this and previous selection campaigns. "Maggie Chapman got around 50 more negative votes than would be expected for an incumbent MSP, and Guy Ingerson got around 50 more first-preference votes than might be expected. "Maggie Chapman's vote in 2019 was 44 first preference votes and 76 this year, an understandable increase given her incumbency. Guy Ingerson received 25 first preference votes in 2019 and this increased to 90 this year: a more than tripling of his first preference votes. This is despite the fact there was very little public campaigning in the North East Region. "Compare the situation to Glasgow or Edinburgh where places on the list were hotly contested; there was much less of a swing than the NE between incumbents and challengers. "The North East is also an outlier in terms of voter turnout. A significantly higher percentage of voters voted in the North East than any other region, despite very little public activity — see the graph. "Signing up friends and family to join to vote for a candidate is a common and legitimate tactic, but 50 seems way beyond what would be expected, or possible. "This may be all above board, in which case Guy has conducted a remarkable campaign and should be congratulated. But the degree of discrepancy in the data is extreme, and warrants an objective interrogation of the North East membership database. "Our integrity as a party is a hugely important aspect of our values and our identity as Greens. It is so important that we can trust and have confidence in our selection procedures. "I rarely speak out on internal issues but this just doesn't sit right with me at all. I'd like to move forward but before doing so I believe this should be properly scrutinised."
