Stalwart Jones is favourite for post of Greens’ deputy leader
THE Green Party’s Fermanagh and South Tyrone representative is favourite to be elected deputy leader at its annual conference this weekend.
Tanya Jones, who has been the party’s candidate in several elections in the constituency, is standing against a female Belfast member.
The post became vacant with the surprise resignation earlier this month of South Belfast MLA Clare Bailey, who said she was stepping down from the post in order to concentrate on constituency work.
The Greens denied that her decision was a result of a split in the ranks. Party rules state that the leadership must be gender balanced so only women candidates are eligible to stand in the contest, as the current leader is male. The Greens have two female councillors in Northern Ireland — Georgina Milne in Belfast and Rachel Woods in Ards and North Down — but neither is standing.
Ms Jones is one of two candidates seeking the post.
Although neither are elected representatives, Ms Bailey wasn’t a councillor or MLA when she became the deputy leader in 2014.
Neither was Steven Agnew when he became party leader three years earlier.
Ms Jones, who is from the West Midlands, has lived in Northern Ireland for many years.
The Cambridge graduate was founding chairperson of the Greens in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. She was the party’s candidate in the constituency in this year’s Westminster and Assembly elections, as well as last year’s Assembly poll and the 2015 Westminster election.
A former solicitor and teacher, Ms Jones is a well-known anti-fracking campaigner and has also been active on cross-community issues.
One of her three grown-up children, Gawain, is a chess grandmaster. Another child, Ashley, is the chair of the Young Greens. Around 100 delegates are expected to attend the party’s conference in Belfast. Mr Agnew and Ms Bailey will address members today.
The election for deputy leader will take place at a private session tomorrow.
Outside speakers addressing the conference include Women’s Aid’s chief executive in Northern Ireland Jan Melia; Danny McQuillan of Extern; Brian Pelan, editor of View magazine, and Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations chief executive Ben Collins.