Jonathan Bartley

Jonathan Charles Bartley (born 16 October 1971) is a British politician and Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, a position he shared with Caroline Lucas and then, from 4 September 2018, with Siân Berry. He was the Green Party's national Work and Pensions spokesperson[1] and the party's Parliamentary candidate for Streatham in the 2015 general election.[2] He was the Unite to Remain candidate for Dulwich and West Norwood at the 2019 general election.

Cllr

Jonathan Bartley
Jonathan Bartley in 2018
Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales
Assumed office
2 September 2016
Serving with
DeputyAmelia Womack
Preceded byNatalie Bennett
Councillor for St Leonard's
Assumed office
3 May 2018
Preceded bySaleha Jaffer
Majority403 (3.2%)
Co-Leader of the Opposition on Lambeth Borough Council
Assumed office
15 May 2018
Serving with Nicole Griffiths
Preceded byTimothy Briggs
Personal details
Born
Jonathan Charles Bartley

(1971-10-16) 16 October 1971
London, England
Political partyGreen Party of England and Wales (2010–present)
EducationDulwich College
Alma materLondon School of Economics
OccupationPolitical activist

Bartley is a councillor on Lambeth Council representing the St Leonard's ward, he has done so since his election on 3 May 2018. On 15 May 2018, Bartley became Leader of the Opposition on Lambeth Council.

Bartley is the founder and was (until 2016[3]) co-director of Ekklesia,[4] an independent think tank looking at the role of religion in public life and appears regularly on UK radio and television programmes. He is a member of the blues rock band The Mustangs and lives with his family in Streatham, South London.[5]

Early life and family

Bartley was born in London on 16 October 1971. His father was Christopher Bartley, an NHS consultant physician, and Normandy veteran.[6] Bartley's uncle was Anthony Bartley, a World War II Spitfire pilot and squadron leader who married the actress Deborah Kerr.[7] Bartley is a direct descendant of the prison reformer Elizabeth Fry.[8]

From 1980 to 1989,[9] Bartley was educated at Dulwich College,[10] a boarding independent school for boys, in Dulwich in south London. At age seventeen, and while still at school, Bartley, in a car, ran into and killed a young pedestrian, but the death was treated as accidental and the police did not press charges.[11] After leaving school, Bartley attended the London School of Economics, from which he graduated in 1994.

Life and career

After graduating, Bartley worked at the UK Parliament on a cross-party basis as a researcher and parliamentary assistant for a number of years. He volunteered on John Major's campaign team in the 1995 Conservative Party leadership election against John Redwood. He later said, "I was not an advisor, I was not a staffer and I am so far from the Conservatives you wouldn't believe."[12][13]

In 2002, Bartley co-founded Ekklesia, a Christian think-tank which looks at "the changing role of beliefs, values and faith/non-faith in public life".[14] In 2008, he co-founded the Accord Coalition,[15] which works to end religious discrimination and segregation in the English and Welsh school systems.

He is a regular contributor to BBC One's The Big Questions. He has formerly contributed to BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day and ITV's The Moral of the Story, and has been a columnist for The Church Times. He has been a guest on BBC Radio 4's The Moral Maze and has written for The Guardian newspaper. He has also represented the Green Party of England and Wales in the media, including the BBC's welfare debate at the 2015 general election, clashing with the former Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith.[16]

David Cameron incident

On 27 April 2010, while Bartley was waiting to attend a hospital appointment at the Evelina Children's Hospital with his son Samuel, a Conservative Party official asked if he would like to meet the-then Leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron.[17][18] Bartley agreed and party officials then brought the Conservative leader over to meet them, on his way to a car after a General Election campaign event in South London.

Bartley asserted that Conservative manifesto plans would increase the segregation of disabled children as it pledged to "end the bias towards the inclusion of children with special needs in mainstream schools".[18] Referring to his own two-year attempt to gain a place for his son in a mainstream school,[19] Bartley also asked why the Conservative manifesto did not say that the Conservatives wanted to encourage children into mainstream schools. David Cameron said "It absolutely does say that sir, I promise you".[20] After the event Channel 4 FactCheck said that David Cameron had been wrong.[20]

The Daily Telegraph pointed out that Bartley had been on The Moral Maze and was a regular commentator in the media.[21] Bartley said he was a "floating voter", that he felt let down by the main parties and criticised the Labour Government over the issues of inclusion.[22]

Afterwards, Bartley became the chair of the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education (CSIE).[23]

AV Referendum

As part of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition agreement following the 2010 General Election, the two parties agreed to an AV referendum on changing the method of electing MPs in subsequent general elections. A long time supporter of electoral reform, Bartley was appointed a vice-chair of the official cross-party YES! To Fairer Votes campaign, acting principally as a media spokesperson throughout the referendum.[24]

After the campaign, he joined the council of the Electoral Reform Society, serving as vice-chair.[25]

Green Party activity

In 2012, Bartley was selected as the Green Party candidate for the Lambeth and Southwark constituency for the London Assembly elections, winning over 18,000 votes. Bartley also acted as the party's press officer for the London campaign.

In 2014, Bartley contested the St Leonard's Ward on Lambeth Council as a Green candidate. He finished in fifth place.

Bartley was the Green Party candidate for the London constituency of Streatham in the 2015 general election, receiving 4,421 votes (8.9%), up from the 1.8% the party received in 2010.

Bartley sought to be the party's candidate in the 2016 London mayoral election,[26] but was defeated by Siân Berry.[27] He was instead named in fourth place on the party's list of candidates for the concurrent London Assembly elections and played an active role in the campaign.

On 31 May 2016, it was announced that Bartley would run for the position of the Leader of the Green Party in a job share arrangement with the former leader Caroline Lucas in the forthcoming 2016 Green Party Leadership election.[28] He and Lucas subsequently became Co-Leaders on 2 September 2016. Bartley did not stand for election at the 2017 general election.[29]

Bartley was also the Work and Pensions spokesperson for the Green Party of England and Wales from 2016-2017.[30]

On 3 May 2018, Bartley was elected as a Green Party councillor for St Leonard's Ward on Lambeth Council. He finished as the second place Green candidate. Later that month he became Leader of the Green Group and Opposition on the Council.

On 30 May 2018, Caroline Lucas announced she would not seek re-election as co-leader of the Green Party in the party's leadership election which will take place in September, as the party elects its leaders every 2 years.[31] He stood for election as co-leader with Siân Berry and the two were successful.[32]

On 16 October 2019, his 48th birthday, Bartley was arrested by police while demonstrating with Extinction Rebellion in Trafalgar Square.[33][34]

On 8 June 2020, Bartley announced his intention to stand again as co-leader alongside Berry.[35]

Bartley has said he personally supports the banning of halal slaughter.[36]

Music

Bartley is the drummer for British blues rock band The Mustangs. The band is signed to the Trapeze music label and has released ten albums, including a live album and a 'Best Of'. In June 2017 The Mustangs played the Glastonbury Festival.

Family

Bartley has three children with his wife, Lucy. Bartley confirmed in May 2017 that he and Lucy are now separated.[37]

Books
  • The Subversive Manifesto: lifting the lid on God's political agenda (Bible Reading Fellowship, 2004).
  • Your Child and the Internet (Hodder, 2004).
  • (Co-editor) Consuming Passion: Why The Killing of Jesus Really Matters (DLT, 2005)
  • Faith and Politics After Christendom: the church as a movement for anarchy (Paternoster, 2006).
gollark: Did you notice that I said "the" twice?
gollark: What a strange thing to do. Why would you do that to the the members of this Discord server?
gollark: I don't get it. You misspelt volcano?
gollark: Doesn't becoming an architect take something like 7 years of studying?
gollark: Probably.

References
  1. Green Party Spokespeople, Green Party of England and Wales
  2. Streatham Parliamentary Candidates, Lambeth Council
  3. "Ekklesia - Staff". 1 September 2010.
  4. "Jonathan Bartley". London: Guardian. 20 October 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  5. "Jonathan Bartley". New Statesman. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  6. "Munks Roll Details for Christopher William Bartley". munksroll.rcplondon.ac.uk. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  7. iconic (12 November 2010), Film star Deborah Kerr marries Squadron Leader Anthony Bartley, retrieved 19 May 2016
  8. Bartley, Jonathan (7 July 2015). "Religion is a mixed bag – the crucial task is to sort the good from the bad". Bright Green. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  9. "Jonathan Bartley OA 1980-89". Dulwich College, London. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  10. "Think tank to promote theological ideas". The Daily Telegraph. 10 November 2006. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  11. "Green Party co-leader opens up about car crash killing". BBC News. 2 March 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  12. "Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley talks about progressive alliances, having faith and working for John Major". Business Insider. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  13. Watt, Nicholas (27 April 2010). "David Cameron heckled by parent over special education". The Guardian.
  14. About Ekklesia, Ekklesia
  15. "Accord congratulates Jonathan Bartley". Accord Coalition. 16 September 2016.
  16. "Welfare, 2015 Election Debates, Daily Politics - BBC Two". BBC. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  17. Bartley, Jonathan (28 April 2010). "Why I 'ambushed' David Cameron over special-needs schoolin". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  18. "David Cameron tackled over special needs in schools". BBC News. 27 April 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  19. Bartley, Jonathan (28 April 2010). "General Election 2010: my fight to get my disabled son into a mainstream school". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  20. Lewis Hannam. "The FactCheck Blog – Do Tories encourage special needs children in mainstream schools?". Blogs.channel4.com. Archived from the original on 1 May 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  21. Preston, Richard (28 April 2010). "Doh! No wonder Cameron's heckler wouldn't let go – he's been on the Moral Maze – Telegraph Blogs". London: telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  22. "Father reflects on Cameron encounter". BBC News. 27 April 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  23. "Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education". www.csie.org.uk. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  24. Wintour, Patrick (26 November 2010). "Labour big beasts say no to voting reform". the Guardian. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  25. Electoral Reform Society (November 2012). "Electoral Reform Society Annual Report 2011-2012" (PDF). Electoral Reform Society Annual Report 2011-2012.
  26. McKie, Anna (18 June 2015). "Streatham Green Party's Jonathan Bartley announces London mayoral bid". Brixton Blog. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  27. Lo, Joe (2 September 2015). "Sian Berry to be Green's London Mayoral candidate". Bright Green. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  28. Stewart, Heather (31 May 2016). "Caroline Lucas to stand for Green party leadership as job share". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  29. "General Election Candidates 2017".
  30. "Green Party announces 2016-2017 spokespeople". Green Party of England and Wales. 11 February 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  31. Lucas, Caroline (30 May 2018). "Why I'm not going to stand again to be Green party leader". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  32. Walker, Peter (4 September 2018). "Jonathan Bartley and Siân Berry win Green party leadership race". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  33. Smith, Mikey (16 October 2019). "Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley arrested in Extinction Rebellion protest". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  34. Chowns, Ellie [@EllieChowns] (16 October 2019). "Happy birthday @jon_bartley" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 August 2020 – via Twitter.
  35. Mason, Rowena (8 June 2020). "Green party joint leaders to stand again for their roles". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  36. Walker, Jonathan (29 November 2019). "Greens accused of 'Muslim-bashing' after co-leader would ban halal slaughter". Birmingham Mail.
  37. "The Extra Question: What are boy jobs? Diane Abbott, Jonathan Bartley, Vince Cable and Brandon Lewis give us their thoughts., Any Questions? - BBC Radio 4". BBC.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Natalie Bennett		 ' Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales
2016–present
With: 'Caroline Lucas (2016–2018)
Siân Berry (2018–present)		 Incumbent
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