Anthony Slaughter will not stand again as the leader of the Green Party in Wales, triggering a contest to find his successor. The former punk rocker has led the Greens in Wales for four years and became one of the first two Green Senedd Members elected to Wales' Parliament in May.
Health and career background
Mr Slaughter, who is 64, had surgery over the summer recess and is being treated for cancer. He has been a longstanding member of the Green Party who has stood in elections in Wales at all levels for many years. He has served three terms and cannot therefore stand again.
In an interview with WalesOnline earlier this year, he spoke about his background. He grew up in Australia as the child of £10 Pom immigrants, was a punk rocker in South Africa as a young man and lived as a squatter in London for a long time in what he called the "anarcho-punk scene". He moved to Wales with his jewellery designer partner and has run a garden design business in Penarth.
Leadership contest details
The Green Party in Wales will vote on who will be the next leader with a decision expected in early December. The Caerdydd Penarth Senedd member was elected to the Welsh Parliament in May, becoming the party's first representative in the institution. He is joined there by Paul Rock, representing Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf.
Ian Chandler has already said he will put his name forward to replace Mr Slaughter. A Green councillor in Monmouthshire since 2022, he was the lead candidate for Sir Fynwy Torfaen in the Senedd election earlier this year.
Conference and next steps
The Wales Green Party has its conference in Wales in Bangor in November when candidates will face questions, and after which the new leader will be named.
