Leader of Green group claims party ban

The leader of the Green group on Herefordshire Council has claimed she has been banned from her own party for her views on gender.

In a statement released on Friday, Councillor Diana Toynbee said she had been barred from serving as a Green councillor "for at least six months".

In an X post sent on 25 November, Toynbee said there was "nothing right wing about child safeguarding and respecting women" and "nothing more anti-feminist than saying a woman is no more than a costume, identity or fantasy".

The BBC has approached the Green Party for comment.

The Green Party's rights and responsibilities page states "trans men are men, trans women are women, and that non-binary identities exist and are valid".

The party also supports making it easier for trans people to change their legal status without the need for a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).

Toynbee led the nine-member group after her predecessor Ellie Chowns was elected as MP for North Herefordshire in July last year.

Chowns said she was "deeply saddened" to see Toynbee leave the party and described her as "an excellent ward councillor".

She added: "I'd like to put on record my huge thanks to Diana for all her efforts on behalf of residents and the Green Party.

"I know she will continue to serve and support her ward residents brilliantly."

In her statement, Toynbee, addressing the ban, said: "The central party establishment has ruled that I must be punished for my views on gender and safeguarding, and this is the painful culmination of years of intimidation."

She will now join the Independents for Herefordshire (i4H) group on the council, "with whom I share values of freedom of expression and independent-mindedness", she added.

Toynbee said she had been "touched by the huge amount of support I receive from people from all backgrounds and views, who want politicians with minds of their own who don't pretend to believe things they don't believe".

"My priority has not changed - to serve the people and nature of Herefordshire," she added.

"I look forward to continuing this work within the Independent group, whose welcome I much appreciate."

Following Toynbee's decision to join i4h, it leaves both the Greens and the independent group with eight councillors apiece.

The Conservative Party has as a minority cabinet with 20 councillors, while the Liberal Democrats has 12.

Correction 01 December: This article wrongly suggested that a GRC refers to a Gender Reassignment Certificate and was amended to say Gender Recognition Certificate.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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