Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales group. In September 2008 Caroline Lucas was elected as the party's first leader. Lucas was reelected in 2010 but chose not to stand in 2012, when Natalie Bennett was elected her successor. After Bennett stood down in 2016 Lucas returned as leader, this time sharing the position with Jonathan Bartley. Prior to 1992 six principal speakers were elected annually. The Female Principal Speaker post was won by Siân Berry, without a contest. The Female Principal Speaker post was won by Caroline Lucas, without a contest. Not all regions of the Green Party used the Principal Speaker system. In particular, the
W. A. C. Bennett far-reaching federal-provincial agreement on constitutional amendment since Confederation. Bennett advocated that BC should have a veto over constitutional amendments, along with Ontario and Quebec. Following his party's defeat in the 1972 election by Dave Barrett's revitalized New Democratic Party (the successor to the CCF), he served as Leader of the Opposition until resigning his seat as member for South Okanagan in June 1973. His son, W.R. "Bill" Bennett, won the South Okanagan by-election in September. W.A.C. Bennett retired as leader of the Social Credit Party on November 15, and his son Bill Bennett was elected leader of the BC Social