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
Jim Bennett (politician) ran in St. Barbe and this time was successful in defeating Young. In March 2012, the governing Progressive Conservatives announced that a month earlier Bennett had left what they considered to be a threatening voice mail at cabinet minister Joan Burke's office. Bennett, who had been seeking help for a constituent, said in the recording that "If this problem is not resolved today, you can expect me to absolutely vilify your minister on Monday morning on Open Line." He went on to say "I will absolutely trash your minister, say what a bunch of idiots she’s got working in her