Green Party members have been told to replace terms such as “mothers and fathers” with gender-neutral terminology under new guidance on inclusive language.
They have been advised to use the terms “parents and carers” when referring to a child’s mother and father and also said people should never be referred to as “elderly”.
The guide also instructs members to use the phrase “black, Asian and minority ethnic” (Bame) with caution because “many people are uncomfortable with grouping diverse experiences under a single label”.
The same applies to “homosexual” and “transsexual” – the latter because it “does not encompass non-binary people”.
“Sexual preference” is also labelled as “unacceptable” because it “implies that attraction is a choice and should be avoided”.
The terms “lunatic” and “nutter” also do not comply with the rules because they “reinforce negative stereotypes and stigma about mental health”. The guidance tells members it “widely reflects common usage in the UK”.
It warns members that using the wrong words, as determined by the Green Party, “can create environments that feel unwelcoming or exclusionary”. This could contribute to bullying and harassment, which would be in violation of the party’s code of conduct.
The guide also instructs members to use the phrase “black, Asian and minority ethnic” (Bame) with caution because “many people are uncomfortable with grouping diverse experiences under a single label”.
The same applies to “homosexual” and “transsexual” – the latter because it “does not encompass non-binary people”.
“Sexual preference” is also labelled as “unacceptable” because it “implies that attraction is a choice and should be avoided”.
The terms “lunatic” and “nutter” also do not comply with the rules because they “reinforce negative stereotypes and stigma about mental health”. The guidance tells members it “widely reflects common usage in the UK”.
It warns members that using the wrong words, as determined by the Green Party, “can create environments that feel unwelcoming or exclusionary”. This could contribute to bullying and harassment, which would be in violation of the party’s code of conduct.
The Greens have also recently launched a “healing toolkit” for its members amid growing tensions under Zack Polanski’s leadership.
A surge in new members after Mr Polanski became leader in September 2025 and the election of 441 new councillors in May has radically altered the political direction of the party.
Disenfranchised Left-wing activists who quit Labour under Sir Keir Starmer joined the Greens after its new leader championed Palestinian and transgender rights rather than focusing on environmental issues.
In September last year membership stood at 68,000 but surged to 200,000 by March 2026.
Under a section titled “What if I get it wrong?”, the guidance reassures members that “it’s OK to make mistakes from time to time” as long as they are trying to be more “inclusive”.
It instructs members to apologise, thank the person who pointed it out and “adjust your language moving forward”.
However, “repeated or deliberate behaviour may be considered harassment, which is unlawful”.
A YouGov poll released on Wednesday revealed Britons tended to see the party as “weak, out of touch, incompetent and serving their own interests”.
The survey found the Greens’ net favourability rating had fallen from five to -19 over the course of Mr Polanski’s leadership.
He is standing in the by-election to replace Sir Keir Starmer in his constituency of Holborn and St Pancras on Oct 8.
The contest is expected to be a two-horse race between the Greens and Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali, the leader of Camden council and a former Somali child refugee
A Green Party spokesman said: “This is an existing and standard equalities training document, similar to those found in other organisations that also take equalities seriously. It is a guide and nothing else.”
The spokesman did not respond when asked when the guidance was published.
Sapphire Hope, The Telegraph
