‘Enter parliament but never become part of it’: How have the Greens in the United Kingdom approached opposition?

Abstract

The Greens in the United Kingdom have benefitted from the fragmentation of the party system and the creation of devolved institutions, achieving consistent representation at multiple levels of British politics in recent years. However, we know little about what they have done in these positions. This study uses interviews with Green legislators to investigate how they have interpreted the task of opposition at Westminster, Holyrood and Stormont. We show that Green legislators’ approaches to opposition have been influenced by their party identity, and that differences in approach between the institutions have largely been determined by contrasting political opportunity structures, rather than parliamentary rules. These findings highlight the importance of party as a factor shaping opposition strategy and the varied roles which opposition parties can play within the UK political system.