Jeff Green (British politician)

Green was first elected to Wirral Council in 1986 in the Tory safe seat of Thurstaston.^[8] After boundary change in 2004, Thurstaston was abolished and Green was re-elected to the new West Kirby and Thurstaston ward.^[9][10]

In 2002, he succeeded John Hale as leader of the Conservative group, a role he held until 2017 when he lost a leadership challenge to Wallasey councillor Ian Lewis.^[3] He became Leader of the Conservative Group again in December 2020 when Lewis stepped down, beating David Burgess Joyce a secret ballot.^[11] He did not stand for re-election for the role in May 2021, instead he was nominated for the role of Deputy Mayor.^[12]

Green was first elected leader on 24 May 2010 after forming an alliance with the Liberal Democrats branded a "Coalition of Losers." by outgoing Labour leader Steve Foulkes.^[5] Green's reign lasted less than a year before the Lib Dems withdrew their support citing that, after the 2011 election, "they were not given a mandate to continue running the council as part of a coalition." and Foulkes resumed office.^[6]

After a Vote of no confidence in Steve Foulkes' leadership on 13 February 2012, Green once again became council leader continuing until the Labour Party took control of the council at the 2012 election.^[4] He was succeeded by Phil Davies.^[13]

Anna Klonowski report

During his first stint as Leader, Green commissioned a report into claims of whistleblower Martin Morton, a former social services employee, who was bullied out of his job after revealing systematic financial abuse of vulnerable people in council care.^[14] The report discovered that a "corrosive culture" existed within the authority in which the "abnormal has become commonplace."^[3]

Attempted smear campaign

In 2016, a £17,000 inquiry revealed that ex-Labour council leader Steve Foulkes had broken the council code of conduct and brought the council into disrepute over a leaked telephone conversation he had had with four whistleblowers.^[15] Foulkes denied ever using the recording to "smear" Green.

Green lives in Irby with his wife Carol, a local headteacher.^[16][7] The couple have two daughters.