Green Party suspends health spokesperson: ‘There is no trans-hate in society in general’
Pallavi Devulapalli was suspended after referring to reports of a rise in LGBTQ+ hate crimes as "mischievious"
By Dale Fox
The Green Party of England and Wales has suspended its health spokesperson, Dr Pallavi Devulapalli, following remarks about LGBTQ+ hate crimes.
At a general election hustings in June, Devulapalli questioned reports of rising LGBTQ+ hate crimes, suggesting there was “something mischievous in the air – to make those out to be an issue.” She added she had “yet to meet anyone” who denied a person’s right to “dress” and “be addressed as they please,” BBC News reported.
Devulapalli, who ran as the Green Party candidate in South West Norfolk, made her remarks at a hustings event hosted by Friends of the Earth. She later told BBC News, “There is no trans-hate in society in general.”
These comments stand in contrast to government data, which shows an 11% increase in reported hate crimes against trans people in the year 2022-23.
“The confusion arises when people start conflating sex with gender” – Pallavi Devulapalli
Devulapalli went on to add, “The confusion arises when people start conflating sex with gender,” and called for the government to adopt the Cass Review recommendations on gender care in full.
The Green Party has not provided an official explanation for the suspension. A spokesperson said, “We do not comment on individual disciplinary cases.” However, documents obtained by BBC News reveal that Devulapalli was placed on an emergency suspension pending a code of conduct investigation.
In response to her suspension, Devulapalli claimed her comments reflected her thoughts that hate crime against LGBTQ+ people was “being politicised” and that “most people weren’t aware of the issue”. She stated that she condemned anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes and suggested her suspension was part of a broader Green Party effort to “silence” dissent.
“Trans men are men, trans women are women” – Green Party official policy
Cade Hatton, co-chair of the LGBTQIA+ Greens group, said Devulapalli’s comments at the hustings were “just the most recent thing in a long list of things that have made people uncomfortable”. Hatton said he believed Devulapalli was trying to create a debate about trans rights but had “not gone about it in the right way”.
The Green Party’s official policy states that “trans men are men, trans women are women, and that non-binary identities exist and are valid,” adding, “The Green Party shall include, and push for further acceptance of, transgender and non-binary people within all areas of society.”
Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay, while not commenting specifically on Devulapalli’s case, has stated that free speech is “a fundamental cornerstone of democracy in the UK and of all political parties”.