27 Facts About Natalie Bennett

Natalie Bennett was born on 10 February 1966 in Eastwood, a suburb of Sydney, Australia, the daughter of John and Joy Natalie Bennett.

Natalie Bennett was born to working class teenage parents: a part-time secretary and an apprentice carpenter.

Natalie Bennett's mother was killed in a car crash in 1989.

Natalie Bennett then took the degrees of Bachelor of Agricultural Science at the University of Sydney, Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies at the University of New England and Master of Arts in Mass Communication from the University of Leicester, graduating from the latter in 2001.

Natalie Bennett was the first member of her family to attend university.

Natalie Bennett began her career in journalism in New South Wales, where she worked for various regional newspapers including the Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth.

Natalie Bennett left Australia in 1995, and lived for four years in Thailand where she worked for Australian Volunteers International in the Office of the National Commission of Women's Affairs, before moving to the Bangkok Post newspaper, where she was chief foreign sub-editor.

Natalie Bennett was deputy editor and then editor of The Guardian Weekly from December 2007 until March 2012.

Natalie Bennett has worked for the London-based Independent and Times newspapers.

Natalie Bennett joined the Green Party on 1 January 2006.

Natalie Bennett was the internal communications coordinator on the national executive of the party from September 2007 to August 2011.

Natalie Bennett stood next in the London Assembly elections of 2012, as the fourth placed candidate on the London-wide list for the Green Party.

On 3 September 2012, Natalie Bennett replaced Caroline Lucas as leader of the Green Party of England and Wales.

On election as party leader Natalie Bennett told a press conference that the policies of the Green Party were "the only viable way forward for British people, for the world".

Natalie Bennett was re-elected unopposed as leader of the party in September 2014.

In February 2015, an interview with Natalie Bennett regarding the funding of house-building on the talk radio station LBC was described by her as "absolutely excruciating".

Natalie Bennett called the ruling "disgraceful and indefensible" and David Cameron claimed that he was "quite happy for there to be no debates at all" if the Green Party was not included.

Natalie Bennett came third in the election to the Labour and Conservative candidates, and in 2016, at the end of her second two-year term, did not stand for re-election as leader.

On 7 October 2016, it was announced that Natalie Bennett had been selected to contest the Sheffield Central constituency for the Green Party in the 2017 UK general election.

Natalie Bennett was nominated for a life peerage in September 2019.

Natalie Bennett becomes the Green Party of England and Wales' second current member of the unelected House of Lords, joining Jenny Jones, Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb.

Natalie Bennett was introduced to the Lords on 15 October 2019 by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb and John Bird, Baron Bird, and made her maiden speech on 17 October 2019.

Natalie Bennett has considered herself a feminist since she was a young child, claiming that it was her "first politics".

Natalie Bennett founded the Green Party women's group and was a trustee of the Fawcett Society between 2010 and 2014.

Natalie Bennett became interested in environmental issues when she obtained a degree in Agricultural Sciences.

Natalie Bennett has voiced support for polygamy and polyamorous relationships.

Natalie Bennett opposes HS2, a high-speed railway, arguing that the project is unhealthy socially, bad for the environment, and harmful to local economies.