Former Cambridge Union Debates Officer Pollyanna Greene-Wright has won an appeal against the decision to disqualify her from running for president in the recent Union elections.

Greene-Wright resigned from her role on 5 March, just as nominations for the election closed, after being barred from standing as a candidate on 26 February. An investigation undertaken by the Union’s vice-president and returning officers found that she had breached electoral rules as both Debates Officer-Elect and during early presidential campaigning.

However, an appeals panel announced on Tuesday (17/03) that “the Returning Officers were wrong to find that Ms Greene-Wright had committed electoral malpractice or otherwise behaved improperly, findings which were not adequately supported by the available evidence”. It also ruled that the officers should not have disqualified Greene-Wright from the election.

Greene-Wright told Varsity that she is “delighted by the findings of the Review Committee,” alleging that the proceedings against her were “highly improper” and that she had been “unfairly targeted by institutional bullying intended to slander and silence me”.

The student added: “I have always held my head up and been proud of my conduct, but it’s nice to be publicly vindicated too. To be quite frank, I think those responsible for the baseless accusations and unconstitutional investigation ought to be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.”

A spokesperson for the Union acknowledged the findings of the appeals panel, but said that the report “found the investigation involving Ms Greene-Wright to be entirely within the proper remit of the Union’s constitution, and found that all officers and complainants involved discharged their duties fairly, reasonably, and in good faith.”

The appeal comes after the unprecedented results of the Union elections, in which the only remaining presidential candidate, Isaac James, received just 51 votes compared to 88 for reopening nominations.

Greene-Wright refused to comment on whether she would run in the resulting by-election, scheduled to take place between 30 April and 2 May. However, she said that she hoped the Michaelmas president would be “bold enough to make the changes needed to get the society back on the right track”.

When a Union officer appeals a decision against them, the chair of the Review Committee – a body composed of 12 former officers who must have served at least three years ago – appoints three members of this committee to an appeals panel.

The panel’s statement noted that Greene-Wright submitted her appeal five days after the deadline. The student blames this delay on not having been “given the complete judgement and evidence document,” as well as “the overwhelming constitutional violations against me and the significant impact on my mental health”. The Union denies that the investigation was unconstitutional or that Greene-Wright was refused the full report.

While acknowledging that “Ms Greene-Wright had a good reason for bringing her appeal late,” the panel stated that “it would not be appropriate to permit her to pursue her appeal out of time” since the elections have already taken place. However, “having considered the substance of Ms Greene-Wright’s appeal,” they chose to clear her of all wrongdoing.

Greene-Wright argues that her experience shows the need for a change to the Union’s “internal culture”. She told Varsity: “When it gets to the point where you have officers resigning due to the toxic culture, and others too afraid to speak out except under total anonymity due to fear of smears and internal payback, you know something needs to change, and quickly […] It’s my sincere hope that the Union reflects on all of this and commits to making the changes needed to ensure the building returns to the supportive welcoming environment I know it can be.”