Can the Lib Dems be trusted?

(Letter to the Evening Post)

Sir,

This week we had the spectacle of Vince Cable, the Lib-Con Business Secretary, defending measures in the budget that he and his party vehemently opposed during the election campaign.

Now, here in Swansea, we have Councillor Peter May, Lib-Dem Cabinet Member for Housing, telling us that transferring ownership of our council housing stock to a “private landlord … is the only option on the table” (Evening Post, Saturday 26 June, page 5).

This despite the fact that, in response to a question that I asked during the Council Meeting in April 2009 Councillor May gave a categorical assurance that there would be no re-ballot on the question of transfer. At a subsequent meeting he confirmed this assurance by repeating that there would be no re-ballot on transfer during the lifetime of the current administration.

If, as he says, “it isn’t a principle he believes in”, why is he raising the question when no-one else seems to be pushing for it?

The rejection of the transfer proposal in 2007 was not only supported by 71% of council tenants who voted in the ballot, it also had the support of large numbers of Council Tax payers across Swansea.

At the time the message to the Swansea Administration was clear. The people of Swansea wanted them to stop talking and get on with the job of improving our council housing stock.

It appears that they have ignored that message, as they ignored the message that came from their own consultation on the future of the Slip Bridge.

How can the Lib Dems be trusted when they appear willing to change their minds and ignore their principles at the drop of a hat for the sake of political convenience?

Yours,

Keith M Ross
Swansea Green Party

G20 should show coal the red card

Jean Lambert and Keith Taylor, the UK’s two Green Party MEPs, say it’s time G20 countries in Europe put a European Green New Deal into place. This would involve an end to coal industry subsidy, an international agreement for a Robin Hood Tax, and strategic continent-wide investment in renewable energy industries.

- The European Union is considering 12 more years of state aid for coal, despite renewable energy sustaining more jobs per MW than either nuclear or fossil fuels.

- The Robin Hood Tax is a tiny tax (as low as 0.005% and average 0.05%) on hedge funds, banks, and other financial institutions which would raise billions to tackle global poverty and climate change.

A budget for pointless austerity

Commenting on today’s “budget for pointless austerity,” the UK’s first Green MP, Caroline Lucas said, “In spite of the Chancellor’s protestations, this budget was neither unavoidable nor fair. Instead it was a massively failed opportunity to shift the economy onto a fairer, greener pathway.

“Devastating public spending cuts of the sort announced today are not ‘unavoidable’. They are not an economic inevitability – they are an ideological choice.

“Nor was this budget fair. A VAT rise, benefits cuts for all, a public sector freeze, and swingeing cuts in most government budgets of 25%, will all of them hit some of the poorest hardest.”

Destitution isn’t an acceptable outcome of the asylum system

There are many reasons why those refused asylum remain in the UK. Enjoying squalid limbo isn’t one of them

Jean Lambert, Green Party MEP for London; guardian.co.uk; Sunday 20 June 2010;
http://tinyurl.com/32wps7j

New report proposes tax-based alternative to spending cuts – and calls for massive investment in job-creation

Green Party leader Caroline Lucas MP will this week tell the coalition government there is “no good reason for any cuts in public expenditure during the life of this parliament.”

On Monday 21 June Britain’s first Green MP is to issue a new report – ‘Cuts: the callous con trick’ – in which she will make the case that cuts are unnecessary “because the economy could instead be rebalanced using additional tax revenues.”

The report, written jointly with tax expert Richard Murphy and Colin Hines of Finance for the Future, condemns the government “for failing to put to the electorate the option of fair tax instead of cuts,” and accuses ministers of increasing the likelihood of a double-dip recession.

The report can be read at:

http://www.financeforthefuture.com/TaxBriefing.pdf.

Busting the Carbon Myth

(Letter to the Evening Post)

Sir,

What kind of a Doctor is Dr K B Napier (‘Carbon myth needs busting’, Have Your Say, Wednesday 16th June)? He can certainly spin a good yarn without very much thread!

His bluster about the IPCC and “bad science” seeks to divert attention from the inconvenient truth that, despite dissenting voices like his, there is general consensus among the scientific community worldwide regarding climate change. That it is happening – now; and that we need to do something about it – now.

However, let us indulge the good Doctor for a few moments and apply the Precautionary Principle to this vexed question.

If we listen to Dr Napier and other climate sceptics, and do nothing about climate change, what happens if they are wrong? Our world is devastated by widespread coastal flooding, drought, famine, disease; millions will loose their homes and perhaps their lives.

On the other hand, if we listen to the green lobby and choose to act on climate change, what happens if they are wrong? We end up in a cleaner, greener, safer and happier world, with millions of new sustainable jobs in green industries.

I know where I will be placing my bet.

Yours,

Keith M Ross

Green MEP celebrates “invaluable contribution” of Refugees

Jean Lambert, the Green MEP for London, has today marked Refugee Week by urging people to celebrate the “invaluable contribution” refugees bring to life in the UK.

The aim of Refugee Week is to challenge misconceptions about refugees through awareness-raising events, while showcasing the many ways in which the UK has benefited from their diverse skills. One of the biggest myths is that the UK operates an “open door” policy on asylum and the country is being “flooded” by immigrants. To the contrary, the UK only received 25,670 asylum applications in 2008 [1], a figure that has fallen by almost half over the last five years, and we are ranked just 17th in a league table of industrialised countries for the number of claims per head of population [2].

Greens say No to Public Spending Cuts

With the emergency budget due at the end of this week the Green Party is urging the government to put fairness first when it comes to it’s public spending cuts.

The Greens believe that the public sector can make efficiency savings of around £2bn, in particular by making energy efficiency improvements. But they have echoed concerns being expressed throughout the financial world that cuts on the scale the government is proposing could tip the UK economy back into recession; the so called “double dip recession”.

Keith M Ross of Swansea Green Party said, “The fiscal gap is not caused by too much public spending but by taxation dropping to unacceptably low levels. We believe that to create a fairer society we need to raise taxes to around 45% of GDP, and the better off should pay their fair share.

“Currently taxation is around 36% of GDP. Under Margaret Thatcher it was never lower than 40%.

“We’ve been conditioned to believe that spending cuts are inevitable but the Green Party’s fully costed manifesto for the general election showed there are alternatives.”

The Green Party Manifesto for the General Election proposed a £44bn package of measures that would include workforce training, investment in renewables, public transport, insulation, social housing and waste management. The manifesto outlined how this would create a million new jobs across the UK while at the same time spearheading the move to a low carbon economy.

Keith Ross continued, “It’s interesting to note that the current round of spending cuts has been estimated at £6bn, which is precisely the amount given in bonuses to city bankers last year.

“With the Greek economy in tatters, Spain already in trouble, and Portugal and Hungary following closely behind, now is the wrong time to be making cuts in public spending which will weaken our economy rather than strengthen it.”

“Cuts in health, education and public services will hit the poorest and most vulnerable. We need common sense to prevail when it comes to fairness in our economy.”

Caroline Lucas wins 2010 Ethical Politician of Year

Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion and Green Party leader has been named ‘Ethical Politician of the Year’ in the 5th annual Observer Ethical Awards.

Lucas beat David Cameron, and former climate secretary Ed Milliband, in picking up the award for the third time. Her previous two wins were in 2009 and 2007.

Caroline said, “I am delighted to have been chosen by readers of the Observer a third time – it means a great deal to be recognised by such a prestigious award. I am proud to represent a party in parliament which is committed to putting people and our planet first. I’d like to thank Observer readers who voted for me.

“At a time of economic upheaval and environmental challenge, the Greens’ positive vision for the future has never been more needed.”

Wales Green Party Leader Jake Griffiths speaking at the Unite Against Fascism demo in Cardiff