Green Party calls for boost to local manufacturing

Last week’s announcement, of year on year and quarterly GDP growth figures, has confirmed that the coalition government’s approach to the deficit and public services is damaging the economy.

GDP only rose 0.2% in the 2nd quarter of 2011.

Green Party Deputy Leader Adrian Ramsay commented, “The ONS report shows that the Coalition is cutting too far, too fast. The increased cost of living, combined with growing uncertainty over employment, is choking consumer confidence – and consequently the UK’s recovery.

“But GDP, as a measurement has its own failings. GDP does not take living within the ecological limits of the planet into account and emphasises quantity over quality.

“The Green Party would rather have a goal for Britain to be a richer society, a society defined by a fairer distribution of wealth, more equality, and strengthened local economies, rather than solely on GDP growth.

“We think the government needs to give far more support to British manufacturing, through investing in training opportunities, and ensuring government contracts are used to build up domestic manufacturing companies.”

Caroline Lucas rated ‘Best All Rounder’ in End of the Year MP Awards

Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas MP has been rated the ‘Best All Rounder” in the Total Politics End of the Year MP awards by Despatcher.

As the 2010-11 parliamentary session comes to a close, Despatcher hands out the gongs for the memorable performances in the Commons. …
Green MP Caroline Lucas has been a worthy addition to the Commons, pressing ministers forcefully but intelligently on a range of issues, not just the environment. When Britain sent forces to Libya, she warned against regime change from the very start. She continues to highlight the plight of Bahrain and Syria and ask why the UK is not taking action to help civilians in these countries. Her arguments for the reform of Westminster have also been well received by MPs.

Full article at:
http://www.totalpolitics.com/articles/162072/the-end-of-year-mp-awards.thtml

Not another Tesco please

(Letter to the South Wales Evening Post)

The prospect of another Tesco store in Swansea (We Say, Wednesday 27 July) is hardly good news for struggling local businesses, no matter how impressed we might be with the “drive-through” gimmick.

Across the UK, thousands of small local businesses have disappeared over the last ten years because they just can’t compete with the giant retailers like Tesco.

These organisations care little for the communities they supposedly serve and their only loyalty is to their shareholders. They are the commercial equivalent of locusts, whose aim is to strip local economies of every penny of profit with no thought for the livelihoods that are destroyed as a result.

For all the profits that are made in Tesco, relatively little stays within the locality.
Research has shown that for every £1 spent at a large supermarket, 90p leaves the area – whereas every £1 spent with a local supplier is worth £1.76 to the local economy.

Add to this the environmental impact of supermarkets in increased traffic through centralised supply chains and out of town locations, and something we take for granted as being good for our city begins to look altogether less.

The best way to ride out our current economic difficulties and protect ourselves against future recessions would be to promote self-reliance within communities and regions. Revival and support of the local economy is of the greatest importance and we need to enable more local needs to be met by local work using local resources

Far better to focus on small-scale, localised and community owned enterprise such as farmers markets, where producers can sell direct to consumers in their local area.

Its more sustainable and environmentally friendly, and would enrich local people and the community rather than the anonymous shareholders of multinational corporations.

Yours,

Keith M Ross
Swansea Green Party

Greens welcome Labour Group’s ‘Vision for the City’

Swansea Green Party has welcomed Swansea City Council Labour Group’s ‘Vision for the City’, saying “this is a plan we can work with”.

Commenting on the Labour Group’s ‘Vision for the City’ published in the Evening Post last week, Keith Ross of Swansea Green Party said, “This is a plan that Greens can work with.

“Labour’s ideas contrast sharply with the Swansea Administration’s rather sterile, business as usual, ‘Swansea City Centre Action Plan’, which is, in effect, just a summary of what is already happening or has already been planned. The Lib Dems gave us a recipe for sustained development with seemingly never ending roadworks and another new retail development, whereas the Labour plan offers us a sustainable vision for the future.”

Mr Ross continued, “We have to be realistic and recognise that Swansea is not, and never will be, like Cardiff. But that doesn’t mean that we should be unambitious in our vision of the future. Swansea has a lot to offer that is unique and worthy of celebration, and we should not be cowed by our larger, richer neighbour, nor seek to become a pale imitation.

“The Green Party welcomes Labour’s vision for the city, bringing as it does greater focus on the arts and culture, and seeking to improve opportunities for local businesses and producers. Their plan to “maximise the city’s advantages” is precisely what is needed in an era of economic difficulties that seem to increase by the day.

“Of course, and as you would expect, Greens would be looking to include better support for public transport and measures to reduce individual car usage; plus encouragement for businesses to reduce their carbon footprints by greater use of local produce and more energy efficiency. And we would like to see this vision expanded to encompass the wider community.

But in its general outline this is certainly a plan we can work with.”

Regina vs the people of South Wales

(Letter to the South Wales Evening Post)

For once I can agree with Councillor Ioan Richard on an issue relating to wind farms.

It is indeed disappointing that a multi-national company is able to resort to the High Court in order to overturn the democratic decisions of local councils and the Welsh Government (‘Dismay as London judge backs firm in wind turbine battle’, Evening Post, Monday 11 July, page 8).

But this application for a judicial review would not have been possible had Swansea Council and the Assembly’s planning enquiry done their jobs properly. It is to be hoped that the Assembly get it right when the matter comes back to them for reconsideration.

Although I fundamentally disagree with Councillor Richard and his anti-wind colleagues on the merits of wind power, I do fully support Green Party Policy where it states that, “Planning decisions should always be made at the most local practical level. The deemed regional, national or global importance of proposed developments should be weighed alongside the needs and expressed opinions of the local communities in the areas in which they are sited.”

Unfortunately the law tends to favour the rich and powerful, and companies such as RWE will always be prepared to resort to the courts in order to achieve their (profitable) aims in defiance of the democratic process and local opinion.

Perhaps one way to defeat these powerful organisations would be for Councillor Richard and his fellow campaigners to join forces with the green lobby in calling for greater emphasis on demand reduction through energy efficiency and support for micro-renewables thus reducing the need for increased generating capacity in the future.

Yours,

Keith M Ross
Swansea Green Party

Green Party Leader calls for windfall tax on nuclear power as Government unveils energy plans

The Government has outlined further details of its proposed Electricity Market Reform (EMR) – billed as the biggest shake-up of the British electricity market since privatisation in 1990.

Responding to the announcement today in the House of Commons by the Secretary of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change, Chris Huhne, Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas MP said, “While I welcome efforts to address the UK’s dependence on fossil fuels, reduce our exposure to the volatile energy prices which ramp up consumers’ bills and boost investment in renewables, there is no doubt that the Government’s circuitous Electricity Market Reform is a love letter to nuclear power.

“It is very clear that the EMR has been designed to rig the energy market in favour of nuclear, with the introduction of a carbon price floor from 1 April 2013 set to gift huge windfall handouts of around £50m a year to existing generators – making a mockery of the Coalition pledge not to subsidise the industry.

“To claw back this money for the taxpayer, the Government should levy a windfall tax on nuclear alongside the carbon floor price.

Green Party Leader writes to Foreign Secretary over detention of activists in Israel

Several British citizens, including Pippa Bartolotti, Deputy Leader of Wales Green Party, have been detained in Israel this weekend while en route to Bethlehem for a human rights demonstration.

The group was held at Ben Gurion airport and were then transferred to Givon Prison. It remains unclear under what legislation they are being held, and whether any charges have been brought.

There are also reports that they have been denied food and water for long periods of time.

The group may now be faced with deportation.

Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas MP has written to Foreign Secretary William Hague, saying in part, “There does not appear to be any grounds for these citizens being detained, as travelling to the West Bank is meant to be permitted for British citizens.

“Does Israel now have a policy of seeking to prevent human rights defenders from entering the occupied territories or entering Israel?”

She encouraged William Hague to “press for these British citizens to be immediately released and for moves to deport them to be called to a halt, so they can continue with their peaceful visit.”

Wales Green Party Deputy Leader detained in Israel

Pippa Bartolotti, Deputy Leader of Wales Green Party, is reported to have been detained in Israel after attempting to travel openly to the West Bank.

Pippa was taking part in the “Flytilla” – a co-ordinated attempt by around 700 pro-Palestinian activists to challenge Israel’s control of the Palestinian borders. Activists from around the world booked flights to Tel Aviv with the intention of visiting Bethlehem at the invitation of families there.

About 100 people are thought to have made it through to the West Bank so far. Some didn’t make it as far as Israel as airlines blocked them from boarding. Others were detained on arrival in Tel Aviv and are now in Israeli prisons awaiting return to their countries of origin.

Among over 100 known to have been detained twelve are thought to be British, including, in addition to Pippa Bartolotti, D Murphy and Fiona Williams from Swansea.

More details from Swansea Action for Palestine.

Phone hacking scandal surely spells end for disgraced NOTW

Responding today to further developments in the case of phone hacking at the News of the World, Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas MP said, “The drip feed of appalling revelations regarding the News of the World phone hacking scandal must surely spell the end for this disgraced publication – and makes the current position of its former editor, Rebekah Brooks, look untenable.

“Despite repeated attempts by News International to play down the story and evade the law by paying off the highest profile victims, the true extent of the newspaper’s systematic misconduct – and the tragic human cost – has now been laid bare.

“By boycotting the News of the World, we can send a clear message to Rupert Murdoch and to the newspaper’s remaining advertisers that illegal and immoral practices have no place in our media.”

“I fully support calls for a public inquiry, or indeed multiple inquiries, into the handling of this case by the Metropolitan Police – particularly in light of alarming reports that some officers received payment from the NOTW – and for a full investigation into the unethical practices in the industry as a whole that have driven the UK press further into the gutter.

“Furthermore, the Prime Minister should shed greater light on how much was known in No 10 about the scale of this crisis – and whether the possibility of these latest revelations coming to light was what finally led to the resignation of his former communications director, Andy Coulson.”

Latest news from the “greenest government ever”.

Coalition government is slashing support for large scale solar projects

“And the irony is that in opposition, current members of the government criticised the last government for its “modest” (Photo Voltaic Feed in Tariff) scheme. The Liberal Democrats, in particular, went into the last election promising to triple the ambition of Labour’s offer saying Labour weren’t doing enough. Yet now the government wants to do even less.”

Full article by Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas MP here.