10 July 2019

The Green Party has this morning responded to the announcement by independent MP Heidi Allen of the launch of Unite for Remain group (1). 

Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party, said:

“The Green Party is following with interest today’s announcement from Heidi Allen about the new grouping Unite for Remain.

“As the Green Party is a democratic party, with direction provided by its members, we are today launching a survey of members to seek their views on the proposals in circulation about how the number of Remain MPs can be maximised in the next election, with the aim of stopping Brexit and transforming the UK to tackle our environmental and social crises.

“Members have already mandated us to work towards ensuring the maximum number of MPs are elected backing real democracy, with a fair voting system, as agreed in the cross-party Good Systems Agreement brokered by Make Votes Matter last week (2).

“In Brecon and Radnorshire the local party decided several weeks ago, independently and not as part of any pact, not to stand in the by-election to maximise the chance of a Remain-supporting MP in this finely balanced parliament.

“The Green Party has a long track record of leading on grown-up, non-partisan politics, while also working to maximise support on the key issues of environmental and economic justice that our policies provide, and electing representatives who stand squarely behind them.”

Notes

(1) https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/heidi-allen-announced-unite-to-remain-1-6152145

(2) https://www.makevotesmatter.org.uk/good-systems-agreement

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10 July 2019

Responding to the release of the Committee on Climate Change report released this morning that concludes (1) that of 33 key sectors, none show good progress in managing climate change risk, Green MP Caroline Lucas said: “This damning verdict from the Committee on Climate Change underlines the Government’s abject failure to deliver the policies needed to meet our climate targets. 

“Words are cheap – what we need are the bold and ambitious policies that climate experts and campaigners have been urging for years.  The Government’s ongoing refusal to face the reality of climate breakdown and deliver what the science demands is a betrayal of our young people who have been taking to the streets to demand urgent action.

“While Ministers have repeatedly tried to claim credit for global climate leadership, warm words are no substitute for the real change that’s required.

“If Government is serious about delivering on its own rhetoric, it needs to urgently close the gap between words and reality.  It could make a start by dramatically changing the way we use land to restore natural habitats, democratically redesigning our transport system so we get more affordable accessible public transport rather than more runways and roads, and investing in a Green New Deal to rapidly decarbonise the economy and eradicate inequality.”

Notes

https://www.theccc.org.uk/2019/07/10/uk-credibility-on-climate-change-rests-on-government-action-over-next-18-months/

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9 July 2019

Amelia Womack, deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, has welcomed today’s launch of the first battery electric production Mini in Oxford.

She said: “It is clear that the future of motorised transport has to be fossil fuel-free. In the UK we’ve been left far behind countries whose governments have pushed further and farther in this age of climate emergency, but this is a step forward.

“We need to see our infrastructure – charging points and renewable electricity generation – also catching up with the best continental standards.

“But it is crucial that while we celebrate this progress, we also acknowledge that an electric car occupies exactly the same amount of space on the road as one powered by an internal combustion engine.

“Its negative environmental impacts are also significant – particulate pollution from tyres and brakes, loss of space in our cities and congestion.

“The future of transport is founded on ‘active’ transport, walking and cycling, and for longer distance built on affordable, convenient, reliable public transport, particularly buses.

“One-for-one replacement is neither possible, nor desirable.”

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3 July 2019

The Green Party is strongly backing the March for Change, which is saying “stop the Brexit chaos”,  in London on July 20th, with many members from around the country expected to travel to the capital to show their passionate support.

Sian Berry, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, said:

“With the Tories careering the country towards a disastrous no-deal Brexit, it’s never been more important to come together to celebrate our place in the European Union, and show the next Prime Minister that there’s no public mandate for crashing out.

“The levels of inequality and injustice across Britain are unforgivable, and millions were right to demand change. But Brexit is not the solution.

“Greens have been unwavering in our support of Britain’s place in the European Union. We won’t apologise, we won’t compromise and we won’t capitulate to the far right.

“On July 20th, we are proud to march in solidarity with millions across the continent who know we are all citizens of the world.”

Notes

(1) https://www.marchforchange.uk/

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2 July 2019

 Jonathan Bartley, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, will tonight join representatives from many other parties and civil society groups at Westminster to sign the party up to the Good Systems Agreement (1) prepared by Make Votes Matter.

Jonathan will say: 

“In 1867, the Representation of the People Act saw a massive expansion of the male franchise. That came about after an unusual parliamentary event: opposition amendments to a Tory government bill were not resisted. This was a cross-party effort that led to a shifting of the tectonic plates under British politics.

“People in the future might well look back to this event and see in it the seeds of the same scale of transformation, with a similar approach.”

He added:

“It is very tempting to blame individuals for the disastrous state of Britain today, the Brexit chaos, the poverty and inequality, the insecurity and mental health crisis, the dreadful state of our natural world and the climate chaos.  But it is clear that the failure is systemic. 

“That the people are desperate to “take back control” of their communities, their lives, their futures, is no surprise at all. Our antique, undemocratic system has shut so many out of politics for so long.”

Note:

(1)https://www.makevotesmatter.org.uk/good-systems-agreement

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